Subject guide to International Disaster Management and Humanitarian Response
International Disaster Management and Humanitarian Response at Manchester
This is an interdisciplinary subject that draws from a range of subject perspectives – anthropology, development, geography, history, languages, peace and conflict studies, politics, and sociology.
Disasters or hazards can be natural or anthropogenic (originating from human activity), and they happen in all countries, including the UK. Governments, policymakers and NGOs are looking for graduates who understand the complexities of local, national and global environments, and can advocate and implement change.
During their studies, students focus on social and political change, and preventative measures that can generate different outcomes and reduce the occurrence of disasters or conflicts. They also build their knowledge and understanding of disaster preparedness and recovery measures that can mitigate the health, social, economic and environmental impacts of a disaster or conflict.
There are close links between our undergraduate teaching and Humanitarian and Conflict Response Institute research centre at Manchester, which has partnerships with organisations such as Save the Children, Médecins Sans Frontières, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
From my experience The University of Manchester's Language Department has an amazing support system and resources and that was very important to me when I was choosing universities.
Zehra Kes / Modern Languages, 2026.
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Courses - 2027 entry
BA International Disaster Management and Humanitarian Response and Modern Languages is a 4-year degree course, with an integrated Residence Abroad year.
Students can study Arabic, Chinese, French or Spanish, and the degree title will state the language studied. For example, BA International Disaster Management and Humanitarian Response and Modern Languages (Spanish).
For information about entry requirements, tuition fees, scholarships and bursaries, please visit the online prospectus.
A 3-year, single honours degree course is also available, BA International Disaster Management and Humanitarian Response.
Course structure
BA International Disaster Management and Humanitarian Response and Modern Languages provides students with a range of choices. When considering the choices you’d like to make, please note:
- Each year, all students study 120 credits of course units. Each course unit is 20 credits unless indicated.
- The course unit titles for each year of study have been listed.
- The number of credits taken from International Disaster Management and Humanitarian Response varies each year. Year 1 is 60 credits. In Years 2 and 4, students can take 40, 60 or 80 credits. The remaining credits are taken from your chosen language - Arabic, Chinese, French or Spanish.
- Essential course information for students studying a 4-year degree.
Course content
Joint honours students take all the course units listed below, and study alongside students on the 3-year single honours degree.
Reading lists and study resources take a broad outlook and are designed to challenge long-standing biases and omissions in this field of study. From community leaders to academic researchers, and from the global south to western Europe, students analyse a full range of perspectives.
The Key Skills course unit is focused on the academic skills needed for the course, such as identifying and analysing academic arguments, planning essays, compiling a bibliography, and learning how to engage with difficult subjects in a seminar-room setting.
Joint Honours students
60 credits taken from:
◆ Key Concepts in International Disaster Management and Humanitarian Response
◆ Key Skills in International Disaster Management and Humanitarian Response (10 credits)
◇ Introduction to Disaster Management
◇ Histories of Humanitarianism (10 credits)
KEY:
◆ Semester 1
◇ Semester 2
◈ Full Year
In Year 2, International Disaster Management and Humanitarian Response can be a minor (40 credits), joint (60 credits), or major (80 credits) subject.
There is a broader range of course units in Year 2, and students can start to specialise in an area of study or they can continue to choose from a range of topics.
The Professional Experience Project enables students to either complete a work-based group project, defined by an external organisation, or they can arrange their own work placement. The assessment for this course unit is a policy brief on a topic chosen by the course unit coordinator, and a reflective essay about the group project or work placement.
Joint Honours students
40, 60 or 80 credits chosen from:
◆ Emergency Humanitarian Assistance
◆ Disasters and Development
◆ Introduction to Global Health
◇ Rethinking Crisis
◇ Everyday Peace Building and Security
◇ Understanding Hazard Risk
0 or 20 credits chosen from:
◈ Professional Experience Project
◆ Governing Aid
◇ Introduction to Conflict Analysis
0 or 20 credits chosen from:
◆ Free choice units in the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures or University College for Interdisciplinary Learning. Some course units are delivered in semester 1, some are delivered in semester 2.
KEY:
◆ Semester 1
◇ Semester 2
◈ Full Year
This is the Residence Abroad year and students live in a country where their chosen language is spoken. Opportunities vary from year to year, and some opportunities are selective.
Please see Residence Abroad for information about funding and finance, the support provided to students to find suitable study or work placements, and for videos and blog posts from current students.
In Year 4, International Disaster Management and Humanitarian Response can be a minor (40 credits), joint (60 credits), or major (80 credits) subject. This year of study provides students with the broadest choice of course units.
For students who want to develop their research skills, there are a number of options. Practical Approaches to Researching Disasters and Conflict combines theories and concepts with questions of sensitive research methods and knowledge production. This course unit includes a compulsory field trip outside the UK.
The Research Paper enables students to complete a 6,000-word assignment focused on a research question chosen from a list or devised by the student. The Extended Research Paper is a dissertation of 10,000 words. Both the research paper course units have low contact hours (9 ½ hours and 24 hours, respectively) and a high independent study commitment (191 hours and 376 hours, respectively).
The Geographical Information Systems and Disasters course unit focuses on how spatial data and analysis and cartography skills are applied to disaster management tasks such as mapping vulnerability using population census data or modelling risk using meteorological data. Students use Google Earth Pro, QGIS, and ArcGIS.
Joint Honours students
40, 60 or 80 credits chosen from:
◈ Research Paper
◈ Extended Research Paper (40 credits)
◆ Introduction to Global Health
◆ Practical Approaches to Researching Disasters and Conflict
◆ War, Migration and Health
◆ Geographical Information Systems and Disasters: A Critical Introduction
◆ Ethical Decision-Making Under Pressure
◆ Illicit Economies, Conflict and Development
◇ Decolonising Disaster Studies
◇ Systematic Approaches to Studying Disaster
◇ Living Interventions
◇ Diseases in Developing Countries
0 or 20 credits chosen from:
◆ Free choice units in the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures or University College for Interdisciplinary Learning. Some course units are delivered in semester 1, some are delivered in semester 2.
KEY:
◆ Semester 1
◇ Semester 2
◈ Full Year