Programme Overview:
- Duration:
- 1 Years
- Attendance:
- Full Time
- Mode of Delivery:
- Face-to-Face
- Next Intake:
- 2023/2024 September
- Contact Name:
- Sulagna Maitra
- Contact Number:
- +353 (0)1 716 7608
- Fees:
- Fee Information
The MSc Humanitarian Action has evolved over a 25-year period and is distinguished by its inter-disciplinary, inter- sectoral and international nature.
The COVID19 pandemic has impacted societies globally. It has exposed the vulnerabilities and fragility of our existence. Unfortunately, it has emerged at a time when the International Humanitarian System is already challenged to address the effects of other disasters. We are living in an era of unprecedented humanitarian need brought about by climate change, complex political emergencies resulting in conflict, global migration, and protracted conflicts. Before the pandemic emerged, an estimated 72 million people were displaced from their homes due to conflict, an estimated 180 million people were in need of immediate humanitarian assistance, and almost a billion were under-nourished globally. Needless to say, the devastation of COVID19 will vary considerably across societies.
This MSc provides high quality academic education and professional competencies for those working or intending to work in the area of humanitarian action and related areas. The programme aims to provide students with a broad foundation in the area of international humanitarian action, in which both critical thinking and research skills are emphasised. The goal is to deliver high level, committed, interdisciplinary trained personnel who can function with enhanced professionalism in the broad field of humanitarian relief, and are informed by their theoretical insights and humanitarian principles. The programme design integrates professional and research orientation that is intended to bridge the gap between academic research and the humanitarian work-field.
The programme supports students to build suitable networks for research and internships. This masters programme has a long tradition of attracting students from diverse backgrounds with varying degrees of experience in the humanitarian sector and related fields.
This MSc Programme is closely aligned to the UCD Centre for Humanitarian Action (UCD-CHA) and NOHA, both of which are well recognised as key global institutional stakeholders in Humanitarian Studies.
The programme provides a dynamic classroom based learning environment, involving a variety of teaching methods such as lectures, simulations and field-trips. Students have the opportunity to explore specific themes through second trimester specialisations and a minor thesis. The MSc in Humanitarian Action brings together experts from academia and the field to lecture on the different modules.
UCD has delivered graduate programmes in Humanitarian Action since 1998. There are some 600 alumni of the MSc Humanitarian Action holding positions both in the field and at headquarters level around the world. Many of these alumni are employed with the UN, Government, Non-governmental organisations or within academia.
Graduate Roles:
Curricular information is subject to change
Full Time option suitable for:
Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants currently residing outside of the EEA Region. Yes
Humanitarian action is regarded as a boundary discipline, occupying a space on the margins of several academic disciplines. The MSc Humanitarian Action is an inter-disciplinary programme welcoming students from a diverse range of backrounds including management, politics, public health, international law, social anthropology, agriculture, science and engineering.
The inter-disciplinary, inter-sectoral and international nature of this Masters programme benefits from a diverse stakeholder mix amongst both instructors and students engaged in the programme.
The programme aims to provide students with a broad foundation in the area of international humanitarian action, in which both critical thinking and research skills are emphasised. The goal is to deliver high level, committed, interdisciplinary trained personnel who can function with enhanced professionalism in the broad field of humanitarian relief, and are informed by their theoretical insights and humanitarian principles. The programme design integrates professional and research orientations and is intended to bridge the gap between academic research and humanitarian practice. It adopts a competence-oriented, interactive and student-centred approach to learning. Teaching practices include group and project work, lectures and seminars, student presentations, simulation exercises, individual internship and individual thesis research. The programme is suitable for both recent graduates and experienced practitioners working or intending to work in the field of humanitarian relief and international co-operation as project managers, administrators, researchers, evaluators, consultants in national and international organisations, both in the field and at headquarters around the world.
MSc Humanitarian Action (D062) Full Time
EU fee per year - € 9690
nonEU fee per year - € 26250
***Fees are subject to change
Tuition fee information is available on the UCD Fees website. Please note that UCD offers a number of graduate scholarships for full-time, self-funding international students, holding an offer of a place on a UCD graduate degree programme. For further information please see International Scholarships.
Bernard Mendy, Nutrition Specialist, World Food Programme
My time on the MSc Humanitarian Action programme at UCD was very productive and fulfilling. The faculty were wonderful and always available for students. Their interactive teaching methods and ability to allow and encourage students to discover knowledge beyond the prescribed material must be acknowledged. A highlight of this programme for me was the range of international
students. This enriches student learning and exposes you to different perspectives, enabling you to see situations from many angles. The UCD Centre for Humanitarian Action prepared me well for humanitarian and development work, which I have been undertaking since 2016. I have worked as a health and nutrition specialist for UNICEF and WFP in seven different countries over the past four years. I cherish the skills I acquired from the masters programme as they have been invaluable in the work that I do. I made a fantastic decision in choosing to study the MSc Humanitarian Action at UCD.
The following entry routes are available:
* Courses will remain open until such time as all places have been filled, therefore early application is advised