Overview

In a world where simultaneous and dynamic emergencies are the new normal, individuals and organisations face ever more challenging situations. Standards in the sector are high but they need to be higher; employers are now demanding that emergency management practitioners are trained, qualified and accountable.

Studied on campus or 100% online, this postgraduate certificate is for professionals working in public and emergency services, private sector or consultancy with a responsibility for assessing and managing risk, developing emergency preparedness, managing incidents, training others and designing and running emergency exercises. Our postgraduate courses have been externally reviewed by an external expert in the Civil Contingencies Secretariat (UK Cabinet Office) and meet the requirements of government and other organisations, helping to ensure that our graduates have the skills and knowledge to deal with complex and large-scale emergencies upon successful completion of the course.

Coventry University understands the current challenges facing our emergency management community. The course curriculum and assessment is designed and constantly refreshed, making it suitable for those who are already working within emergency planning and management as well as those looking to embark on a career within the field.

This course will provide you with the opportunity to further develop the core knowledge you need to drive forward excellence in assessing risks, planning for emergency preparedness and developing a culture of resilience within your organisation and for those you serve.

Course information

The four modules which comprise this postgraduate certificate are created to provide you with the opportunity to gain a master’s-level qualification in a directly relevant discipline.

Employers recognise that the challenges found in postgraduate study positively changes the way you analyse problems and create solutions. This course provides you with a space to network with others from a diverse range of experience and disciplines, to learn and apply concepts, theories and academic skills to professional practice.

This course can be studied on campus or 100% online. The course’s flexibility and delivery pattern of 4.5-day blocks enables full-time students to develop their knowledge alongside opportunities to gain practical experience. Alternatively, as a full-time student, you can study 100% online across a ten-week teaching period whilst also gaining practical experience in the workplace. The part-time route allows those already in emergency management to balance their studies with other work and life commitments and apply academic rigour to their practical experience. Whilst we would like to give you all the information about our part-time offering here, it is tailored for each course each year depending on the number of part-time applicants. Therefore, the part-time teaching arrangements vary. Please request information about studying this course part-time.   

You will have opportunities to reflect on, and further develop, essential technical and non-technical skills in emergency management, leadership, working together, personal resilience and working in multi-agency teams. You will advance your skills in evaluating complex situations, developing creative and innovative solutions, and implementing post-incident learning. There will be opportunities to take part in training and exercises through simulated emergency scenarios in our state-of-the art, immersive simulation suite.

Coventry University was the first UK university to establish courses in disaster management and emergency planning over 20 years ago (Hulse & Moseley 1998) and is still a leading provider of Higher Education courses and Consultancy services in emergency and disaster management capabilities. We have more than 25 years of alumni who sit in senior positions in emergency management across the world.

As a Coventry University graduate, upon successful completion of the course you should have gained the skills you need to move your career in emergency preparedness and management forward, both in the UK and overseas. These skills and knowledge are transferable - dealing with risk, problem solving, decision making under uncertainty, team and leadership skills and place you in an enviable position to pursue a career in a wide range of public sector and industry occupations.