About National Security Studies MA in Kings College London

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.

Description

The course in National Security Studies is unique by bringing together security policy practitioners and postgraduate students in the Department of War Studies. The core module in National Security Studies will be delivered on a weekly basis over two terms and will consist of highly interactive lectures and group sessions with academics and experienced officials that may include Professor Sir David Omand and Professor Lord Peter Ricketts amongst others.

The course will enable participants to develop an in-depth understanding of national security both in the UK and from an international perspective. The course will also focus on cross-governmental responses to security challenges. The course will be structured around key themes such as strategy, counter-terrorism and ethics in national security.

The course culminates in the King’s National Security Policy Briefing, where participants present their policy ideas to an elite panel of UK security practitioners.

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. The course will enable students to critically analyse national security and will educate students in key national security themes and allow them to critically analyse developments in the field.

Career prospects

War Studies graduates go on to work for NGOs, the FCO, the MOD, the Home Office, NATO, the UN or pursue careers in journalism, finance, academia, the diplomatic services, the armed forces and more. Recent posts held by our alumni include Threat Analyst, Director of Political Violence Forecasting, Research Advisor at NATO Defence College, Foreign Policy Fellow.

Academic qualification equivalents

• A baccalaureate degree from a recognized degree granting institution

English language requirements (one of the below):

• IELTS   :    6.5 overall with a minimum of 6.0 in each skill
• TOEFL :    92 overall with a minimum of 23 in writing and 20 in each of the other skills
• PTE      :    62 overall with a minimum of 59 in each communicative skill

Kings College London Highlights

King's College London The Average Tuition Fees And Other Expenses

UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) requires students to have a budget of at least £1,265 per month in addition to tuition fees.