Disaster Management MSc

Duration

1 Year

2 Years

Location

Stoke-on-Trent campus

Stoke-on-Trent campus

Play a vital role in helping organisations to prepare, plan, respond and recover from a wide range of human-made or natural disasters. Whether dealing with a cyber-attack on national infrastructure or supporting communities in the aftermath of a flood or earthquake, you can make a real difference.

Our multidisciplinary course uses real-world case studies and has a contemporary twist, exploring threats such as terrorism, pandemics and climate change. We also look at sustainable solutions and local, national and international contexts.

You’ll learn how to create a resilience plan to minimise a disaster’s impact – and tailor it to your organisation. We cover technological innovations too.

Using the expertise of our Institute of Policing and other specialists, you’ll develop a holistic understanding of disaster management. This will draw on everything from public health to social sciences.

The course is ideal for professional development and relevant to strategic-level roles across multiple disciplines. These include blue light responders, health trusts, councils, military leaders, humanitarian, aid and NGO agencies, and the risk management and private security sector.

Our multidisciplinary course uses real-world case studies and has a contemporary twist, exploring threats such as terrorism, pandemics and climate change. We also look at sustainable solutions and local, national and international contexts.

You’ll learn how to create a resilience plan to minimise a disaster’s impact – and tailor it to your organisation. We cover technological innovations too.

Using the expertise of our Institute of Policing and other specialists, you’ll develop a holistic understanding of disaster management. This will draw on everything from public health to social sciences.

The course is ideal for professional development and relevant to strategic-level roles across multiple disciplines. These include blue light responders, health trusts, councils, military leaders, humanitarian, aid and NGO agencies, and the risk management and private security sector.

On successful completion of study, we will issue the following award: MSc Disaster Management

On successful completion of study, we will issue the following award: MSc Disaster Management

Course content

You’ll gain an overview of disaster management, key terminology and historical perspectives. We also cover leadership skills, ethics and regulatory standards.

You’ll learn how to assess risks and create plans aimed at reducing a disaster’s impact. We’ll also look at managing the response to an emergency, from a pandemic through to an international humanitarian crisis. Then there’s the recovery phase, where you’ll explore community rebuilding.

Sustainability is a recurrent thread, whether using renewable energy sources for emergency supplies or sustainable methods for replacing destroyed homes.

Your assignments and in-depth research project can be tailored to your own professional practice.

You’ll gain an overview of disaster management, key terminology and historical perspectives. We also cover leadership skills, ethics and regulatory standards.

You’ll learn how to assess risks and create plans aimed at reducing a disaster’s impact. We’ll also look at managing the response to an emergency, from a pandemic through to an international humanitarian crisis. Then there’s the recovery phase, where you’ll explore community rebuilding.

Sustainability is a recurrent thread, whether using renewable energy sources for emergency supplies or sustainable methods for replacing destroyed homes.

Your assignments and in-depth research project can be tailored to your own professional practice.

Modules

The tables provide an indicative list of the modules that make up the course for the current academic year. Each module is worth a specified number of credits. Our teaching is informed by research, and modules change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline. We aim to ensure that all modules run as scheduled. If for any reason a module cannot be run we will advise you as soon as possible and will provide guidance on selecting an appropriate alternative module.

Modules

The tables provide an indicative list of the modules that make up the course for the current academic year. Each module is worth a specified number of credits. Our teaching is informed by research, and modules change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline. We aim to ensure that all modules run as scheduled. If for any reason a module cannot be run we will advise you as soon as possible and will provide guidance on selecting an appropriate alternative module.

Year 1 compulsory modules
Year 1 compulsory modules
Disaster Response And Management 40 credits
Disaster Risk Assessment And Preparedness 40 credits
Introduction To Disaster Management 20 credits
Year 2 compulsory modules
Year 2 compulsory modules
Disaster Recovery And Reconstruction 20 credits
Disaster Response And Management Dissertation Module 60 credits

Entry requirements

A 2:2 honours degree or equivalent or significant appropriate work experience.

A 2:2 honours degree or equivalent or significant appropriate work experience.

