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Understand international humanitarian response, development and policy at UCL, and gain skills in aid and crisis management for global challenges including conflict, displacement and climate change.
About the Global Humanitarian Studies BSc
The Global Humanitarian Studies BSc equips students with the knowledge and skills to navigate complex humanitarian crises. This multidisciplinary programme combines theory and practice, preparing students to assess threats and vulnerabilities, analyse risks and develop evidence-based responses to international crises and global challenges including disasters, climate change impacts, forced displacement and conflict.
Why study at the UCL Department of Risk and Disaster Reduction?
You will study crises and challenges driven by natural hazards, climate change, forced displacement and systemic inequalities, with the opportunity to examine the intersection of humanitarianism and policy, technology, law, culture, health and economics. You will learn a range of skills, bringing together approaches from different disciplines, to better understand the international humanitarian system and build a multi-disciplinary approach with perspectives ranging from international development and human rights to international relations and community resilience building.
The Global Humanitarian Studies BSc is delivered by the Department of Risk and Disaster Reduction (RDR). Our staff come from diverse backgrounds, and teaching is delivered by academics with extensive field experience in many countries, ensuring that learning is informed by real-world insight. The programme also includes guest lectures from industry, academia and the policy arena. We conduct research across six key areas: climate change and adaptation; conflict and migration; health and social risks; inclusion and politics, and warning, resilience and finance – so students are exposed to a broad range of topics across these core areas throughout their studies.
In line with our mission to develop international humanitarian and disaster risk reduction leaders, the programme embeds practical application in various ways. Through case studies, scenario-based examples, teamwork, a range of assessment types and applied research, you will gain knowledge and skills to support future careers in the humanitarian sector and beyond.
In addition to learning, you will have the opportunity to engage with UCL’s vibrant community through the student-led Disaster Risk Reduction and Humanitarianism (DRRH) Society which organises events throughout the year including a winter ball and student conference.
You can find out more about the structure of the programme in the UCL Prospectus.
Module Information
Compulsory modules
Please note these modules are indicative and may be subject to change. You can find more details about module content, including assessment methods, in the UCL Module Catalogue.
Year 1
IRDR0018 Global History of Humanitarianism
IRDR0020 Climate and Natural Hazard Risks
IRDR0021 Statistical and Geospatial Data Analysis
IRDR0022 Key Concepts and Debates in Humanitarianism
IRDR0049 Interdisciplinary Skills
Year 2
IRDR0034 International Legal Framework for Humanitarian Action
IRDR0037 Humanitarian and Aid Economics
IRDR0038 Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management
IRDR0040 Historical & Contemporary Perspectives to Conflict & Migration
IRDR0041 Qualitative Research Methods
Year 3
IRDR0023 Evaluation of Humanitarian Action
IRDR0025 Independent Humanitarian Research Project (30 credits)
IRDR0029 Programme Management for Humanitarians
Optional modules
You can find more details about module content, including assessment methods, in the UCL Module Catalogue.
Optional RDR modules
Year 1
IRDR0024 Technology for Humanitarian Action
IRDR0027 Global Health Introduction
IRDR0032 Key Concepts in Social Anthropology
Year 2
IRDR0036 Anthropological Theory for the 21st Century
IRDR0042 Humanitarian Engineering and Data Science
Fieldwork Skills
Year 3
IRDR0028 Water Security, Crises and Sustainability
IRDR0030 Microeconomics for Humanitarian Contexts
IRDR0031 Critical Approaches to Diversity (Kinship, Ethnicity and Gender)
IRDR0033 International Migration Law
IRDR0045 International Relations
IRDR0048 Violence, Intersectionality and Marginalisation
Optional modules in other departments
Students can select non-RDR thematic optional modules. Please note some modules in other departments have a cap on student numbers, pre-requisites, or timetable restrictions and therefore may not be available for all students. You will find out more at our module selection sessions during induction but if you have a query in the meantime, please contact rdr-education@ucl.ac.uk.
