At Derby, you don’t just study the theory and background to resilience, through security, intelligence and planning for emergency and disaster risk reduction and response. You will take these aspects into real-life situations and develop knowledge, skills and vocational attributes that will give you the necessary experience to develop or enhance career paths in these fascinating areas.
A unique combination
This course uniquely combines the social sciences disciplines of criminology and sociology with the natural sciences disciplines of geoscience and public and environmental health.
This unique combination examines resilience, risk reduction and response through emergency and disaster management. You will focus on real-world concerns associated with:
- terrorism
- extremism
- radicalisation
- climate changes
- migration
- natural hazards
You will study at Masters level developing critical skills which bring together work-based learning approaches and innovation in the teaching of research methods. You will do this using scenario building, exercises and simulations in a multi-agency environment to enhance your development, communication and planning.
Developing your skills through practice
You will work with emergency services first responders and local authority leads and also benefit from the university’s relationship with the Cabinet Office Emergency Planning College (EPC).
You will also develop GIS mapping skills and benefit from opportunities to work with Derbyshire Emergency Planning Officers and volunteer teams involved in crisis management. Field trips will involve command and control visits, humanitarian aid facilities and multi-agency simulations of real-world hazards.
Aligned to UK standards
The programme examines National Occupational Standards in the UK for Civil Contingencies (NOSCC) in support of employer demands and the Core Competencies of the Emergency Planning Society (EPS).
The MSc Intelligence, Security and Disaster Management course is made up of three stages – Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma and MSc. You will study modules such as:
Postgraduate Certificate
You will study this module:
- Introducing Risk and Managing Disasters (Core 40 credits)
And you will choose options from:
- Health Protection
- Understanding Radicalisation
- Geoscience and Security
Postgraduate Diploma
You will study this module:
- Research and the Skilled Practitioner (Core 20 credits)
And you will choose options from:
- Hazard and Risk Management
- Global Environmental and Public Health
- Contemporary Issues in Intelligence and Security
- Concepts of Global Terrorism
- Disasters and Humanitarian Aid Response
MSc Intelligence, Security and Disaster Management
You will study this module:
- Independent Research Study
During this triple module (60 credits) you will carry out an extensive and academically rigorous study of a topic of your choice relevant to any, or any combination of, the fields of intelligence, security, disaster and/or crisis management, risk reduction, response and/or resilience.
Please note: modules are subject to availability, and may change to suit the needs of industry.
Please note that our modules are subject to change - we review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects.
You will be taught by a passionate, enthusiastic and skilled team, together with expert guest lecturers and speakers from across the fields of intelligence, security and disaster management including UN agencies, first response agencies, NGOs and public sector entities.
You will learn through:
- Traditional lectures,
- Experiential learning (which may include seminars, role-playing, fieldtrips, digital experience such as
- The use of VR representation)
- Service learning (which may include research, risk management, disaster preparedness activities and volunteering)
- Creative learning (which may include prediction, simulation exercise, design thinking and thought experiment)
How you are assessed
The course will assess your skills, knowledge, and understanding including transferable skills through essays based on scenarios, presentations, briefings and risk assessment and analysis, practical mapping and research-based planning and preparedness.
You will also be assessed through independent study based on a topic of your choice. Additional practical assessment takes place in the field at exercises and simulations, based on observation, interaction and a range of experiential approaches to problem-solving.
The assessments align with the National Occupational Standards for Civil Contingencies (NOSCC).
For the MSc you will usually need:
- An undergraduate degree (2:2 or above) in a social science subject (criminology, sociology, psychology, international relations, policing, criminal justice), natural sciences (including but not exclusive to geography, earth sciences) or health (across a range of programmes to be discussed with programme leader), business studies or economics.
- If English is not your first language, you will also need IELTS 6.5 with 5.5 in each skills area.
We also welcome applicants who have substantial professional experience but do not have a degree, subject to personal statements, references and interviews with the programme leader.
