Master’s in Disaster Management and Resilience (MSc)

Provides an understanding of the concepts and interrelationship between the concepts of disaster risk, resilience, adaptation, development and sustainability from the perspective of historical and current international events, strategy and policy drivers. An understanding of the disaster-development continuum is critical to those working or intending to work in international development, disaster risk reduction (DRR) and emergency practice in increasingly complex environments. The module takes an enquiring approach to theories and their impact on the field of practice at a programme, agency, country and global scale. It will demand a thorough and critical exploration and evaluation of the aims, areas of activity and programmes of NGOs, multilateral agencies and institutions. Upon successful completion of this module, you will be able to recognise the inseparable link between sustainability, development, DRR, resilience and humanitarian practice.

Compulsory

This module will facilitate your competence to plan, design, and manage an exercise programme in the context of disaster, crisis and emergency management. The module will place exercises in the wider context of preparedness and organisational resilience, examining theories and approaches to training and exercising. In addition, the module will aim to help you critically assess and evaluate generic principles of training and apply them to training needs for disaster, crisis and emergency management. Approaches to the evaluation of exercises and associated learning will be developed, and the project management requirements for managing and organising exercises are also examined.

Compulsory

In this module, we explore strategies for the development of long-term planning in a world of change and uncertainty. Very often, planning looks 5 -10 years into the future; however, with developing global trends, such as social justice, climate change and political transition, this is insufficient. Techniques for predicting and then planning future actions have evolved and now need to be capable of addressing complex and interconnected issues. This module explores the processes that provide clear pathways, exploring approaches such as systems and strategic thinking, in the context of the changing needs and expectations of stakeholders.

Compulsory

Despite the recent popularity and frequent use of the community resilience concept in emergency and disaster management research and policy programmes, there is a confusing range of theoretical interpretations and an equally broad range of operational interpretations. This module aims to provide you with a high-level conceptual understanding of resilience and its relationship with preparedness and recovery activities done by and on behalf of communities. Through analysis of UK and international case studies, you will evaluate determinants of resilience and the role of professionals and communities in preparedness, recovery and resilience. Methods for engagement with community groups and the role of public service providers/NGOs will be critically assessed. Issues pertaining to sustainable approaches and monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of resilience interventions will be emphasised.

Compulsory

This module will equip you with an understanding of the contemporary theoretical perspectives of humanitarian action and management approaches to disaster preparedness and humanitarian response. This module aims to provide an understanding of the organisational architecture, drivers and standards in humanitarian response as well as current challenges and changes for organisations operating in the humanitarian response sector. This module takes a “humanitarian response agency” perspective.

Compulsory

This module reviews good governance approaches to mainstreaming effective and sustainable disaster interventions and reviews the links between international policy and local projects. Thereafter, the module focuses on the analysis of traditional emerging approaches to disaster interventions to evaluate opportunities and good practice perspectives for Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL). Case studies from response and DRR context will be used in order to bring together an understanding of the importance of undertaking an integrated approach where MEAL activities and results are shared between disaster phases, projects, programme and agencies to maximise learning benefits, impact of interventions, resilience and sustainability.

Compulsory

This module aims to develop an in-depth understanding of a range of risk interpretations, and explore non-technical skills, minimisation techniques and leadership models that can be applied during incidents and crises. It will use models and theories to critically evaluate the challenges for leadership and decision-making within the constraints of command-and-control practice. Incidents are recognised as vital opportunities for learning lessons, but there are usually challenges to facilitating and leading the implementation of change; you will investigate ways in which these barriers and challenges can be overcome.

Compulsory

This module is designed to equip you with the required skills in systematic critical evaluation, research design and data collection relevant to assessing practice and policy in disciplines aligned to emergencies and crises. The module content will review processes and principles for conducting research. You will explore intensive and extensive research designs and be introduced to the principal methods of conducting extensive research, including social surveys, documentary, archival and census evidence, and quantitative analysis. The module also explores more intensive forms of investigation, including interviewing, ethnography and other forms of qualitative analysis. Issues of research dissemination and research ethics will also be considered.

Compulsory

The aim of this module is to support you in defining a need or critical issue within the emergency management and resilience sector, and exploring potential solutions for that problem through the practical application of theoretical approaches. Working with a supervisor, you will ​look to ​develop an industry-facing paper that researches and evaluates the evidence and makes recommendations for change and overcoming expected barriers to that change at a team, institutional or national level as appropriate.

Compulsory

This module aims to provide you with a framework of knowledge and understanding of how to effectively lead and develop people in a strategically diverse and inclusive way. You will explore, for example, the influence and impact of leadership theories, culture, wellbeing, and approaches to developing better equality, diversity and inclusion strategies and practices that can be used creatively within a leadership role in different types of organisational scenarios. The module enables you to reflect critically on your personal learning and development needs and how you work with others, from an ethical and professional standpoint to encourage your continuing professional development.

Compulsory