For equivalent entry requirements in your home country, please see the information on our country pages.

Choose your country

Check our entry and English language requirements for your country.

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Facilities

Off-campus library services

Distance learners benefit from a range of services including access to e-books, postal loans of physical books, online support from subject librarians and more. Read more

Library services and learning resources

We offer an extensive range of library services to our off-campus students and help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Our comprehensive online catalogue of eResources are available for you to search for and access material such as eBooks, journals and databases. Our team of librarians can help you find your way around the electronic resources and library catalogues, or if there’s something specific you need, they can help you to source it.

Our LibGuides provide information and advice on using our online resources, with specific pages for each subject area, and can help you search for quality-assured websites. 

Find out more: Library Resources

Support for distance learners

Studying remotely doesn't mean that you will be left to study alone. Which is why we ensure that however you study with us, you'll still be able to access the same services as our on-campus students. Read more

However you study with us, or wherever in the world you’re based, you’ll still be able to access the same services as our on-campus students, including IT and study support, online library, careers and wellbeing service. We’ll help to connect with other online learners to help you get the most out of your learning experience and feel a part of the community. Find out more: Support for distance learners

Blackboard (VLE)

Blackboard is a virtual learning environment which houses your learning content. It enables online teaching/learning, provides spaces to build online communities and knowledge sharing.

Careers

You’ll be equipped with the critical and reflective skills, as well as a range of other transferable skills, that are attractive to employers. These can be adapted to a range of professions including, but not limited to:

  • Policing organisations
  • Blue light responders
  • Criminal Justice organisations
  • Office of Police and Crime Commissioners
  • Government and council work
  • Humanitarian organisations
  • National, Foreign or Defence Ministries
  • Armed Forces
  • Security Services
  • Health trusts
  • NGO agencies
  • International or Regional organisations

All students have access to Career Connect, our dedicated careers team.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching

As a distance learning student you will be expected to study independently, but the content of the modules will be provided in a structured manner to support you through the material and to prepare you for your assessments. Support will be available when you need it and you can contact your tutor by phone, email or in person.

Our teaching is delivered through our Virtual Learning Environments. This means you can access a range of materials to support your studies wherever you are and whenever works for your. This includes notes, recorded presentations, activities and discussion forums, where you can debate subjects with your tutors and fellow students.

As a distance learning student you will be expected to study independently, but the content of the modules will be provided in a structured manner to support you through the material and to prepare you for your assessments. Support will be available when you need it and you can contact your tutor by phone, email or in person.

Our teaching is delivered through our Virtual Learning Environments. This means you can access a range of materials to support your studies wherever you are and whenever works for your. This includes notes, recorded presentations, activities and discussion forums, where you can debate subjects with your tutors and fellow students.

Learning support

Your course tutors will provide lots of support. But you can also take advantage of our Academic Skills team, who can help you with:

  • Study skills (including reading, note-taking and presentation skills)
  • Written English (including punctuation, grammar)
  • Academic writing (including how to reference)
  • Research skills
  • Critical thinking
  • Revision, assessment and exam skills (including time management)

Additional support

If you have additional needs like dyslexia or a sensory impairment, then our Student Inclusion Services are here to help make sure nothing stands in your way.

Feedback

We know that feedback is very important for you to be able to gauge your progress and to enable you to achieve your potential. To ensure that you can benefit from regular feedback, your tutors will provide a combination of written and verbal feedback, on both an individual and general assessment level.

We usually give you feedback on your formative assessments within 20 working days, but the format for the feedback will vary for each module.

We know that feedback is very important for you to be able to gauge your progress and to enable you to achieve your potential. To ensure that you can benefit from regular feedback, your tutors will provide a combination of written and verbal feedback, on both an individual and general assessment level.

We usually give you feedback on your formative assessments within 20 working days, but the format for the feedback will vary for each module.

For each of your taught modules, you will have specific sessions delivered through our online learning platforms. These engaging and interactive sessions will enable you to benefit from the expertise of our teaching staff and will signpost you to supplementary resources to support the content of the module. These sessions will also be recorded, so you can access the learning material at any time, giving you the freedom to study anywhere and anytime.

