Masters Degrees (Security Studies)

Questions about security – what drives it and what undermines it – shape global politics. Terrorism, conflict, environmental catastrophe, weapons of mass destruction and weak states are all security issues that are reflected in our media, dominate policy-making in international politics, and increasingly impinge on our daily lives.

This stream in Transnational Security Studies is an exciting new course that brings together many of the existing strengths of the Department of Politics and International Relations, including expertise in the areas of security studies, comparative politics, international law and conflict, political theory, and global politics.

The core of the course traces the security studies discipline from its traditional approaches through its evolution to include ever more transnational dynamics. You can tailor the course to your specific interests through optional units in subjects such as political violence, biopolitics, media, communication and conflict, international law of targeting, and regional international politics. You will be provided with both a firm academic foundation in the security studies discipline and a base of knowledge for careers in fields of policymaking, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, and more.

This course is also offered at Postgraduate Diploma level for those who do not have the academic background necessary to begin an advanced Masters degree. The structure of the Diploma is identical except that you will not write a dissertation. If you are successful on the Diploma you may transfer to the MSc, subject to academic approval.

See the website https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/politicsandir/coursefinder/mscpgdiptransnationalsecuritystudies.aspx

Why choose this course?

- The Department of Politics and International Relations is a young, vibrant and rapidly-rising department and was ranked in the Top 10 small politics departments in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE).

- The course is taught by world-class scholars and informed by cutting-edge research.

- The course offers an advanced grounding in security studies while allowing you to specialise in particular issues or regions of interest.

- Our international cohort of students will provide you with excellent opportunities to obtain genuinely global perspectives.

Department research and industry highlights

- The Centre for European Politics was officially launched by Lord Mandelson in September 2007, with the mission of producing research in two principal areas: the study of democracy in Europe, and Europe as an actor in world politics. Under the leadership of Co-Directors Dr Alister Miskimmon and Dr James Sloam, it has recently hosted a number of high-profile speakers, including Lord Mandelson, Professor Simon Hix (LSE), Roger Liddle (Policy Network), John Peet (The Economist), Sir Stephen Wall (former European policy advisor to Tony Blair), and David Willetts MP (Shadow Secretary of State for Innovations, Universities and Skills).
Recent funded research projects include: a European Union Committee of the Regions consultancy on EU External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy; an EU-funded Workshop on the Review of the European Union Budget; and Teaching Democracy.

- The Centre for Global and Transnational Politics is devoted to the multi-disciplinary exploration of global and transnational processes. Led by its Co-Directors Dr Chris Rumford and Professor Sandra Halperin, its central concern is to theorise and conceptualise the substance of, and connections between and among, political processes that operate at all levels or scales: the local, national, international, transnational, and global.
The Centre recently won £54,000 from NORFACE, a partnership of European Research Councils including the ESRC, for a pan-European research network on globalisation and the transformation of Europe's borders, and £20,000 from the joint AHRC/ESRC Religion and Society programme for a research network on the normative foundations of public policy in a multi-faith society.
Dr Yasmin Khan’s recent book The Great Partition: The Making of India and Pakistan (Yale University Press) won the Royal Historical Society’s Gladstone Book Prize of 2007.

- The New Political Communication Unit’s research agenda focuses on the impact of new media and communication technologies on politics, policy and governance. Dr Ben O'Loughlin and Akil N. Awan, together with colleague Andrew Hoskins at the University of Warwick, were awarded £300,000 from the ESRC for a study of terrorist networks on the internet.
Unit Co-Director Professor Andrew Chadwick is one of the founding members of the US National Science Foundation's International Working Group on Online Consultation and Public Policymaking, a three year project focusing on how political interaction on the internet can contribute to better government policy. It is funded through part of an overall grant of $1m to the State University of New York at Albany, from the NSF Digital Government Programme. Andrew Chadwick’s recent book Internet Politics (Oxford University Press) was awarded one of the American Sociological Association Best Book Prizes in 2007.