2023/24 (August 2023 - July 2024)
Type | Full-time | Part-time |
---|
UK | £8,525 for the full course or £950 per 20 credits* | £950 per 20 credits |
International | £14,900 for the full course | N/A |
Please note fees normally increase in line with inflation and the University's strategic approach to fees, which is reviewed on an annual basis. The total fee you pay may therefore increase after one year of study.
* UK full-time fees paid within one academic year are rounded down to the nearest £50 if applicable
Additional costs and optional extras
2024/25 (August 2024 - July 2025)
Type | Full-time | Part-time |
---|
UK | £9,450 for the full course* | £1,050 per 20 credits |
International | £14,900 for the full course | N/A |
Please note fees normally increase in line with inflation and the University's strategic approach to fees, which is reviewed on an annual basis. The total fee you pay may therefore increase after one year of study.
* UK full-time fees paid within one academic year are rounded down to the nearest £50 if applicable
Additional costs and optional extras
About postgraduate awards
Please note at postgraduate level, you’ll need to gain the following number of credits in total to obtain the respective awards. If you have any questions please contact us.
Award | Credits |
---|
Postgraduate Certificate | 60 Credits |
Postgraduate Diploma | 120 Credits |
MA or MSc | 180 Credits |
This means you will gain 180 credits in total to complete the full MA or MSc. If you are studying part time you will normally complete your studies over two or three years, depending on the course structure.
Funding your studies
Find out more about fees, postgraduate loans and support you may be entitled to.
Find out about funding your studiesFind out about funding your studies
Alumni discount for Derby graduates
We offer a discount on postgraduate course fees for all Derby alumni.
Find out about the Alumni discountFind out about the Alumni discount
How to apply
Please look at our application deadlines before you apply.
An MSc Intelligence, Security and Disaster Management opens up many career options, including:
- Emergency Planning Officers in private or public sector roles
- Crisis Management
- Risk Assessors
- Atomic and nuclear emergency response
- First responder services (Police, Fire and Ambulance Services)
- British Transport and Nuclear Police
- Civil Service
- Infrastructure Protection
- Business Continuity
- Humanitarian Aid
- Governments in the UK and elsewhere in intelligence roles, military or civil intelligence and/or security services
- National Crime Agency
- United Nations (UNHCR, UNICEF)
- Civil Aviation
- Security in the private sector
- Environmental and public health roles in international arenas
- Disaster Managers and Disaster Relief Specialists
- Travel and Insurance Specialists
- Underwriter
- British Red Cross (BRC) and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
- People in Need (Rapid Deployment Professionals)
- Relief International
- Save the Children
- Goal Global
- International Human Rights roles
- Medecins Sans Frontieres
- International public sector.
If you need any more information from us, eg on courses, accommodation, applying, car parking, fees or funding, please contact us and we will do everything we can to help you.
Contact us Contact us Download programme specification
Teaching hours
Like most universities, we operate extended teaching hours at the University of Derby, so contact time with your lecturers and tutors could be anytime between 9am and 9pm. Your timetable will usually be available on the website 24 hours after enrolment on to your course.
Additional costs and optional extras
We’re committed to providing you with an outstanding learning experience. Our expert teaching, excellent facilities and great employability prepare you for your future career. As part of our commitment to you we aim to keep any additional study costs to a minimum. However, there are occasions where students may incur some additional costs.
The information provided on this page is correct at the time of publication but course content, costs and other individual course details do change from time to time and are updated as often as possible, so please do check these pages again when making your final decision to apply for a course. Any updated course details will also be confirmed to you at application, enrolment and in your offer letter.
Included in your fees
- Webinar series on disaster management, security and intelligence related topics
- Guest contributions from experts from around the world, which could include UN agencies, first response agencies, NGOs and public sector entities etc. incorporated into different modules. You would experience this based on the module you select.
- Simulation exercise (these could be either in a classroom setting, or online)