Managing risk and hazards has become a core task of governments, businesses, and wider societal organisations across the globe as they seek to anticipate and respond to both old and new potential harms to human health, safety, security, and the environment. This task is inevitably multi-faceted, creating a need for inter-disciplinary specialists who can understand how the key technical, organisational, and societal dimensions of each problem fit together. The MSc Risk, Hazards & Society answers this need by equipping you with the knowledge and skills to critically analyse risk and hazard problems from a unique combination of social and natural scientific perspectives – from psychology, political science and sociology to development and physical geography – as well as develop reflexive problem-solving strategies across a wide range of societal, public, and private sector contexts. Taught by world-leading experts based in the Department of Geography’s Risk, Hazards & Society research group, you will learn about the political, organisational, and societal contexts that shape vulnerabilities to risks and hazards as well as their management, governance, and public communication. This programme also gives you the chance to connect scholarship and practice. As well as combining theoretical with case-based study, our internship programme will give you the opportunity to learn from professionals in public, private and third-sector organisations. This programme is a fantastic launchpad for exciting careers in a rapidly developing field. Many of our graduates have secured diverse careers as specialists within a wide range of international and national government bodies, non-governmental organisations, consultancies, insurance companies, banks and other business organisations.

Key benefits

• Gain an up-to-date advanced interdisciplinary foundation in understanding, and responding to, environmental, societal, and technological risks and hazards across the globe from a unique combination of social and natural scientific perspectives.
• Learn first-hand from internationally renowned social and natural scientists based in the Risk, Hazards & Society research group in one of the UK’s largest geography departments.
• Wide range of module choices enables you to shape your own programme and develop your own advanced interests in greater depth.
• Extensive internship programme gives students an unrivalled opportunity to learn from professionals in over 100 public, private and third sector organisations
• Develop the interdisciplinary knowledge and skills for a wide range of exciting and rewarding careers across the public, private and third sectors.

“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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