- The Contemporary Political Theory Research Group was founded in October 2009, as a result of the development of political theory at postgraduate level and growth in academic staff numbers having created the critical mass it required. The group organizes its activities collectively, and its work focuses on issues around contemporary pluralism, liberalism, democratic theory and radical politics. It brings together staff working in contemporary Continental philosophy, normative political theory, and American pragmatism, and its postgraduate members include two students on the College’s most prestigious studentship, the Reid Award. The group also has ties to the College’s Philosophy Team and the interdepartmental Humanities and Arts Research Centre.

On completion of the course graduates will have:

- an advanced knowledge and critical understanding of key concepts, theoretical debates, and developments related to security studies

- a sound knowledge of the texts, theories and methods used to enhance understanding of the issues, processes and phenomena associated with particular fields of politics and international relations

- an advanced knowledge and critical understanding of research methods within the disciplines of politics and international relations

- a solid foundation for progression to either a politics-related career or continued academic study.

Assessment

Assessment is carried out by a variety of methods including coursework, examinations and a dissertation.

Employability & career opportunities

Our graduates are highly employable and, in recent years, have entered many different politics and international relations-related areas, including roles as officials in local government, personnel officers and higher education lecturers. This course also equips you with a solid foundation for continued PhD studies.

How to apply

Applications for entry to all our full-time postgraduate degrees can be made online https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/studyhere/postgraduate/applying/howtoapply.aspx .

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About the course

Intelligence and security policy issues are now one of the fastest growing areas of academic and public concern, especially since '9/11' and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Today more than ever before national governments, international agencies and most major international corporations have an identified need for staff with a strong grasp of intelligence and security issues who can also demonstrate first-rate skills of research and assessment.

Taught by the internationally respected scholars of the Brunel Centre for Intelligence and Security Studies, backed up where required by practitioner expertise, the MA in Intelligence and Security Studies (MA ISS) now available by Distance Learning) offers a unique opportunity for practical, policy-oriented graduate study of intelligence issues applicable across the private and public sectors around the world.

Aims

This course will be of value to individuals seeking to go into security-oriented careers in both the private sectors, as well as to individuals engaged in the security professions who seek further qualifications and professional enhancement.

A distinctive feature of the course lies in its combining the rigorous study of intelligence and security policy studies with practical opportunities to develop intelligence skills through case studies and simulation exercises dealing with intelligence analysis.

Course Content

The MA consists of both compulsory and optional modules, a typical selection can be found below. Modules can vary from year to year, but these offer a good idea of what we teach.

Year 1

Compulsory modules:

Intelligence Concepts: Issues and Institutions
Intelligence History: Failure and Success
Intelligence and Security Studies Project

Year 2

Compulsory modules:

Contemporary Threats and Analytical Methodology
Intelligence and Security Studies Project

Optional modules:

Intelligence Analysis Foundations, Methods and Applications
Counterintelligence and Security

Typical Dissertations

Dissertation (60 credits)
All students produce a supervised research dissertation/project of 15,000 - 20,000 words. Students may pick their own topics subject to approval. Students generally undertake topics which might assist them in their intended field of employment, or as suggested by their home agencies or governments.

Teaching

Students will undertake a practical dissertation project over one year where they will have support from the first stage on research methods and guidance on their research proposal through the final stage.

Each of the four taught modules will be taught over two terms to enable students to absorb and reflect on their learning. The three compulsory modules will provide students with the core knowledge, while choosing one out of two options will enable students to specialise in their area of interest.

Effective Interaction

In additions, the design addresses the need for effective interaction with and among students via live online office hours with lecturers, who will also provide timely feedback on students’ regular short assignments, where they demonstrate understanding of key concepts.

Online Resources

To further utilise the online platform, students learning will be supported by the use of specialised analysis software tools in intelligence and they will engage with multimedia material where possible. Moreover, students will have access – via the integrated online platform – to supportive teaching materials and workshops provided by Brunel Graduate School and the several units of Brunel Educational Excellence Centre.

