Bournemouth University

What you'll study

This programme combines theory and practice across the disaster management cycle: mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. Teaching covers contemporary disaster risk reduction concepts, humanitarian principles, multi-hazard risk assessment, emergency planning, logistics and coordination, community resilience, and the social and political drivers of disasters.

• Disaster Risk and Resilience — frameworks for understanding hazards, vulnerability and exposure; approaches to resilience and community-based risk reduction.
• Hazard Assessment and GIS — techniques for hazard mapping, exposure analysis and basic geospatial methods used in disaster planning.
• Emergency Planning and Incident Management — incident command systems, contingency planning, continuity of operations and inter-agency coordination.
• Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain — logistics in crises, supply chain challenges, procurement, warehousing and last-mile delivery in complex environments.
• Governance, Policy and Ethics — the role of national and international institutions, law and policy, and ethical issues in humanitarian action.
• Research Methods for Disaster Studies — qualitative and quantitative methods, mixed-methods approaches and applied project design.
• Professional Practice / Dissertation — a supervised research dissertation or an applied professional project with industry or NGO partners, allowing students to specialise in a topic such as climate-related disasters, urban resilience, or post-disaster recovery.

Programme delivery emphasises applied learning: scenario exercises, tabletop simulations, workshops with practitioners, and opportunities for field-based or practitioner-informed projects. Assessment typically combines coursework, practical exercises, presentations and a major independent project.

Entry requirements

Applicants are normally expected to hold a UK upper second-class honours degree (2:1) or an equivalent qualification in a related discipline such as geography, environmental science, public health, engineering, social sciences or development studies. Applicants with a lower second-class degree (2:2) may be considered if they can demonstrate relevant professional experience in emergency management, humanitarian work, policing, the military, local government or NGOs.

International applicants should meet the university's English language requirements; a typical benchmark is an academic English test at a level equivalent to IELTS overall 6.5 with no component below 6.0, though exact requirements should be checked with the university. Professional experience, relevant CPD and references are taken into account during the admissions process.

Career prospects

Graduates go on to a wide range of roles in the public, private and third sectors. Typical destinations include:

• Emergency and disaster risk management positions with national and local government agencies.
• Operational and coordination roles in international and national humanitarian organisations and NGOs.
• Risk and resilience consultancy, business continuity and corporate emergency planning teams.
• Logistics and supply chain roles specialising in humanitarian operations.
• Research and policy positions in think-tanks, university research centres and international organisations such as the UN.

The programme’s applied focus and practitioner engagement help students build professional networks and practical skills valued by employers in disaster and emergency management.

Why study at Bournemouth University

Bournemouth University is known for its applied, professionally oriented teaching and close links with industry and public-sector partners. Students on this programme benefit from practice-led learning, scenario-based simulations and opportunities to work on real-world projects with practitioners from emergency services, NGOs and local authorities. The university’s coastal location provides a useful setting for learning about coastal hazards and community resilience, while dedicated resources support student development in research methods, fieldwork and professional practice. Small cohort sizes and strong student support mean personalised supervision for dissertations and career guidance tailored to the disaster management sector.