Conflict and violence, environmental disasters, disease outbreaks, and the rapidly escalating impact of the climate emergency pose major threats to human and planetary health. We urgently need specialists and critical thinkers who understand the root causes and drivers of these threats, how they are transformed into humanitarian crises, and how to design and deliver ethically grounded and effective responses.
Drawing on perspectives from the interdisciplinary field of humanitarian studies, this course connects theory with practice to help students understand how humanitarian responses are shaped by a wide range of political, economic and social factors, and everyday operational realities. As a student on this course, you will learn from real-world case studies to develop the skills and expertise that are needed to shape effective, ethically justifiable, and politically grounded humanitarian policies and programmes.
This course is designed for individuals with an interest in global issues with profound humanitarian consequences. Applicants require a relevant first degree or equivalent experience; we accept applications from people with a wide range of qualifications and will consider professional experience where students do not have a relevant first degree. We are especially keen to support, and receive applications from, students who have lived and worked in places affected by humanitarian crises.
As a graduate of this course you will gain:
Humanitarian systems and courses have changed dramatically in recent decades. On this course, we focus specifically on the sector-wide desire to shift away from top-down humanitarian approaches towards more locally-driven and locally-owned responses that are borne of, and work with, local networks and communities, to ensure equitable partnerships for lasting crisis response and recovery. By the end of your time with us, you will be well placed to pursue implementation, advisory and research roles with civil society and community networks, non-governmental organisations, and government agencies, engaged in various aspects of humanitarian policy formulation and response. You will gain the knowledge and practical skills that will allow you to contribute productively and critically to policy formulation, research, and practice across a range of humanitarian and adjacent sectors.