Cranfield University

Course description

The Resilience MSc provides policy-makers and practitioners the leadership, management and technical skills needed to prepare for, avoid and recover from crises more effectively. The degree provides enhanced understanding of resilience, its context as well as individual capabilities that will assist professionals and graduates in confronting the security challenges that they face. The elective modules allow students to explore areas of particular interest and relevance.

The MSc imparts knowledge on how to reduce the probability and impact of threats and how organisations and systems can become robust and resilient. This course aims to provide students with the necessary knowledge and analytical skills to confront security challenges with resilient responses.

The course is founded on an understanding of resilience that increasingly incorporates good governance aims and ambitions at every level; for example people, organisation, society, and the state. It introduces students to frameworks that demonstrate different ways of tackling diverse threats. The concept of resilience underpinning this MSc builds on the work done in other fields, such as engineering and environmental studies. It promotes critical thinking as to how and why social systems can, or should have the ability to identify, avoid, manage and recover from shocks and challenges.

Range of delivery options

Cranfield has a history of providing flexible delivery options for its postgraduate education. Master of Science, Postgraduate Diploma and Postgraduate Certificate courses can be undertaken on a full-time, part-time or flexible learning basis. Part–time and flexible learning students may be in full-time employment or based overseas and yet can still have access to exactly the same course as those in full-time study. Recognising the need to balance career and study, the courses are modular and flexible learning can be spread out over a longer period if required. 

This course is accessible to part- time students via a modular set up allowing for directed education on Resilience whilst offering globally recognised post-graduate qualifications. Part-time students attend four one-week residential courses each year, with the remainder of time as directed private study. 

Taught modules are also available as accredited short courses. If students complete a module and are successfully assessed, they may accrue credits for use if they continue to the full PgCert, PgDip or MSc. 

Modules:

Compulsory modules

• The Resilience Context
• Crisis Management
• Developing Resilient Capabilities - People, Organisations and Supply Chains
• Information Management and Assurance
• Strategy for Resilience
• Influencing Behaviour for Resilience
• Communicating Risk

Elective modules

• Business Continuity
• Counter-Terrorism
• Corporate Security
• The Technology of Resilience
• Post Conflict Challenges – Mine Action and Small Arms
• Global Disaster Risk Reduction and Disaster Management.
• Military Support to Disaster Preparedness and Relief
• Principles of Disaster, Risk and Security Management

Successful completion of the first four compulsory modules, plus one elective module results in a PgCert. A PgDip requires completion of all seven compulsory modules and three elective modules. To obtain an MSc, students study all seven compulsory modules, three elective modules and complete a research project in their particular area of interest.