Year 1
MSIN0048 Understanding Management
MSIN0003 Communication and Behaviour in Organisations
IEHC0028 Research Methods in Population Health
Year 2
MSIN0059 Managerial Accounting for Decision-Making
Year 3
MSIN0147 Strategic Project Management
GLBH0005 Global Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases
GLBH0006 Global, Maternal & Child Health
Some modules in other departments have a cap on student numbers or pre-requisites and therefore may not be available for all students. We also cannot guarantee that there will not be timetable clashes.
Meet the team
Our teaching team includes lecturers from across the department. Find out more on our People page.
- Dr Lisa Guppy, Programme Leader
- Hi! I'm Dr Lisa Guppy and I am the Programme Leader and I also teaching on the programme. I have worked across humanitarian, peace and development fields, primarily United Nations organisations, across Asia, Africa, North America and the Middle East.
- Prof Mohammad Shamsudduha (“Shams”), Undergraduate Tutor
Hello! I am Prof Mohammad Shamsudduha but everyone calls me Shams. I am the Undergraduate Tutor for the BSc, which means I'm here to help students with all things academic, and I teach the Climate and Natural Hazard Risks and the Humanitarian Data Science modules. I am a geoscientist by academic background and my research is centred around earth’s water resources, environment, and people. I look forward to meeting you all!
- Dr Shipra Jain, Admissions Tutor
I am Dr Shipra Jain, the admissions tutor for the BSc. I am responsible for overseeing the admissions process, from talking to prospective students to ensuring applications are dealt with efficiently. You'll meet me at our online events and open days.
Careers and employability
This programme was created to help professionalise the humanitarian sector. Teaching and module content is based on consultation with global and national employers, and the key skills you will acquire will prepare you for you future humanitarian career, whichever specialism you choose.
Between the second and third years, we will use our extensive networks to help facilitate an optional four-week summer placement, in the UK or internationally, to help you connect your academic learning with skills in the humanitarian workplace.
Find out more about our student placements.
We also hold an annual Careers Discovery Evening to give you an insight into working in the sector and introduce you to some key employers. This is a great place to start looking for internship hosts too!
UCL was ranked in the top 20th in the world in the 2022 QS Graduate Employability Rankings for graduate employability, placing us 3rd in the UK and 1st in London.
Graduate destinations
After graduation, many of our students go on to work in industry or pursue further studies in risk, disaster reduction, humanitarian aid, and emergency response. Recent graduates from the programme have successfully secured internships and employment at organisations including the International Coalition for Sustainable Infrastructure (ICSI) and Holcim Group Ltd. Other students are pursuing further studies at the Institute of Ismaili Studies in London.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
- What is humanitarianism?
Humanitarianism means different things to different people, groups and organisations. For many, humanitarianism is about saving lives, reducing suffering and improving the conditions that people are living in.
At the international level, humanitarianism is associated with the United Nations, governments and non-governmental organisations undertaking life-saving interventions during conflicts and disasters. But humanitarian action can also include practices of relief and care undertaken by ad hoc and unskilled individuals and groups, such as local volunteers.
To study humanitarianism requires examining responses to conflict, disasters, climate change, pandemic and other emergencies from a range of different perspectives and using lenses and tools from a range of different disciplines, as the problems and solutions relating to crisis are multidimensional.
- How do I choose my optional modules on the Global Humanitarian Studies BSc?
The main advice we give is to choose what interests and excites you! Take a look at the module information, read around the topic of humanitarianism online, and get advice from staff during induction.
While you have to choose your optional modules when you apply to the degree, you will have the opportunity to change in the first two weeks or so of the programme, after a discussion with the Departmental Tutor.
Over the course of your degree you’ll also have access to the numerous seminars, talks and events put on by RDR and other parts of UCL.
- How does a Global Humanitarian Studies degree differ from International Development Studies?
Humanitarianism is different from international development as it refers to efforts to save lives and reduce suffering primarily after an emergency, like a conflict or disaster. International development aid tends to focus on longer term structural change in a society, with or without an emergency—for example the alleviation of poverty or improving the governance. However, humanitarianism and international development are not two distinct forms of action; emergency relief and development aid can complement, overlap, transition into each other, or even undermine each other.
