National Security Studies

Our unique National Security Studies MA is designed to bring together UK security policy practitioners, representatives from the private sector and policy-interested postgraduate students. Students will gain an in-depth understanding of national security issues and the increasing focus on cross-governmental responses to security challenges. The course will also deal with conceptual and theoretical questions relating to national security.

The course will provide a mixture of UK national security analysis, with analysis of national security approaches in the international context. The course will be delivered by a team of academics from the Centre for Defence Studies (CDS) led by John Gearson, Professor of National Security Studies and Director of CDS and Dr. Nina Musgrave (course tutor and Assistant Director of CDS) with guest lectures from practitioners, that may include Sir David Omand and Lord Peter Ricketts amongst others.

Key benefits:

• Transferable skills such as the development of practical, policy-oriented insights.
• High level presentation skills/effective writing development.
• Development of strategic analysis and policy development.
• Development of in-depth and critical analysis of national security, and familiarisation with the latest research in the discipline.
• A chance to network and connect with visiting academics, government ministers, diplomats and other experts in the field of national security.

This course has been designed to train security practitioners and postgraduate students in the fundamentals of national security, while also exposing them to practical and conceptual issues and challenges such as cyber security, counter-terrorism and the oversight of national security.

MA

Courses are divided into modules. You will normally take modules totalling 180 credits. King's College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study.

Required Modules:

You are required to take the following modules:

• National Security Studies (40 credits)
• Dissertation (60 credits)

Optional Modules:

In addition, you are required to take 80 credits from a range of optional modules, which may typically include:

• Homegrown Radicalisation & Counter-radicalisation in Western Europe & North America (40 credits)
• Cyber Security (40 credits)
• Intelligence & Small Wars (40 credits)
• Chemical, Biological, Nuclear (CBN) Weapons in the Hands of States (20 credits)
• The Past & Present of British Intelligence (40 credits)
• Or any of the other available options offered by the Department of War Studies

If you are studying the part-time course you will typically take the required 40-credit taught module and 40 credits of optional module in Year 1. You will then take a 60 credit dissertation module and 40 credit optional modules in Year 2.

Fees:

• Full time overseas fees:

King's College London is one of the top 10 UK universities in the world (QS World University Rankings, 2018/19) and among the oldest in England.

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Our intellectually rigorous teaching environment is coupled with a commitment to providing a rich and supportive student experience. We have more than 31,000 students (of whom nearly 12,800 are postgraduates, with 1,000 students enrolled in online masters courses) from 150 countries worldwide, meaning that students are part of a truly international community. Our 8,500 members of staff collaborate with students to help them get the most out of their degree. Many of our academics are also researchers working within and influencing their industries, meaning that students learn the latest thinking and understand its practical and contemporary relevance.

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