Students will have access to Online Journals, E-Books, Digital Copies, and other online materials (such as government declassified documents).

Assessment

All modules are taught on the basis of lectures, seminars and directed reading. Additionally, the second term Case Studies course is a student-led seminar programme in which participants present detailed case studies and are peer reviewed on their presentation skills.

The second term Analytical Simulation Exercise will involve students working in groups in a simulated joint, all-source intelligence assessment modelled on the actual joint assessment processes in the US and UK governments. Students are assessed on a mixture of individual and group work.

Special Features

BCISS
The Brunel Centre for Intelligence and Security Studies is Britain's first academic centre dedicated to intelligence scholarship and policy-analysis. It includes one of Britain's most innovative scholars in the field, Dr Philip H J Davies, as well Dr Kristian Gustafson (director of the MA programme), an expert on covert action and military intelligence doctrine. The newest member of staff is Mohamed Gaballa. An alumni of the MA, he is a specialist in Structured Analytic Techniques, with a focus on Analysis of Competing Hypothesis. The former senior military imagery analyst, Geoff Oxlee, OBE, joined BCISS as an Honorary Fellow and completes the core team. Together, these scholars not only produce important original research, published worldwide, but actively contribute to the success of government and business in the UK.

The Centre, though, is an inter-disciplinary endeavour, and includes participation from some of the leading Brunel University London academics in the fields of cryptography, computer networking, imagery, economics and even law. Many of these experts already assist our teaching. As well, the centre benefits from the assistance, from time to time, of various officials of Her Majesty’s Government. MA ISS, therefore, benefits from practitioner input and insight as well as instruction by leading international academics.

Thematic Video Lectures (TVLs):
The thematic video lectures and reading materials will provide grounding in the theoretical, methodological and practical issues upon which good research in intelligence and security studies is conducted. It will focus on providing conceptual mapping to the subject. The Lecturer video interaction with students will be supported by well-structured lecture slides. This is to be followed by problem based learning where students engage in practical exercises, case studies, and simulations.

Residential Block Week (RBWs):
Students join Brunel campus for one week in each year, dedicated to supporting the teaching and assessment. Each module assessment has one element – at least – to be conducted while students are on campus. The week consists of Workshops – involving Presentations and Exercises – that will be used as opportunities to test ‘test-fly’ students’ arguments that they wish to make in their final essay in a setting of open discussion and challenge by their peers as well as academic staff.

RBW (1) covers the two modules of the first year and introducing students to the research methods and support available at Brunel for their practical dissertation. RBW (2) hosts the Syndicate Meetings of Brunel Analytical Simulation Exercise (BASE), where students’ teams engage in discussions and produce their joint assessments.

Attendance of the two RBWs is compulsory. Each student will be hosted in on campus accommodation.

Brunel Analytical Simulation Exercise (BASE):
BASE, the jewel in the MA ISS crown, provides a hands-on, practical experience in the skills and techniques of simulations in intelligence collection and analysis. It provides students with a conceptual understanding of the strengths and pitfalls of collective intelligence analysis, assessment, and decision-making; and gives students first hand insight into the management problems of generating an agreed, collective or joint assessment.

Flexible and Interactive Features
-Online office hours with lecturers,
-Timely feedback on students’ regular short assignments.
-Individual and team assignments.
-Use of multimedia materials and software resources in teaching and assessments.
-Pre-recorded lectures and materials are available throughout the week.
-Materials can be accessed via standard and Apple computer devices.

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Intelligence issues in the context of the global security framework are a vital component of the global agenda, with an ever-widening range of threats emerging and mutating across the globe. This distance learning course is taught in partnership with Informa via their online learning platform. It will not only equip you to analyse these types of problems but will also help you to grasp the important inter-disciplinary links with international relations. These skills will open up countless career opportunities and enable you to engage with institutions and individuals central to this area.

