Program Overview

Crisis and Disaster Management MSc

Overview

This course offers an exciting opportunity to learn about environmental and manmade hazards, vulnerability and risk, planning and logistics, disaster response and crisis management. You’ll develop your skills as a confident, professional emergency planner and responder, able to manage people and situations in the field.

Earth systems and environmental sciences at the University of Portsmouth is ranked 4th of all post-1992 universities for research quality (Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021)

You'll graduate with the skills needed for a successful career in emergency planning and disaster management and response, either in the governmental or non-governmental sectors, anywhere in the world. You'll also get transferable skills in project planning, reporting, data analysis and communication, putting you in a strong position to pursue a career in other industries.

Eligibility

This course accepts UK, EU, and international students.

Course Highlights

• Learn new skills including disaster management techniques, Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing for mapping, social surveying methods, approaches to risk analysis, and the design of emergency management training exercises
• Be supported by expert staff and practitioners who are active in the field, with extensive industrial and consultancy experience working for government agencies, businesses and NGOs
• Have the opportunity to complete a work placement with an emergency planning, crisis management or disaster response organisation and complete a final project based on your experience
• Gain transferable skills such as project planning, data analysis, report writing, team work, presentation and communication
• Hear from experts with organisations such as the Red Cross, NHS, local authorities, the Environment Agency, the Met Office, the armed forces, Oil Spill Response, NGOs, humanitarian and United Nations agencies

Entry Requirements

UK Qualifications

• A second-class honours degree or equivalent, preferably with some relevant work experience in the emergency services or humanitarian sectors. Applicants with relevant professional experience and/or qualifications will also be considered.

Non-UK Qualifications

If you're applying as an international student with a non-UK degree, view the equivalent entry requirements we accept for your country.

English Language Requirements

• English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 with no component score below 5.5.

Course Costs and Funding

Tuition Fees (September 2025 start)

• UK, Channel Islands, and Isle of Man students: £9,400 (full-time), £4,700 per year (part-time)
• EU students: £9,400 (full-time), £4,700 per year (part-time)
• International students: £17,900 (full-time), £8,950 per year (part-time)

Modules

Full-time

• Year 1:
  • Disasters: Hazard, Vulnerability and Risk (30 credits)
  • Disaster Management: Techniques and Study Visits (30 credits)
  • Emergency Management and Planning (30 credits)
  • Research Skills and Project (60 credits)
  • Optional: Crisis Management and Continuity (30 credits) or Oil Spill Management and Response (30 credits)

Part-time

• Year 1:
  • Disasters: Hazard, Vulnerability and Risk (30 credits)
  • Disaster Management: Techniques and Study Visits (30 credits)
  • Optional: Crisis Management and Continuity (30 credits) or Oil Spill Management and Response (30 credits)
• Year 2:
  • Emergency Management and Planning (30 credits)
  • Research Skills and Project (60 credits)

How You'll Spend Your Time

• Full-time: 3 intensive days of 'block teaching' per month, with 2 full days per week recommended for independent study
• Part-time: 3 intensive days of teaching per month over 6 months (Year 1), 2 blocks of 3 intensive days of teaching and 1 hour per week of online research methods tutorials over 12 weeks (Year 2), with 1 full day per week recommended for independent study

Career Development

When you graduate, you'll have the knowledge and practical skills needed for a career in the emergency planning, crisis management or disaster response sectors anywhere in the world. The research and analytical components of the course, will support you in applying research positions, for example at PhD level.

Graduates of This Course Have Gone Into Areas Such As:

• Humanitarian agencies and NGOs
• Emergency management
• Emergency logistics and contingency planning
• Flood management
• Military-civilian emergency liaisons
• (Re)insurance and risk management
• Utility companies
• Civil defence
• Disaster relief
• Epidemiology

Graduates of This Course Have Gone Onto Roles Such As:

• Built environment lecturer
• Auditor
• Technical adviser
• Emergency planning and resilience officer
• Business resistance executive
• Catastrophe analyst
• Civil contingencies officer
• Emergency planning and resilience officer
• Policy and international engagement advisor
• Technical adviser

Supporting You

Master's study is more focused on independent learning than undergraduate study, but you'll get lots of support via video, phone and face-to-face from teaching and support staff to enhance your learning experience and help you succeed. You can build your personalised network of support from the following people and services:

• Personal tutor
• Learning support tutors
• Academic skills support
• Wellbeing and mental health support
• Disability advice and additional support
• Library support
• Support with English
• Maths and stats support