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Humanitarian Engineering (with Sustainability) (MSc) (2025 Entry)

Postgraduate Taught

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Find out more about our Humanitarian Engineering (with Sustainability) taught Master's degree.

The increasing number of global humanitarian challenges urges us to rethink the role we play. In the Humanitarian Engineering (with Sustainability) MSc you will focus on renewable energy, sustainable cities and infrastructures for emergencies.


Course overview

Humanitarian Engineering is the use of science and engineering to invent, create, design, develop, or improve technologies that promote the wellbeing of communities facing grand humanitarian challenges.

This degree explores the same broad themes as our main Humanitarian Engineering degree, but with a specific focus on sustainability through tailored core and optional modules.

Skills from this degree

  • Equipped to think and work in a problem- and solution-oriented way across the professional and disciplinary facets of humanitarian challenges
  • Have a broad perspective and the ability to communicate with parties of different backgrounds
  • Enhance critical thinking, reasoning and analytical abilities which are sought after by multilateral development institutions (e.g. World Bank, IMF, United Nations), NGOs and the private sector (e.g. professional services, manufacturing, and investment banking) or academia

General entry requirements

Minimum requirements

2:1 undergraduate degree (or equivalent), ideally in Engineering, Science, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, Humanities, Business or Medical Sciences, although we will consider graduates of all disciplines.


English language requirements

You can find out more about our English language requirementsLink opens in a new window. This course requires the following:

  • Band A
  • IELTS Band of 6.5 or more overall, with a minimum component scores not below 6.0.

International qualifications

We welcome applications from students with other internationally recognised qualifications.

For more information, please visit the international entry requirements pageLink opens in a new window.


Academic References

We typically ask for one academic reference for taught courses, and two academic references for research courses.

You will be asked to include an email address for your referee(s) when submitting your application and we will contact them for you.

View our guide to academic references.Link opens in a new window


Additional requirements

There are no additional entry requirements for this course.

Core modules

Specialist core modules


You will choose one of the following modules:

Teaching

Each module will run intensively over one week and will be taught by a variety of methods: seminar, lecture, field research, flipped classroom, journal club etc.


Class sizes

Core modules are up to 30 students; optional modules vary between 5-15 students and seminars typically average around 15-20 students.


Typical contact hours

Contact hours vary from 24 to 30 hours per module, per week.


Assessment

The core modules are assessed in a variety of ways including essay, poster, presentation, artefact, student-devised assessment.

Reading lists

If you would like to view reading lists for current or previous cohorts of students, most departments have reading lists available through Warwick Library on the Talis Aspire platform 

You can search for reading lists by module title, code or convenor. Please see the modules tab of this page or the module catalogue.   

Please note that some reading lists may have restricted access or be unavailable at certain times of year due to not yet being published. If you cannot access the reading list for a particular module, please check again later or contact the module’s host department. 


Your timetable

Your personalised timetable will be complete when you are registered for all modules, compulsory and optional, and you have been allocated to your lectures, seminars and other small group classes. Your compulsory modules will be registered for you and you will be able to choose your optional modules when you join us.

Your career

A degree in Humanitarian Engineering will leave you well-placed to work with governments (e.g. ministries of finance, rural development, and education), multilateral development institutions (e.g. World Bank and United Nations), NGOs and the private sector (e.g. professional services and investment banking). You may also decide to pursue PhD studies.

Our department has a dedicated professionally qualified Senior Careers Consultant offering impartial advice and guidance together with workshops and events throughout the year. Previous examples of workshops and events include:

  • Warwick careers fairs throughout the year
  • Working for More than Profit sector event and careers fair
  • Careers in the Creative Industries sector event
  • Centrally run careers workshops including CVs, applications, interviews and assessment centres

You can also contact the Humanitarian Engineering Department to arrange a visit or email  hum dot eng at warwick dot ac dot uk  to arrange a meeting in person or via video conferencing.

Tuition fees

Tuition fees are payable for each year of your course at the start of the academic year, or at the start of your course, if later. Academic fees cover the cost of tuition, examinations and registration and some student amenities.

Find your taught course fees  


Fee Status Guidance

We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Students will be classified as Home or Overseas fee status. Your fee status determines tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available. If you receive an offer, your fee status will be clearly stated alongside the tuition fee information.

Do you need your fee classification to be reviewed?

If you believe that your fee status has been classified incorrectly, you can complete a fee status assessment questionnaire. Please follow the instructions in your offer information and provide the documents needed to reassess your status.

Find out more about how universities assess fee status


Additional course costs

As well as tuition fees and living expenses, some courses may require you to cover the cost of field trips or costs associated with travel abroad.

For departmental specific costs, please see the Modules tab on the course web page for the list of core and optional core modules with hyperlinks to our Module Catalogue (please visit the Department’s website if the Module Catalogue hyperlinks are not provided).

Associated costs can be found on the Study tab for each module listed in the Module Catalogue (please note most of the module content applies to 2024/25 year of study). Information about module department specific costs should be considered in conjunction with the more general costs below:

  • Core text books
  • Printer credits
  • Dissertation binding
  • Robe hire for your degree ceremony

Scholarships and bursaries

Scholarships and financial support

Find out about the different funding routes available, including; postgraduate loans, scholarships, fee awards and academic department bursaries.

Living costs

Find out more about the cost of living as a postgraduate student at the University of Warwick.

Find out how to apply to us, ask your questions, and find out more.

How to apply checklist

Our how to apply checklist helps you prepare for your application

I'm ready to apply

Learn more about the Applicant Portal.

Application deadlines

The application process for courses that start in September and October 2026 opens on 2 October 2025.

Applications close on 2 August 2026 for students who require a visa to study in the UK, to allow time to receive a CAS and complete the visa application process.

Explore ways to connect with us

We understand how important it is to visit and explore your future university before you apply. That's why we have put together a range of online and in-person options to help you discover more about your course, visit campus, and get a sense of postgraduate life at Warwick. Our events offer includes:

  • Warwick hosted events
  • Postgraduate Fairs
  • Live chats
  • Talk and Tours
  • Department events