More about this course

More than ever before, national governments, international agencies and major corporations recognise the need for personnel with a strong grasp of intelligence and security issues who can also demonstrate exceptional skills of research and analysis. This postgraduate intelligence and security studies distance learning programme is taught in partnership with Informa via their online learning platform. It will equip you to analyse these types of problems and help you to place them in the context of broader military, strategic and political considerations.

You will gain a solid academic grounding in the fields of security studies, terrorism and intelligence and you'll gain critical thinking skills needed to make sense of the ever-changing global security agenda. These skills will enable you to engage with institutions and individuals central to this area.

During your studies you'll explore emerging paradigms within intelligence studies, security and security studies and analyse justifications for the increasing ‘securitisation’ of social life. You'll have the opportunity to assess important security and intelligence events and issues of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries and connect the conceptual basis of the discipline to some of the practical issues facing the international system.

You'll also review some of the emerging security threats and issues pertaining to law enforcement, government agencies and the private sector. These include a critical view of threats from terrorism, organised crime, radicalisation and intelligence failures and an assessment of security strategies such as horizon scanning.

To successfully complete the course you must pass each module. Assessment will incorporate coursework, online examinations, research assignments and essays. You'll be expected to participate in the virtual learning environment with tutors and fellow students.

Modular structure

The modules listed below are for the academic year 2016/17 and represent the course modules at this time. Modules and module details (including, but not limited to, location and time) are subject to change over time.

Year 1 modules include:
-Contemporary Issues in Crime, Safety and Security (core, 20 credits)
-History of Intelligence: Successes and Failures (core, 20 credits)
-Intelligence Analysis (core, 20 credits)
-International Financial Crime and Security (core, 20 credits)
-Security Studies (core, 20 credits)
-Security Studies Dissertation (core, 60 credits)
-Terrorism and Counter Terrorism (core, 20 credits)

After the course

The course is of special benefit to anyone wishing to work for a public, private or international organisation.

Typical career destinations might include the security sector, the military, local and public services, journalism or positions within institutions such as the European Union or the United Nations. In addition to this, the course is particularly valuable if you're interested in policy issues.

It is ideal for those whose career plans will involve dealing with international security affairs and would benefit from a solid academic grounding in the field.

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Getting to grips with the ever-changing shifts of international politics can be daunting. Our MSc in International Relations introduces you to the fundamental principles of global interaction, and refining your knowledge within specialist classes. You will learn in a systematic and engaging way about the origins, evolution and multifaceted character of the international political system, before turning to the Security Studies specialism, providing specialist insights on power, influence and governance within key national, regional and international structures.

A fascinating and relevant degree supported in 2017 by a competitively-awarded Jean Monnet Studentship (£2000) as well as the possibility of in-house internships. CCCU graduates are well placed to specialise in careers connected to key areas of international relations, enhanced with expertise in security.

Visit the website https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/study-here/courses/postgraduate/international-relations.aspx

Course detail

Through a combination of core and specialist modules, the MSc in International Relations is constructed around a series of modules that will help you analyse the multifaceted origins, evolution and conflictual development of the international political system. You will explore the analytical application of a range of the core theories and contemporary concepts that make up the canon of International Relations. You will interrogate the relative merits and shortcomings of ideologies, political, economic and socio-cultural philosophies, structures of power, and systems of governance across in order to better understand the global political system.

Suitability

The new MSc in International Relations offered at Canterbury Christ Church University is established upon a firm foundation of research­led teaching, using innovative and blended learning methods, expertise driven insights, and a clear commitment to guiding and supporting all facets of graduate student development. Our International Relations programmes will provide you with the opportunity to gain comprehensive conceptual knowledge of the prime structures and interconnections that make up international relations, and an indispensable practical understanding of national, institutional, legal, political, economic and socio­cultural actors of the global community.

