Risk Analysis, Disasters and Resilience MSc

Our Risk Analysis, Disasters and Resilience MSc programme will give you an advanced foundation in interdisciplinary studies of environmental, societal and technological risk and disaster in the global North and South. The programme is unique in bringing critical social and development perspectives on the underlying causes of disasters with expertise on governing, managing and communicating risks, across a wide range of societal, public and private sector contexts. Throughout this MSc you'll become equipped with the skills to critically analyse risk and disasters and develop reflexive problem-solving strategies, thanks to our unique combination of scholarship from development geography and political science to sociology and psychology. You’ll gain an understanding of differential vulnerability and exposure to hazard and how they shape adaptation and resilience. You’ll also build your knowledge of the political, organisational and societal contexts that shape the management, governance and public communication of risk and disasters. This programme gives you the chance to connect scholarship and practice. As well combining theoretical and case-based modules, and an internship programme, you’ll learn with insights from professionals in public, private and third-sector organisations. This programme is a fantastic launchpad for exciting careers in a rapidly developing field. Many graduates from our previously successful MSc programmes in Risk Analysis, and Disasters, Adaptation and Development, have secured diverse careers as risk, disaster and resilience management and policy specialists within a wide range of international and national government agencies and non-governmental organisations, consultancies and businesses.

Key benefits

• Learn to evaluate the economic, structural, social, cultural, environmental, technological, political and institutional contexts in which risk, disaster and reconstruction occurs.
• Study the methods and techniques for analysing risk, vulnerability and exposure.
• Develop critical understanding of the causes of differential vulnerabilities that constrain adaptive capacity, action and outcomes.
• Gain an up-to-date understanding of socio-psychological theories of risk perception and communication, organisational and sociological theories of risk and blame, and political science theories of variety in risk governance processes and outcomes.
• Apply theoretical and technical concepts learned from case-studies across the global North and South.
• Launchpad for exciting careers as disaster, risk and resilience management and policy specialists in national and international public, private and third-sector organisations.
• An optional Internship module helps students take their first steps towards employment in a relevant vocational field.

“The MSc Risk Analysis allowed me to develop a robust understanding of key risk concepts and methodologies used in contemporary policy analysis and design. I was able to apply those skills as part of my internship at one of the UKʼs leading learned societies – the Royal Society – where I ultimately took up a permanent role. I would recommend the MSc to anyone wanting to understand the behavioural and social processes at play in the messy world of risk and policy-making.”

Ben, Past MSc Risk Analysis, Disasters & Resilience studentShow more

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