MSc Managing Organisational Risk and Resilience
- Study Mode: Part Time
- Location: Distance Learning
- Duration: Two Years
- Start Date: September 2026
Gain the teaching, skills, experience, and knowledge of experienced professionals with BNU. This remote learning course is here for those seeking to develop advanced capability to meet and exceed the needs of evolving organisations, through a applied and structured programme of study.
Led by our experienced and supportive academic team, our course involves the study of both civil protection and business continuity, as well as the challenges and opportunities that come with threat and risk management.
There is growing demand for professionals who can not only understand organisational resilience but also lead in its implementation. Employers increasingly seek candidates with specialist qualifications in this area and in some roles, a master’s degree is a prerequisite. Studying our course will significantly enhance your employability and could open doors to leadership roles in resilience, risk, security, and continuity.
In today’s rapidly evolving world, organisations face an unprecedented array of risks, from cyber threats and supply chain disruptions to natural disasters and geopolitical instability. The ability to anticipate, withstand, adapt to, and recover from such challenges is no longer optional. It’s essential. We equip you with the advanced knowledge and practical skills needed to build resilient organisations that can thrive in uncertainty.
You’ll explore the full spectrum of risk and resilience, including civil protection, business continuity, crisis and emergency management, and digital leadership. Whether you're already working in the field or looking to transition into it, this course provides a strategic, enterprise-wide perspective that’s highly valued across sectors.
Our flexible distance-learning format attracts students from across the globe, creating a rich and diverse learning community. You’ll benefit from expert teaching, real-world case studies, and a supportive virtual environment that fits around your professional and personal commitments. Occasional in-person sessions at our High Wycombe campus also offer opportunities to connect and collaborate face-to-face. Whether you're in the military, emergency services, corporate risk, or public sector, this course will help you develop the strategic insight and operational capability to make a meaningful impact. 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 Enhanced Learning Credits (ELC) scheme – 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?
Our course 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. Designed to give those from military backgrounds, as well as those with security, risk and related practitioner experience the necessary skills to develop parity of understanding and knowledge with that of mainstream business and wider organisational disciplines.
During your time on this degree you will cover areas including, threat, risk and impact perspectives, security management, emergency management and digital leadership. Gain advanced knowledge and the practical skills needed to build resilient organisations that can thrive in uncertainty. You’ll explore the full spectrum of risk and resilience, including civil protection, business continuity, crisis and emergency management, and digital leadership. Whether you're already working in the field or looking to transition into it, this course provides a strategic, enterprise-wide perspective that’s highly valued across sectors.
There is growing demand for professionals who can not only understand organisational resilience but also lead its implementation. Employers increasingly seek candidates with specialist qualifications in this area and in some roles, a master’s degree is a prerequisite. Studying this MSc could significantly enhance your employability and open doors to leadership roles in resilience, risk, security, and continuity.
In an era of rapidly shifting geopolitics, the need for organisational resilience has never been more critical. As threats and risks evolve at pace, our responses must adapt just as swiftly to remain effective. Having recently transitioned from the defence sector to a role in national security, the course content is both current and highly relevant to my field, and I am already applying the knowledge gained to my new role with tangible impact.Former Student (Identity protected)
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.
Balancing full-time employment and a young family made a challenging endeavour, but one I thoroughly enjoyed. The course pushed me to explore new dimensions of my profession, deepening my understanding of my work. BNU were incredibly supportive and flexible, always ready to accommodate my busy schedule. The course materials were comprehensive and provided the depth needed to tackle each module confidently.Former Student (Identity protected)
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
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Home, Academic Year 2025 - 2026: £4,405 per year *
International
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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 The Education Hub, 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 degree, you will find your employment prospects enhanced and understanding of the multiple facets of risk and resilience significantly improved. Managers will have gained the requisite knowledge and analytical skills that could 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 may be better equipped to seek promotion.
All graduates will have developed transferable skills that can be used in a wide range of employment roles, with completion of course modules as evidence for this.
Course leader