The 2017 MSc in International Relations is offered with a specialism in Security Studies, allowing you to gain an especially strong understanding of the role of power and influence, the distribution of authority and governance within national, regional and international modes of security, and the principles driving the narratives and practices of security. Offered both full and part-time, CCCU’s innovative MSc in International Relations will help you tackle the ‘big issues’ in international politics with confidence and curiosity, equipping you for career paths in local, national, and international arenas thanks to innovative modules and a ‘calling card’ thesis.

Content

• Faculty Research Module (40 Credits)
• Advanced Research in Politics and International Relations (20 Credits)
• Critical Issues: Shifting Perspectives (20 Credits)
• Contemporary Security (20 Credits)
• Security in the Digital Age (20 Credits)
• Dissertation: Assessing Security Studies (60 Credits)

Format

Modules on International Relations (as well as the Security Studies specialism) are comprised of formal lectures on key themes of IR, security and globalisation, and interactive seminars that explore global actors, structures, and policies, making use of a robust range of teaching and learning styles to deconstruct this complex and fast changing subject area. Based on nationally recognized, award winning teaching styles, graduate classes are engaging and interactive, ranging from simulation games that reflect the actual workings of an international institution or a given security actor, to negotiation-based group work, as well as the analysis of key international policy texts, treaties or conventions, In addition, students are encouraged to produce work in the form of briefing notes, blogs and pieces of advocacy, all focusing on contemporary challenges to the international structure, ensuring that students completing the MSc in International Relation graduate with an advanced knowledge of their chosen area through the most contemporary pedagogic styles.

Assessment

Students of the MSc in International Relations will be assessed through a range of methods, including essays, briefing notes, book reviews, portfolios, individual and group oral presentations, action research, political role play, simulations, standard examinations, as well as a sustained piece of academic work in the form of a thesis, all of which take account of two key inter­dependent aspects:

What can I do next?

An MSc in International Relations will provide you with an exceptionally wide knowledge base, allowing you to command both the organising principles and nuanced specifics of the contemporary regional, international and global structure. This innovative, relevant and marketable degree will ensure you with a refined understanding of international relations as a whole, as well as the role and application of your Security Studies specialism. In order to complete this demanding degree, you will be able to thoroughly and expertly use a wide range of sources and forms of information to critically assess the contemporary international structure, its various distributions of power and influence, and ensuing forms of authority and governance within national, regional and international modes.

You will also be able to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the numerous forms of security, from the canon of securitisation studies to myriad practical examples of political, economic, social and even cultural security implicit in the concept of a world that is increasingly interdependent and yet predisposed to enduring state structures. As such, you will emerge with an enduring understanding of both the contemporary international structure, in terms of its various distributions of power, wealth and interactive mechanisms of governance, from traditional sovereign units to international level structures.

How to apply

For information on how to apply, please follow this link: https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/study-here/how-to-apply/how-to-apply.aspx

Funding

-Masters Loans-

From 2016/17 government loans of up to £10,000 are available for postgraduate Masters study. The loans will be paid directly to students by the Student Loans Company and will be subject to both personal and course eligibility criteria.

For more information available here: https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/study-here/funding-your-degree/funding-your-postgraduate-degree.aspx

-2017/18 Entry Financial Support-

Information on alternative funding sources is available here: https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/study-here/funding-your-degree/2017-18-entry-financial-support.aspx

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About the course

Intelligence and security policy issues are now one of the fastest growing areas of academic and public concern, especially since '9/11' and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Today more than ever before national governments, international agencies and most major international corporations have an identified need for staff with a strong grasp of intelligence and security issues who can also demonstrate first-rate skills of research and assessment.

Taught by the internationally respected scholars of the Brunel Centre for Intelligence and Security Studies, backed up where required by practitioner expertise, the MA in Intelligence and Security Studies offers a unique opportunity for practical, policy-oriented graduate study of intelligence issues applicable across the private and public sectors around the world.

Attendance for lectures full-time: 2 days per week - for 24 weeks
Attendance for lectures part-time: 1 day per week - for 24 weeks (in each of 2 years)

Aims

This course will be of value to individuals seeking to go into security-oriented careers in both the private and public sectors. It is suitable to individuals engaged in the security professions who seek further qualifications and professional enhancement.