In addition to the module content, you will also be able to arrange online meetings with your tutors and dissertation supervisor, to review your progress on the course, to clarify module content, to provide support for assessments and to receive feedback on your work. The practice based element of this course also lends itself to peer to peer learning through formal and informal contact with fellow learners.

For each of your taught modules, you will have specific sessions delivered through our online learning platforms. These engaging and interactive sessions will enable you to benefit from the expertise of our teaching staff and will signpost you to supplementary resources to support the content of the module. These sessions will also be recorded, so you can access the learning material at any time, giving you the freedom to study anywhere and anytime.

In addition to the module content, you will also be able to arrange online meetings with your tutors and dissertation supervisor, to review your progress on the course, to clarify module content, to provide support for assessments and to receive feedback on your work. The practice based element of this course also lends itself to peer to peer learning through formal and informal contact with fellow learners.

Staff

We are a research-active department with internationally recognised expertise. This provides our students not only with world-class subject experts, but with considerable levels of research-informed teaching and pedagogical experience as well.

The curriculum design of this Masters is structured around core modules which have been developed to reflect the key requirements of the subject discipline of Leadership in Policing as well as the research expertise of each staff member contributing to the delivery of the course.

Adam Greenslade

Senior Lecturer

Adam is the DHEP and DC DHEP Course Leader for West Midlands Police. His background includes specialist roles in the Met and GMP, including detective service, specialist operations, response and roads policing leadership and investigation.

Adam's profile

Fees

For the course starting on 27 January 2025 the tuition fees are:

Tuition fees for MSc-Full-time, distance learning, January start
Study option UK / Channel Islands International
Full-time £8,900 per course £8,900 per course

For the course starting on 27 January 2025 the tuition fees are:

Tuition fees for MSc-Full-time, distance learning, January start
Study option UK / Channel Islands
Part-time £8,865 per course

If you would like to know more about the fees listed and what this means to you then please get in touch with our Enquiries Team.

Alumni discount

If you've previously completed a University of Staffordshire undergraduate degree (excluding HND and foundation degrees) you may be entitled to a discount of up to 25% off your course fees for any subsequent postgraduate taught course (terms apply, see the alumni discount page for details). If you have any questions about how this relates to you, please contact feesandbursaries@staffs.ac.uk.

Not included in tuition fees
Not included in the fees:
  • Text books are available from the library and online resources, but some students choose to purchase their own copies.
  • Printing
  • Travel costs
  • Any optional field trips
  • Text books are available from the library and online resources, but some students choose to purchase their own copies.
  • Printing
  • Travel costs
  • Any optional field trips
Accommodation and living costs
Accommodation and living costs

Accommodation and living costs are not included in our fees. 

For more information on accommodation and living costs, please see: Accommodation

Sources of financial support

Providing you are studying towards a full Masters qualification you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan of up to £11,570 to help with tuition fees, maintenance and other associated costs. Student loans are available for many of our postgraduate degrees and are provided by the Student Loans Company (SLC). The loan can cover a wide range of postgraduate study options; part-time, full-time and distance learning. 

For more information and how to apply visit masters loan.

Apply

Location Award Study option Start date Apply Link
Stoke-on-Trent campus MSc Full-time, distance learning, January start 27 January 2025 Apply now

Rules and regulations

If you are offered a place at University of Staffordshire, your offer will be subject to our rules, regulations and enrolment conditions, which may vary from time to time.

Students of University of Staffordshire enter into a contract with us and are bound by these rules and regulations, which are subject to change. For more information, please see: University Policies and Regulations

Have you considered?

in the UK for Quality Education

Sustainable Development Goal 4, Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2024

for Career Prospects

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023

for Facilities

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023

for Social Inclusion

The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023

of Research Impact is ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Very Considerable’

Research Excellence Framework 2021

of Research is “Internationally Excellent” or “World Leading”

Research Excellence Framework 2021

Four Star Rating

QS Star Ratings 2021