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Introduction
Why choose this course?
Overview
Our Shelter after Disaster course provides you with the knowledge to understand and discuss the essential components of shelter response after a disaster.
Safe shelter is a critical need immediately after a natural disaster. This course aims to develop reflective practitioners who can combine:
understanding of practical strategic issues of development and emergency practice
an appreciation of the wider political context in which they operate.
You will learn about development and humanitarian practice. AS well as the role of the practitioner intervening in post disaster reconstruction.
We have developed good relationships with agencies working in the shelter field. Occasionally we can offer you internship possibilities within these organisations.
The course is suitable for students with technical as well as non-technical backgrounds. There is no need to have any previous knowledge in building, construction, architecture or engineering.
Modules
Optional modules
• Disasters, Risk, Vulnerability and Climate Change (20 credits)
• Critical Enquiry, Development and Emergencies (20 credits)
• Humanitarian Action: responding to crises in 21 st Century (10 credits)
• Programming and Partnerships (10 credits)
• Working with Conflict : practical skills and strategies (10 credits)
• The Refugee Experience: forced migration, protection and humanitarianism (20 credits)
• Conflict, Violence and Humanitarianism (20 credits)
• Human Rights and Governance (20 credits)
• Globalisation: environment and development (20 credits)
Optional modules
• Independent Study (10 credits)
Learning and teaching
Our teaching methods are mostly class-based. Teaching and learning methods include:
lectures
one to one and group tutorials
whole group discussions
workshop format
small group work
personal reading
individual written assignments and project design.
We invite guest speakers, such as practitioners from humanitarian agencies, to lead sessions and comment on student work.
We also use workshops with live problems, sometimes field-based, working with communities, practitioners and development agencies. The emphasis is on action methods and reflection on your own role as an activist and practitioner. The objective is to enable you to build both knowledge and skills more suited to the urgency and complexity of people’s changing demands and environmental conditions.
Entry Criteria
ENTRY REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
Home Office Share Code
For EU students only.
IF no Qualification
Please provide CV with at least 2 years of work experience, and employee reference letter.
Entry requirements
Specific entry requirements
Applications will normally be open to candidates who fulfil at least one of the following requirements:
hold an approved undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline
hold a relevant recognised diploma or professional qualification in a relevant discipline (eg human rights, development practice, humanitarianism, architecture, planning, environmental psychology, public health, geography, public administration)
hold substantial and proven field experience (in potential replacement of a degree qualification) within a relevant area, eg with an NGO.
Our standard entry requirement is three A-levels or equivalent qualifications. In some cases, courses have specific required subjects and additional GCSE requirements. In addition to A-levels, we accept a wide range of other qualifications including:
the Welsh Baccalaureate
the Access to Higher Education Diploma
a BTEC National Certificate, Diploma or Extended Diploma at a good standard and in a relevant subject
the International Baccalaureate Diploma
the European Baccalaureate Diploma
Scottish qualifications – five subjects in SCE with two at Higher level or one at Advanced Higher level, or three subjects in Scottish Highers or two at Advanced Higher level
a recognised foundation course
T-levels*.
* T-levels are a relatively new qualification but are already included in the UCAS tariff. We welcome prospective students who are taking this qualification to apply. For some programmes with specific required subjects, particular subject areas or occupational specialisms may be required.
English language requirements
If your first language is not English you will require a minimum academic IELTS score of 6.5 overall with 6.0 in all components.
OR
An equivalent English language qualification acceptable to the University.
If English is not your first language then you will need to show that your English language skills are at a high enough level to succeed in your studies.
The entry requirement for your course will be expressed as an IELTS level and refers to the IELTS Academic version of this test. We are now also accepting the IELTS Indicator test, you can find out more about the test on the IELTS Indication site. The University however does accept a wide range of additional English language qualifications, which can be found below.
The university’s English language requirements in IELTS levels are as follows:
Course IELTS level
All other undergraduate courses 6.0 overall with 6.0 in reading and writing, 5.5 in listening and speaking
Law, Architecture, Interior Architecture, English Literature (including combined honours), English Literature and Creative Writing 6.5 overall with 6.0 in reading and writing, 5.5 in listening and speaking
Health and Social Care courses 6.5 or 7.0 overall with 6.5 or 7.0 in all components (see individual entries for course details)
Nutrition BSc (Hons) 6.5 overall with a minimum of 6.0 in each component
Built Environment Foundation,
Computing Foundation,
Engineering Foundation 6.0 with 6.0 in reading and writing, 5.5 in listening and speaking
International Foundation Business and Technology,
International Foundation Arts, Humanities and Law 5.5 overall with 5.5 in all skills
International Foundation Diploma 5.0 overall with 5.0 in all skills
If you need a student visa you must take an IELTS for UKVI test.
International Foundation Diploma (Extended pathway) 4.5 overall with 4.5 in all skills
If you need a student visa you must take an IELTS for UKVI test.
Assessment
ASSESSMENT METHODS
1. INTERNAL ENGLISH TEST if you don't have an English accredited certificate
2. Academic Interview
Learning and assessment
The course uses a modular credit system. Modules combine a ratio of taught to self-led study. A module of 20 credits approximates to200 hours of student effort. Up to 40 hours will be devoted to lectures, seminars or individual tutorials. The remainder of the time is devoted to student-led study.
You will need 60 credits to complete the PG Cert. The core module accounts for 20 credits. You will achieve the extra 40 credits with a combination of 10 and 20 credit modules.
Assessment
The assessment pattern reflects the programme’s learning outcomes. It is intended to demonstrate that graduates possess the skills and knowledge required in practice.
Coursework involves a variety of different methods of assessment, including:
essay and report writing
individual and group presentations in class
personal attendance and participation in class
case study reports.
Research
We have an international reputation in research, in areas including:
sustainable design
modular buildings
design for wellbeing
vernacular architecture.
Staff in the school regularly secure research funding from the UK's research councils and the European Union as well as industry, with an annual research grant income averaging £1,000,000 in recent years.
Career Opportunities
A good number of our former students have found work in the shelter sector and we are building an alumni network to help current students get in contact with organisations who work in the shelter sector.
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