A distinctive feature of the course lies in its combining the rigorous study of intelligence and security policy studies with practical opportunities to develop intelligence skills through case studies and simulation exercises dealing with intelligence analysis.

Course Content

The professionally-oriented course is offered on either a full-time basis, taught over two terms and a dissertation during the summer, or part-time basis taught over four terms with the dissertation completed during the summer of the second academic year.

The MA consists of both compulsory and optional modules, a typical selection can be found below. Modules can vary from year to year, but these offer a good idea of what we teach.

Compulsory modules:

Intelligence Concepts: Issues and Institutions
Intelligence History: Failure and Success
Contemporary Threats and Analytical Methodology
Intelligence and Security Studies Project

Optional modules:

Intelligence Analysis Foundations, Methods and Applications
Counterintelligence and Security

Assessment

All modules are taught on the basis of lectures, seminars and directed reading. Additionally, the second term Case Studies course is a student-led seminar programme in which participants present detailed case studies and are peer reviewed on their presentation skills.
The second term Analytical Simulation Exercise will involve students working in groups in a simulated joint, all-source intelligence assessment modelled on the actual joint assessment processes in the US and UK governments. Students are assessed on a mixture of individual and group work.

Special Features

The Brunel Centre for Intelligence and Security Studies is Britain's first academic centre dedicated to intelligence scholarship and policy-analysis. It includes one of Britain's most innovative scholars in the field, Dr Philip H J Davies, as well Dr Kristian Gustafson (director of the MA programme), an expert on covert action and military intelligence doctrine.

The newest member of staff is Mohamed Gaballa. An alumni of this course, he is a specialist in Structured Analytic Techniques, with a focus on Analysis of Competing Hypothesis.

The former senior military imagery analyst, Geoff Oxlee, OBE, joined BCISS as an Honorary Fellow and completes the core team.

Together, these scholars not only produce important original research, published worldwide, but actively contribute to the success of government and business in the UK.

The Centre, though, is an inter-disciplinary endeavour, and includes participation from some of the leading Brunel University London academics in the fields of cryptography, computer networking, imagery, economics and even law. Many of these experts already assist our teaching.

The centre also benefits from the assistance, from time to time, of various officials of Her Majesty’s Government.

The degree, therefore, benefits from practitioner input and insight as well as instruction by leading international academics.

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This course reflects the particular values of Peace Studies at Bradford, with a curriculum that provides a thorough grounding in the theoretical and empirical foundations of the discipline whilst also offering students the opportunity to engage with the core questions of peace and security that animate the research work of lecturers here.

Our research is founded on an understanding that no single discipline on its own is sufficient to comprehend the dynamics of issues as complex as war, world hunger, sustainable development and social justice, or problems as challenging as negotiating our differences in culture and belief.

You will acquire subject-specific knowledge and understanding of:
-Theories and concepts of peace and conflict and their application to global, regional and local contexts
-The nature and significance of politics, security and co-operation as global, regional and local activities
-The origins and evolution of the international political and security system, including contemporary changes

You will also acquire an ability to evaluate different interpretations of world political and security events and issues and to articulate such evaluation at a recognised postgraduate level.

For more information on the part time version of this course, please view this web-page: http://www.brad.ac.uk/study/courses/info/international-politics-and-security-studies-ma-part-time

Modules

Core modules
-International Politics and Security Studies
-Introduction to Peace Studies
-Regional and Global Security Politics
-Dissertation project in a topic of your choice (related to International Politics and Security Studies)

Option modules
-Fragile States and the Security-Development Nexus
-Introduction to African Politics
-Religions, Conflict and Peacemaking in a Post-secular World
-The Authoritarian Challenge to Democracy
-Africa Study Visit
-African Security Studies
-Gender, Conflict and Development
-Natural Resource Governance, Conflict and Co-operation
-Peacekeeping, Peacebuilding and Statebuilding
-Political Violence and Terrorism
-East Asia Security Politics
-Sustainable Tourism Development

Career support and prospects

The University is committed to helping students develop and enhance employability and this is an integral part of many programmes. Specialist support is available throughout the course from Career and Employability Services including help to find part-time work while studying, placements, vacation work and graduate vacancies. Students are encouraged to access this support at an early stage and to use the extensive resources on the Careers website.

