Coventry University

What you'll study

This Masters combines interdisciplinary theory with applied practice to develop technical, managerial and community-focused approaches to disasters and resilience. You study risk assessment and hazard analysis, emergency planning and response, disaster recovery and reconstruction, community resilience and social vulnerability, and the influence of climate change on hazard profiles.

• Risk assessment and management: hazard identification, vulnerability assessment, quantitative and qualitative risk appraisal.
• Emergency planning and incident command: contingency planning, multi-agency coordination, business continuity and the principles of incident management.
• Humanitarian response and community recovery: logistics for relief operations, shelter and livelihoods recovery, psychosocial support and transitional governance.
• Resilience theory and practice: social capital, adaptive capacity, governance, and building resilience at household, community and urban scales.
• Geospatial analysis and modelling: GIS applications for hazard mapping, scenario modelling and decision support tools.
• Research methods and evidence-based practice: qualitative and quantitative methods, monitoring and evaluation, and ethics in disaster research.
• Major project or dissertation: an independent research project or professionally oriented dissertation applied to a real-world problem or partner organisation.

Teaching typically includes lectures, seminars, practical workshops, simulation exercises and field visits, with assessment through coursework, case studies, group projects and the final research project.

Entry requirements

Applicants are usually expected to hold a good honours degree (UK second class upper or equivalent) in a relevant subject such as environmental science, geography, engineering, social sciences, public policy or a related discipline. Applicants with a lower-class honours degree plus significant relevant professional experience in emergency services, humanitarian organisations, local government or risk management are also considered.

International students must demonstrate proficiency in English; common evidence accepted includes recognised English language qualifications at a level appropriate for postgraduate study. Professional references and a personal statement outlining your interest in disaster management and resilience are normally required. Where relevant, interviews or submission of a workplace/project portfolio may form part of the selection process.

Career prospects

Graduates go on to roles in public sector emergency management, local and national resilience teams, humanitarian and development NGOs, international agencies, private sector risk and resilience consultancies, utilities and critical infrastructure operators, and insurance and reinsurance firms. Typical job titles include Emergency Planning Officer, Resilience/Recovery Coordinator, Humanitarian Programme Officer, Risk Analyst, Business Continuity Manager, Disaster Risk Reduction Adviser and Policy Analyst. The programme also provides a pathway to doctoral research in disaster studies and related fields.

Why study at Coventry University

Coventry University emphasises practical, career-oriented learning and maintains links with emergency services, humanitarian organisations and industry partners to provide applied learning and employability opportunities. The programme benefits from multidisciplinary teaching, hands-on simulation exercises and access to facilities for geospatial analysis and modelling. Academic staff combine research in disaster risk reduction and resilience with professional experience, enabling teaching that reflects current policy and operational practice. Students can also access placement support, short professional courses and a network of alumni working across resilience and emergency management sectors.