Overview

Natural disasters and armed conflict have existed in human existence throughout history. Disaster Management and Resilience MSc can develop your existing skills to help you manage risk and respond to disasters, food insecurity and conflict.

If you are interested in careers focused on disaster intervention or are a current practitioner seeking to update your knowledge in disaster management, humanitarian assistance, capacity building and disaster risk reduction, this specialist master’s course encompasses up-to-date thinking in disaster theory, management policy, strategy and practice in the in the developing and developed world.

Disaster management has been taught at Coventry for over 20 years and this postgraduate course covers the advanced research skills, knowledge and management expertise, to deal effectively with future disasters, encouraging you to adopt a strategic and holistic perspective. It aims to develop your expertise and capacity to identify, analyse, interpret and manage risk and disaster issues successfully focusing on less economically developed contexts across the world, focusing on sustainable solutions and building community resilience.

Course information

This programme is designed to provide you with the opportunity to develop the knowledge and practical skills needed to identify, critically analyse, assess and successfully manage increasingly complex disasters, operating confidently in policy development, strategy implementation and response management.

It aims to enable you to deal with complex multifactorial disasters, in a professional, organisational, national and international capacity, through developing strategies which will increase our resilience to risks and threats to both economies and societies.

You should gain a solid understanding of the key theories within the areas of humanitarian practice, development, climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction. You should be equipped with skills needed to evaluate the activities of NGOs, multilateral agencies and institutions and undertake risk and vulnerability assessments at an appropriate level of seniority, including important developments in the field of humanitarian relief and operations.

We will help to expand your knowledge of the legal and political framework of international humanitarian and disaster risk reduction sectors, taking account of the social, ethical and environmental contexts of disaster management. You will also be required to carry out an independent piece of research of your choosing, intended to enable you to develop skills in personal organisation, research and critical thinking, as well as advancing your knowledge in the subject area.