In Risk Management

The Centre for Decision Analysis and Risk Management has recently updated its suite of postgraduate modules in risk management to reflect the emerging consensus within the public sector, the corporate world, academia, the media and society at large that the complexity and interdependence of many problems make it difficult to manage risk in a ‘joined up’ or holistic manner. Strategic risk management is about far more than risk assessment and it requires an ability to understand the objectives, techniques and even vocabulary of the many different disciplines that consider risk within organisations – finance, law, health and safety, engineering, economics.

We therefore adopt a multidisciplinary, multi-professional and multi-regional approach to the teaching and practice of risk management. We focus on issues, whether manmade or natural, which have enterprise wide, national or even international implications and have the potential for harm to business, the economy, health and safety, the environment and/or to society at large.

Throughout our programme we attempt to examine the field of risk in ways that account for the requirements of both developed and developing countries. This programme will appeal to people in mid career who are being asked to come out of one risk "silo" and take on a wider risk portfolio (or younger people who aspire to this role).

Modules may be studied individually and/or may be taken in combination to achieve one of three postgraduate awards ( Post Graduate Certificate in Risk Management , Post Graduate Diploma in Risk Management , MSc Risk Management ). Risk management is approached from a generic, multi-disciplinary perspective within all of these, which represented a structured progression of awards, offering alternative exit points to suit different needs.

The first part of all three degrees (in fact the whole of the PGCert) consists of two core modules that collate and evaluate the principles of risk management, using practical demonstrations from many different disciplines. After a thorough grounding in the principles of risk management in these core modules, PgDip and MSc students select modules reflecting their specialised interests (Management, Health and Safety, Environment, Social Policy or Psychology), as well as undertaking a module in research methods, and, in the case of the MSc, an independent project.

The programmes are equally appropriate for domestic and international students with an interest in risk management.

In Occupational Health & Safety

The proposed awards have been designed to fulfil a need to educate the future and developing safety and health practitioner. The industry need for graduate professionals in these areas has never been greater, and organisations benefit from having pragmatic, competent advice to sensibly manage risk rather than create risk adverse cultures often seen as contrary to other organisational objectives.

The PG Dip & MSc have a high level of strategic risk management as a focus for professionals who wish to raise their academic and professional level, and those transferring from other professions who already hold graduate or post-graduate qualifications.

Full-time students would normally study 120 credits a semester (2 days/week) with part-time students studying 60 credits a semester (1 day/week). Modules generally run in 6 week blocks, with 6 weeks of lecturers and seminars followed by 6 weeks of seminars only and self study with the pattern repeated throughout the 24 weeks.

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Further Information

Please contact John Watt with any queries about Risk Management and Shaun Lundy with regards to Occupational Health & Safety.