Overview

Our Master in Humanitarian Action programme at University of Geneva has been developed in response to the growing need to understand, question and reform today’s humanitarian system, and it is delivered in collaboration with our partner organisations, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). The programme offers evidence-based, cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural education in the field of humanitarian action.

This blended postgraduate course combines theoretical, practical and managerial skills in a unique adult-learning environment, to empower humanitarian professionals with reflective and critical analysis for a more effective humanitarian response. The course work will focus on deconstructing the humanitarian system, on learning about its normative frameworks and reflecting on the interactions and power dynamics among humanitarian actors. It will provide expertise in assessing methods, tools and approaches used to provide assistance to affected populations in different humanitarian contexts (including armed conflicts, disasters, urban settings and migration).

Objectives

At the end of the course, participants will be able to:

Understand the evolution of the humanitarian system, governance and stakeholders
Demonstrate knowledge of core humanitarian values, principles, codes and frameworks
Engage with major debates and critiques in the humanitarian sector
Critically assess humanitarian contexts and complex emergencies (armed conflicts, disasters, urban settings and migration)
Assess, monitor and evaluate humanitarian projects
Demonstrate key management, leadership and accountability skills

Develop relevant skillsets and competencies for the humanitarian sector, including public health, gender-based and sexual violence, communication, advocacy, negotiation, protection, finance and management

Programme Structure

The Master programme is a modular executive training of 60 ECTS credits composed of four terms:

Module 1: Humanitarianisms
Module 2: Contexts, Actions and Consequences
Module 3: Revisiting Vulnerability and Needs
Module 4: Humanitarian Governance, Norms and Principles
Module 5: The Humanitarians

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 14 months
Part-time
- 24 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2025-09-18 00:00:00
- Apply before 2025-06-30 00:00:00 , National
- Apply before 2025-05-31 00:00:00 , International
- Apply before 2025-06-30 00:00:00 , EEA/EU

Language

English

IELTS

6.5

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TOEFL^® IBT

95

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Credits

60 ECTS

Delivered

Blended

Disciplines

International Relations Human Resource Management View 8 other Masters in Human Resource Management in Switzerland

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Academic requirements

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

English requirements

IELTS

6.5

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TOEFL^® IBT

95

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Other requirements

General requirements

Requirements

a university qualification (bachelor’s degree or equivalent);
at least three years of relevant professional experience;
excellent command of English;

motivation working in the humanitarian sector.

The Master is open to maximum 30 students per year. Admission is based on the overall quality of the application, including academic achievement, quality of application documents, relevance of previous work experience and English language skills.

Student insurance

Make sure to cover your health, travel, and stay while studying abroad. Even global coverages can miss important items, so make sure your student insurance ticks all the following:

Additional medical costs (i.e. dental)
Repatriation, if something happens to you or your family
Liability
Home contents and baggage
Accidents
Legal aid

We partnered with Aon to provide you with the best affordable student insurance, for a carefree experience away from home.

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Starting from €0.53/day, free cancellation any time.

Remember, countries and universities may have specific insurance requirements. To learn more about how student insurance work at University of Geneva and/or in Switzerland, please visit Student Insurance Portal.

Tuition Fee

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International

12857 CHF/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 15000 CHF for the full programme during 14 months.
National

12857 CHF/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 15000 CHF for the full programme during 14 months.

Option I: MAS in 14 months – CHF 15000
Option II: MAS in 2 or 3 academic years - CHF 17000

Living costs for Genève

1925 - 2850 CHF /month

Living costs

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Humanitarian Action.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

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