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Risk and Disaster Reduction MRes

London, Bloomsbury

This research-intensive programme addresses the global need for experts trained to analyse and solve complex issues relating to risk and disaster resilience.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2025/26)
£16,000
£8,000
Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)
£33,000
£16,500
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2025
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 04 Apr 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 29 Aug 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

Normally a minimum of an upper second-class UK Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard is required. Relevant discipline is any science including social sciences, or any humanities subject.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 2

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

Risk and disaster reduction are important priorities for international institutions. Public, private and third sector organisations must navigate an increasingly uncertain environment to bolster resilience and protect future generations.

Throughout this programme, students will learn about and explore the characterisation, quantification, management and reduction of risk and disasters, and their associated impacts, from a diverse range of scientific, technical, socio-economic, political, environmental, ethical and cultural perspectives. They will acquire advanced levels of knowledge of empirical, theoretical and practical aspects of risk and disaster reduction, and will gain research experience and the ability to effectively communicate research findings through the independent research project.

Who this course is for

The programme aims to train the next generation of innovative, creative and objectively critical researchers, thinkers, practitioners and decision-makers in risk and disaster reduction.

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

The UCL Department of Risk and Disaster Reduction (RDR) leads and coordinates multidisciplinary research, knowledge exchange and advanced teaching in risk and disaster reduction across UCL. A Risk and Disaster Reduction PG Cert is also available (see separate entry).

We have established links with NGOs, industry and government departments based in and around London.

As a student, you will be encouraged to join our active seminar series, high-profile public discussion meetings and networking events.

The department offers a range of dedicated careers support, including networking events often attended by insurance companies, catastrophe modelling firms, NGOs, academic institutions, local government and recruiters in the field of risk and disaster reduction. Students often find opportunities through contacts made during these events.

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

Our graduates pursue diverse career paths after their programme, including consultancy, business continuity, policy advisory and publishing. Many also choose to continue their studies and pursue careers in academia or research.

Employability

Whether you wish to start a new career in risk and disaster reduction, you already have experience in this sector, or you wish to use the MRes as a stepping stone towards PhD study, we are here to support you. With a Risk and Disaster Reduction MRes, you will have excellent academic credibility coupled with practical and analytical skills.

This programme provides excellent training towards careers in research, research communication, public policy, (re)insurance, catastrophe modelling, finance, risk management, international development, humanitarian assistance, engineering, and many other fields.

Networking

Staff in the department have extensive professional networks and can connect students with colleagues in the sector. The department offers a programme of events, which usually have a networking element, and students are encouraged to both attend and organise their own. The dedicated departmental student society also offers networking opportunities for its members.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, independent study and practical problem-solving exercises, with an emphasis on hands-on learning and tutorial-style dialogue between students and lecturers. Further learning methods could include real-time disaster scenario events, fieldwork-based learning and computer labs.

Assessment is through coursework, examination, essays, project reports, oral and poster presentations and the research dissertation.

On average it is expected that a student spends 150 hours studying for each 15-credit module. This includes teaching time, private study and coursework. Modules are usually taught in weekly two-hour sessions over 10 weeks each term.

For full-time students, typical contact hours are around 12 hours per week. Outside of lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials, full-time students typically study the equivalent of a full-time job, using their remaining time for self-directed study and completing coursework assignments.

In terms one and two full-time students can typically expect between 10 and 12 contact hours per teaching week through a mixture of lectures, seminars, workshops, crits and tutorials. In term three and the summer period students will be completing their own research project, keeping regular contact with their supervisors.

Modules

Students studying full-time generally complete in one year, with the student enrolled on all modules and attending lectures and seminars on-site at UCL.

Part-time programmes are generally completed over two years. Between one and three compulsory modules must be taken in Year 1, the remaining one or two in Year 2. Optional modules can be taken in either year. There is a recommended order in which to take some modules:

  • It is recommended to take IRDR0004 in Year 1 – this should be taken prior to IRDR0008, IRDR0009, IRDR0010, IRDR0026 or IRDR0047 if any of these optional modules are chosen.
  • It is recommended to take IRDR0002 before IRDR0003 if IRDR0003 is selected as an optional module.
  • It is recommended to register for the Independent Project in Year 2, even though work can commence for this in the first year.

Please contact the department if you are considering this option and require further information.

Compulsory modules







Optional modules











Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MRes in Risk and Disaster Reduction.

Fieldwork

A selection of UK-based field trips that are partly funded by the department are available. Previous field trip locations and themes have included the Thames Barrier and disaster management, a disaster scenario exercise with an NGO partner, and Eryri National Park (Snowdonia) for practical, field-based training in deployment skills. Field trips are subject to availability and may be subject to change.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2025/26) £16,000 £8,000
Tuition fees (2025/26) £33,000 £16,500

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

Travel costs within London are likely to be covered within travel cards that students can obtain for travelling to UCL. A single day travel card is between £15–£26. The exact cost of each field trip outside London depends on the location and the price of travel, accommodation and subsistence at the time. An example of student-contributed costs for a field trip outside London is approximately £25 per day for subsistence and £130 for accommodation per night. Students who do not own appropriate equipment such as walking boots might be able to hire them from our fieldwork partners for around £10 per day (subject to change). These costs are based on UCL expenses policy; however, student contribution costs may differ between field trips.

UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £114.50. This price was published by TfL in 2024. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.

Funding your studies

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Next steps

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study Risk and Disaster Reduction at graduate level
  • why you want to study Risk and Disaster Reduction MRes
  • what particularly attracts you to this programme
  • how your academic and professional background meets the demands of this challenging programme
  • where you would like to go professionally with this degree

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to elaborate on your reasons for applying to this programme and how your interests match what the programme will deliver.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2025-2026

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Institute for Risk and Disaster Reduction
Institute for Risk and Disaster Reduction

irdr-education@ucl.ac.uk

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