Emergency and Incident Management PGCert

Study level: Postgraduate
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The course is designed to give you the knowledge, skills and competencies necessary to fulfil duties that fall upon organisations arising from civil contingencies legislation and other aligned civil defence duties in similar international contexts.

Year of entry

Location

Coventry University (Coventry)
100% online study

Study mode

Full-time
Part-time

Duration

1 year full-time
2 years part-time

Course code

On campus - EECT014
Online - EECT138

Start date

September 2025
January 2026
May 2026

The information on this page is for 2024-25 entry and should be used as guidance for 2025-26 entry. Please keep checking back on this course page to see our latest updates.


Course overview

This course caters to those with an emergency response remit looking to develop skills and capacity in incident management, leadership and community safety.

With the flexibility to study either 100% on campus, 100% online or as a blend of both, this course aims to provide you with the academic underpinning to analyse the features that make for best-practice planning, policy and process, so that you can go on to devise effective emergency incident management of your own.

  • The programme covers important legal and socio-political frameworks within emergency and incident management, as well as investigating emerging technological solutions, and the contemporary safety and threat environments that impact on the sector.
  • The four modules have been reviewed by external experts in the Civil Contingencies Secretariat (UK Cabinet Office) and meet the requirements of government and other organisations. Modules from this programme can be taken forward and count towards the MSc in Emergency Management and Resilience qualification.
  • The part-time route allows those already employed in crowd safety, health and safety, and security management to balance their studies with other commitments and apply academic rigour to their practical experience.
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Rated Gold Overall

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023

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5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities

QS Stars University Ratings

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Top 5 Student City in England (Coventry)

QS Best Student Cities Index 2025

Why you should study this course

  • You should advance your skills in evaluating complex situations, developing creative and innovative solutions, and implementing lessons learned. If you study on campus, there will be opportunities to take part in training and exercises through simulated emergency scenarios in our immersive Simulation Centre4.
  • Course content is broad-based to reflect the multidisciplinary nature of the subject. For example, as well as being taught current and evolving techniques and tactics used to prevent, plan, prepare or respond to a wide range of emergencies, we will also cover and critically appraise relevant technical data and information, best practice in emergency planning and incident management.
  • Members of our current teaching team have practical experience and have carried out employment, consultancy and research in emergency and incident management and allied professions. This includes command and control design, the design and management of simulated emergency exercises, emergency planning, risk mapping, the preparation of response frameworks for mass evacuation, (staff subject to change).
  • Opportunities for recognition of prior learning and experience (RPL/RPEL) on a case-by-case basis (evidence required). Please see the course specification for further information.
  • There is dedicated support available for those who are new to Higher Education, or returning after a long break, with the Centre For Academic Writing’s programme of online and in-person tutorials available to all students4.

What you'll study

Further develop your skills and knowledge in assessing and managing dynamic risks, situational awareness and the role of human factors, incident leadership, evaluative approaches to planning, governance and public policy, interoperability, public response to emergencies, early recovery considerations. Develop high-level analytical, decision-making and communication skills and make an immediate difference in the organisation where you work.

Modules

We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.


How you'll learn

Modules can be studied 100% on campus, 100% online or as blend of both. However you choose to study with us, all of our modules are designed to provide both the depth and rigour required for development, reflection and networking in this sector.

Delivery is supported by our innovative online social learning platform Aula (subject to change), allowing you to undertake substantial parts of your study at home whether you are studying on campus or online so you can revisit classroom content and find additional materials. You also have access to our library's electronic resources 24/7, including thousands of books, ejournals and newspapers.

Study on campus

Teaching and learning methods may include:

  • Seminars and discussion
  • Practical sessions and workshops
  • Simulation exercises
  • Study visits2

Explore our campus

Study 100% online

You will have timetabled classes, online tutorials, and seminars, with all your learning activities available on-demand so that you can learn at the best time and location for you. We record all sessions and provide alternative work for those who cannot attend in person.

This course can be studied on a full-time or part-time basis. 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.

How online learning works


Teaching contact hours

Each 15-credit module will consist of 150 hours of activities with typically about 30 hours of contact time associated. The activity time will be made up of a mixture of guided and self-guided study. Taught modules are normally delivered across a ten-week period and can be studied 100% on-campus, 100% online or as a blend of both. The contact hours for this course will include a combination of face-to-face teaching such as lectures, group sessions, workshops, online classes and support sessions.

Students will have access to an experienced team of tutors and lecturers who will support their studies. Each module will have dedicated online content to support the learning.

The contact hours may be made up of a combination of face-to-face teaching, individual and group tutorials, and online classes and tutorials.

As an innovative and enterprising institution, the university may seek to utilise emerging technologies within the student experience. For all courses (whether on-campus, blended, or distance learning), the university may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via online technologies and methods.

Since COVID-19, we have delivered our courses in a variety of forms, in line with public authority guidance, decisions, or orders and we will continue to adapt our delivery as appropriate. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.


Assessment

This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which will vary depending upon the module.

