Joint Master’s in International Humanitarian ActionMaster's degree

Internships ensure that students have the chance to apply the knowledge and skills acquired during the first and second semesters in the professional world. They also encourage students to pursue their particular interests and in-depth study of one of the intervention areas in humanitarian action.

The University of Deusto has collaboration agreements for internships with various NGOs and international organisations such as ECHO, UNHCR, UNICEF, Save the Children, Oxfam Intermón, etc. Furthermore, the Master's supports students to apply for internships in any other non-governmental organisation or international body of their interest relevant to the areas of the programme.

Firms where students have done internships 

This component makes students familiar with humanitarian action approaches in regional contexts, affording them the opportunity to cooperate, cope and work in a different culture and helps them to develop and adapt their research project to the regional context. Regional training is offered at the following member universities (further information will be provided soon):

See list of universities

At the end of the Master's course, and as essential requirement for gaining a Master's degree, each student must complete a Master's final project which, in the opinion of the examining board appointed by the Master's Directors, deserves at least a pass mark.

The purpose of the Master’s Final Project is to ensure that students have clear in-depth ideas about a topic from the field of international humanitarian action they are interested in. They are required to show a good knowledge of literature on the subject, research methodology and techniques applicable to the field of study chosen. The project will also prove their capacity to take a critical approach to analysis and present their research findings in compliance with the common criteria adopted by the scientific community. 

The teaching methods are based on the European Higher Education Area guidelines. The key aspects are autonomy and acquisition of the competences required for continuous learning.

The Master's degree aims to promote a balanced combination of theoretical elements, on which humanitarian action is based, with an interdisciplinary approach covering various areas (geopolitics, peace and conflict studies, critical geography, international law and humanitarian law, anthropology, public health, international project and organisational management, etc.), all focused on the practice of humanitarian assistance (hence the emphasis on case studies and simulation exercises, as well as teamwork)

1- Keynote lectures

2- Study of bibliographic material

3- Case studies, elaboration and assessment of humanitarian action projects

4- Seminars and debates

5- Simulation exercises

6- Individual and group projects

7- Use of ICTs (platform, virtual environment)

8- Assessment by each lecturer

The NOHA Master’s programme has developed its own e-learning platform. The NOHA member universities taking part in the Master’s in International Humanitarian Action have a joint virtual campus system, the NOHA Blackboard.