MSc Managing Organisational Risk and Resilience
- Study Mode: Part Time
- Location: Distance Learning
- Duration: Two Years
- Start Date: September 2025
MSc in Managing Organisational Risk and Resilience has been designed to enhance the knowledge and capability of experienced professionals. This remote learning course is here for those seeking to develop advanced capability to meet the needs of evolving organisations, through a rigorous and applied programme of study.
Led by our experienced and supportive academic team, the programme involves the study of both civil protection and business continuity, as well as the challenges and opportunities with threat and risk management.
Why study this subject?
The fast pace of contemporary societal change has brought the critical requirements for organisations to be resilient. Organisations are vulnerable and exposed to threats and risks on a constant basis and in order to assess, mitigate and manage such events, a robust approach to organisational resilience is essential.
There is demand from organisations for specialists that understand the organisational resilience requirements needed and also those that are able to prepare for, respond to and recover in the event of critical incidences.
The job market for these specialist roles is very competitive and a masters in this area will really help boost your chances of employability (in some instances, it may even be a prerequisite).
There is also great flexibility in studying this course with our students coming from not just the UK, but all around the world.
Why study at Buckinghamshire New University?
Throughout the distance-learning course, you will learn from skilled lecturers within the School of Aviation and Security who have a high level of working knowledge based on industry experience. Our tutors will give you the practical, managerial and intellectual skills that will help you to plan for and respond to risk and resilience challenges.
You’ll have a supportive and flexible environment in which to develop your knowledge and skills and be confident in applying this in your workplace. Whilst the course primarily consists of distanced-based learning, we do occasionally bring all students together and conduct some teaching at our High Wycombe campus where applicable. When away from campus, we utilise our Virtual Learning Environment meaning that if you’re often deployed to remote areas you’ll still have a comprehensive student experience.
The University has strong links within the resilience sector and is a holder of the Silver Military Covenant Award. We recognise the value serving personnel (both regular and reservists), veterans, and military families contribute to our business and country. If you are a member of the Armed Forces, you may be able eligible to received funding for this programme under the UK Ministry of Defence – our ELCAS number is 1682.
As a BNU student, you will automatically become a member of Bucks Students’ Union giving you access to a wide range of services that we offer for free. Upon graduation, you will become a member of the University’s alumni community giving you access to a wide range of benefits throughout your lifetime.
What will I study?
This MSc has been developed to enable you to critically appraise a range of strategies for holistic organisational resilience and apply concepts, theories and principles to a wide range of organisational and sector threats and risks.
This has also been designed to give those from military backgrounds, as well as those with security, risk and related practitioner experience, the necessary skills and capability to develop parity of understanding and knowledge with that of mainstream business and wider organisational disciplines.
During your time studying on this degree you will cover areas including, threat, risk and impact perspectives, security management, emergency management and digital leadership.
How will I be taught and assessed?
We've designed this course to make our expertise accessible even to those who are unable to attend on-site. We provide a high level of support electronically using our Virtual Learning Environment. This online learning platform helps you make the most of your time studying and allows you to focus on the issues relevant to your company (as well as minimising your time away from work).
We also provide off campus access to library services, so you can borrow books from the virtual library and access peer reviewed journals as well as access to wider material via our interlibrary loan service.
You will learn through a range of approaches, from seminars to group work and lectures to tutorials. The live sessions are also recorded, meaning you have the option of synchronous and asynchronous approaches to the delivery. Self-guided learning and personal tutor support completes the delivery programme.
The assignments range from academic essays, reports and executive briefings. We have previously received positive feedback from our students on the approach we take to assignments being very pertinent to the workplace and helps in addressing real-world issues.
What are the course entry requirements?
The University’s general entry requirements will apply to admission to this programme with the following additions / exceptions:
- UG (2:1 or above) or equivalent work experience, assessed via APEL. English level to applicable and current IELTS requirement
For further details of our international English entry requirements, please visit our international pages.
If you do not meet the entry requirements you may, if you have relevant professional experience, still be invited for interview, where you will be required to demonstrate the necessary knowledge and understanding for entry onto the course.
Previous study, professional and / or vocational experiences may be recognised as the equivalent learning experience and permit exemption from studying certain modules in accordance with our accreditation of prior learning (APL) process.
Please refer to our Credit Accumulation pages for further guidance.
Modules
This provides a guide of the modules that make up your course. You can find more information about how your course is structured on our Academic Advice section.
What are the tuition fees
Home
-
Home, Academic Year 2025 - 2026: £4,405 per year *
International
-
Overseas/International, Academic Year 2025 - 2026: £4,405 per year *
Following the Government’s announcement of 4 November 2024, we will be increasing our full-time undergraduate tuition fees for UK students to £9,535 per year from the start of the 2025/26 academic year. Our part-time fees for UK undergraduate students will increase to £7,145 per annum. Please visit , on the Government’s website, for more information about the changes.
Tuition fees for Home undergraduate students (including with foundation year) may increase in subsequent years for both new and continuing students in line with an inflationary amount determined by the Government.  
Tuition fees for both new and continuing international students may be subject to an inflationary increase based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the 12-month period to 31 January each year.  
Tuition fees for postgraduate courses and CPD may be subject to an inflationary increase based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the 12-month period to 31 January each year. This increase will apply to both new and continuing students.  
We understand, and really appreciate, the significant financial commitment our students make when they choose to study at BNU. We take our responsibilities to our students very seriously, and are ambitious for each to reach their full potential and succeed in their chosen career. Our fees help us to continue providing our students with a high-quality education, and to invest in the services and facilities which create an excellent student experience at BNU.
The following factors will be considered by the University when we set the annual fees: measures of inflation such as the retail price indices; projected increases in University costs; and any changes in the level of funding for teaching received from the Government.
What are my career prospects?
On successful completion of this award, you will find your employment prospects enhanced and their understanding of the multiple facets of risk and resilience significantly deepened.
Managers will have gained the requisite knowledge and analytical skills to enable them to perform at higher management levels within their organisations; recent graduates or people employed outside the sector are more likely to be able to obtain employment in relevant industries; and current employees will be better equipped to seek promotion.
All graduates will have also developed transferable skills that can be used in a wide range of employment roles.
Course leader