Assessment methods may include:

  • Reports
  • Proposals and business cases
  • Presentations
  • Reports
  • Projects
  • Coursework
  • Individual Assignments

The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.


International experience opportunities

This course focuses on emergency management within a global context, drawing on case studies and the experience of agencies working in the UK, Europe, US, Canada and Australia.

International and UK students (dependant in intake of students each year) take classes together, participating in discussion-based seminars and workshops, so students have the opportunity to benefit from the personal experiences of other students, as well as staff, from other parts of the world.


Entry requirements

Typical offer for 2024/25 entry.

Relevant work experience and/or a professional development qualification.

A 2:2 undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline. Applicants with a lower class of degree and/or professional experience only will be individually considered and will usually be interviewed prior to being offered a place on the course.

We recognise a breadth of qualifications, speak to one of our advisers today to find out how we can help you.

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Select your region to find detailed information about entry requirements:


You can view our full list of country specific entry requirements on our Entry requirements page.

Alternatively, visit our International hub for further advice and guidance on finding in-country agents and representatives, joining our in-country events and how to apply.

Typical entry requirements

A 2:2 undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline. Applicants with a lower class of degree and/or professional experience only will be individually considered and will usually be interviewed prior to being offered a place on the course.

English language requirements

  • IELTS: 6.5 overall, with no component lower than 5.5

If you don't meet the English language requirements, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course. 

For more information on our approved English language tests visit our English language requirements page.

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Fees and funding

Student Full-time Part-time
UK 2025/26 fees TBC
2024/25 fees -£3,733  
Request fee information
International 2025/26 fees TBC
2024/25 fees -£6,200  
Not available

For advice and guidance on tuition fees3 and student loans visit our Postgraduate Finance page and see the university's Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.

We offer a range of International scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our International Scholarships page.

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them.

The following are additional costs not included in the tuition fees:

  • Any optional overseas field trips or visits: £400+ per trip.
  • Any costs associated with securing, attending or completing a placement (whether in the UK or abroad).

*Irish student fees

The rights of Irish residents to study in the UK are preserved under the Common Travel Area arrangement. If you are an Irish student and meet the residency criteria, you can study in England, pay the same level of tuition fees as English students and utilise the Tuition Fee Loan.

**EU Support Bursary

Following the UK's exit from the European Union, we are offering financial support to all eligible EU students who wish to study an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree with us full-time. This bursary will be used to offset the cost of your tuition fees to bring them in line with that of UK students. Students studying a degree with a foundation year with us are not eligible for the bursary.


Facilities

Our aim is to offer you sector-leading facilities4.

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The Library

You will benefit from our support designed to help you succeed and our industry-relevant teaching and resources. These include our modern library and computing facilities, dedicated careers advice and Your Students’ Union.

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Jaguar Centre

The Jaguar Centre has been specifically designed to provide facilities and services to support our postgraduate students including social spaces, computer suites and separate areas for small group study.

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The Hub

The Hub is the centre of student campus life. It's also home to the Health and Wellbeing Centre, the Spirituality and Faith Centre, the Tank Studio, Student Success Coaches and the Enterprise Hub.


Careers and opportunities

On successful completion, you should have:

  • A comprehensive evaluation of risk, its components and influencing factors, approaches to assessment, prioritisation and role in planning, managing and recovering from crises and emergencies.
  • A detailed knowledge of policy and approaches for mitigating, preparing for, managing and recovering from emergencies or crises for responding agencies and organisations and affected communities.
  • A thorough comprehension of approaches to assessing complexity and interaction and developing, monitoring and evaluating resilience in processes, systems, organisations and communities at risk from known and emergent threats in a sustainable way.
  • A detailed analysis of multi-stakeholder engagement, communication, co-operation and governance in all aspects of policy and strategy development, implementation and management at all scales.
  • An ability to manage information, evaluate uncertainty, ambiguity and complexity in knowledge, method and management, and make appropriate and defensible decisions.

Our part-time students are often sponsored by their employers, and successful completion of this postgraduate level qualification could provide the credibility needed to progress in your organisation and career.

Successful graduates could work in a range of organisations with crowded places duties, including venue and stadia management, the uniformed services, private security management, and the live events, transport and retail sectors.

The course aims to support the development of your skills in problem-solving, teamwork and leadership, project management and communication, all of which are qualities employers demand. We strive to produce graduates who can make difficult decisions whilst being culturally sensitive, ethical and compassionate.

Our current teaching staff and the university’s Talent Team can support your search for employment in the UK or overseas by making use of our alumni network, industrial contacts, careers events, recruitment fairs and individual advice (all subject to availability).

Where our graduates work

Opportunities exist globally within:

  • Emergency services and civil contingencies
  • Health service and epidemiology
  • Military
  • Utility and Critical National Infrastructure organisations
  • High risk industry – manufacturing, automotive, nuclear, oil and gas, aviation
  • Environmental Incident Response
  • Risk and crisis consultancy
  • Humanitarian agencies and NGOs
  • Security and events industries
  • Research and further study

How to apply

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