Humanitarian Studies as an academic area is a relatively new field of study that has grown in significance and impact since the 1990s. While it builds on theories and approaches from other areas, like International Development or Security, Humanitarian Studies has its own unique set of thinkers, approaches, dilemmas and questions, that focus primarily on the policy, practice, theory and ethics of relief during and after a crisis.
Check out the United Nations’ latest humanitarian case studies on their “Centre for Humanitarian Data” website to see what current humanitarian crises are in focus: https://centre.humdata.org/category/case-study/
- How does a Global Humanitarian Studies degree link to Geography and other social science subjects?
The BSc in Global Humanitarian Studies does not replace single discipline degree programmes, such as Geography. Instead, it draws on relevant literature, debates and learning tools from these disciplines, and combines the most relevant, in order to tackle the multidimensional questions within Humanitarian Studies.
Students on the BSc will therefore have the chance to engage with a range of topics familiar to geographers, while learning about how other disciplines approach these questions. Topics might include:
- vulnerability (e.g. what makes populations vulnerable to particular crises in different locations around the world?)
- resilience (e.g. how can populations be supported to adapt and “bounce back” from crises?)
- urbanisation (e.g. how is the expansion of megacities affecting vulnerability and the ability of humanitarian organisations to respond?)
- borders (What role do borders and boundaries – whether political or natural – play is crisis response?)
- decolonisation (e.g. how have racism and legacies of colonialism shaped - and are still shaping - the aid industry?)
- How does a Global Humanitarian Studies degree link to Maths and other Science subjects?
The BSc in Global Humanitarian Studies does not replace single discipline degree programmes, such as Mathematics. Instead, it draws on relevant literature, debates and learning tools from these disciplines, and combines the most relevant, in order to tackle the multidimensional questions within Humanitarian Studies.
Students on the BSc will therefore have the chance to engage with a range of topics familiar to mathematicians, while learning about how other disciplines approach these questions. Topics might include:
- Geospatial analysis (e.g. how to use mapping technologies to understand a hazard risk or humanitarian need?)
- Data analytics/Big data (e.g. how can data innovations improve the effectiveness of emergency responses).
- How much time would I be expected to spend in class and on independent study?
Contact hours typically range from 8-10 hours per week during term time, including lectures, seminars, tutorials and computer practicals. This may vary depending on the year of study and module selection, with Years 1 and 2 generally having more contact hours than Year 3.
Students should expect to spend approximately 25-30 hours per week on independent study, including reading, assessment preparation, research and group work.
In your final year, contact hours may be reduced as you work on your independent research project, which includes regular supervision meetings.
Find out more
Find out more about the course, fees and funding, teaching and assessment on our course information page.
You can ask our staff and students questions about life in the department at one of the UCL open days or chat to a current student on Unibuddy.
Student work
These policy briefs were created by groups of students as part of the Humanitarian Policy (IRDR0039) module. Projects like these help students refine their group work, research and communication skills and the proposals they put forward could have real-world impact.
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'Parental alienation and domestic abuse' | ‘Putting child welfare at the centre of Hague policy’ | 'The harm of forced child removal and violence and the problems caused by inadequate policies’ |
IOM DTM – UCL RDR Environmental Displacement Hackathon
On the 5th of June 2023, the UN International Organization for Migration's (IOM) Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) team in London hosted its first hackathon event in collaboration with UCL’s Department of Risk and Disaster Reduction (RDR). The event focused on team problem-solving and analysis to help tackle global questions on environmental and natural hazard-related displacement. It encouraged student participants to utilise their GIS, quantitative methods and/or data visualisation skills to develop new ideas, as well as gain first-hand insight into how data is collected and used in emergency contexts, humanitarian crises, and responses.
As the winners of the hackathon, Jasmine Andean, and Melanie Larre, both pursuing a Global Humanitarian Studies undergraduate degree at UCL, had the opportunity to develop their hackathon idea further together with DTM London from August to September. Their research focused on a comparative analysis between media reports of floods and DTM’s Emergency Tracking Tool (ETT) data on internal displacement driven by flooding in Burundi in 2021. They aimed to determine whether there were differences in the relationship between the severity of an event and the resulting internal displacement across affected locations.
Read the full article on the DTM website and watch their video about the research and their experiences: