Careers and employability
There are numerous possibilities for graduates of the subject areas of disaster management and humanitarian response.
The general and academic skills acquired on our courses are welcomed by a broad spectrum of employers including:
- International organisations such as the United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU);
- Local and national government;
- International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC);
- Non-governmental organisations such as Save the Children and Médecins Sans Frontières.
Course and programme specific information
Please see our individual course and programme information for more details about career opportunities.
- BSc International Disaster Management and Humanitarian Response
- BSc Global Health (intercalated)
- MA Humanitarianism and Conflict Response
- MSc International Disaster Management
- MSc Global Health (Online)
- MSc International Disaster Management and Humanitarian Response (Online)
- MSc Humanitarian Practice (Blended)
- PhD Humanitarianism and Conflict Response
- Emergency Humanitarian Assistance (Professional development)
The Third Sector Club and volunteering
During COVID-19, I've been involved in Zoom sessions helping refugees with their conversational English skills.
I've really valued this experience and have enjoyed interacting with both the refugees and the other volunteers.
During uncertain times it's felt nice to feel like I can do something productive and help others.
Emily / 3rd year student at HCRI
The University of Manchester’s Careers Service also hosts the Third Sector Club, a club exclusively for University of Manchester students who are interested in working or volunteering in the sector.
It’s an informal group which meets throughout the academic year and offers the opportunity to gain insights into the diverse nature of the roles and organisations within this sector. Our partner, Project Trust also offer volunteering placements for 17-19-year-olds.
You can also register for The University of Manchester's Volunteer Hub - a place where you can search and apply for volunteering opportunities online.
Careers starting point guides
The Careers Service has published a series of useful guides available online or in-person from the Atrium, University Place. As well as more general advice about job searching, applications, CVs, interviews, and presentations, there are some career sector guides that might be of particular interest to HCRI students:
- Politics, International Relations and Human Rights Work
- International Development, Humanitarian Aid and Emergency Relief Work
- Charities and the Not-for-profit sector
HCRI also holds an annual Careers in Humanitarianism Day every year, where students have the opportunity to learn from, and meet with, practitioners working across all areas in the humanitarian sector. Catch up on the 2021 virtual sessions here and watch our 2022 roundup video below.