Discussing options with specialist advisers helps to clarify plans through exploring options and refining skills of job-hunting. In most of our programmes there is direct input by Career Development Advisers into the curriculum or through specially arranged workshops.

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The Middle East has seen significant political and social upheavals in recent years which have had huge repercussions both within the region and beyond; the on-going Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the various peace initiatives launched to try and bring an end to that conflict, the end of the Lebanese civil war and the fragile peace that has followed and the war to ‘liberate’ Iraq and topple Saddam Hussein.

More recently we have witnessed the rise of Al Qaeda and the proliferation of Islamist groups affiliated to it operating far beyond the borders of the Middle East, a spate of popular uprisings calling for democracy in parts of North Africa and the Middle East popularly known as the Arab Spring and the fall-out of these rebellions both politically and socially in Egypt and Syria. The civil war in Syria has created a huge refugee problem which has created a humanitarian crisis in both Jordan and Lebanon, bordering countries that have neither the resources nor the necessary infrastructure to deal with such large scale migration. Political tensions have also been generated by the crisis.

The MA in Middle East Politics and Security Studies focuses on many of these themes and traces their origins historically in an effort to offer a much deeper level of understanding of social and political developments and broader security implications in this troubled region that have had - and continue to have -ramifications for peoples and governments far beyond the Middle East.

For more information on the part time version of this course, please view this web-page: http://www.brad.ac.uk/study/courses/info/middle-east-politics-and-security-studies-ma-part-time

Why Bradford?

This course is taught in Peace Studies — the largest centre in the world devoted exclusively to the study of peace and conflict.

Modules

Core modules
-Introduction to Peace Studies
-Framing the Modern Middle East
-The Israel-Palestine conflict: Dynamics and impact
-Dissertation (Middle East Politics and Security Studies)

Option modules
-Fragile States and the Security-Development Nexus
-International Politics and Security Studies
-Political Violence and Terrorism
-East Asia Security Politics
-Gender, Conflict and Development
-Natural Resource Governance, Conflict and Co-operation
-The Authoritarian Challenge to Democracy
-Social Movements, Globalisation and Political Change
-Regional and Global Security Politics
-Religions, Conflict and Peacemaking in a Post-Secular World
-Sustainable Tourism Development

Career support and prospects

The University is committed to helping students develop and enhance employability and this is an integral part of many programmes. Specialist support is available throughout the course from Career and Employability Services including help to find part-time work while studying, placements, vacation work and graduate vacancies. Students are encouraged to access this support at an early stage and to use the extensive resources on the Careers website.

Discussing options with specialist advisers helps to clarify plans through exploring options and refining skills of job-hunting. In most of our programmes there is direct input by Career Development Advisers into the curriculum or through specially arranged workshops.

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Contemporary security research and policy-making focus heavily on the causes and consequences of violent and non-violent political conflict. This MSc trains students to apply empirical methods to explore the causes of terrorism, civil, and international conflict, the application of military force, humanitarian intervention, and the provision of global public goods.

Degree information

Students develop an understanding of theoretical approaches and debates in security studies, and the ability to analyse how forms of violent and non-violent political conflict emerge, diffuse, are managed, and are resolved. They gain the qualitative and quantitative research skills required to collect and analyse empirical evidence in a selective and systematic way.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

The programme consists of three core modules (60 credits), optional modules (60 credits) and a research dissertation (60 credits).

Core modules
-International Peace and Security (30)
-Introduction to Qualitative Methods or Advanced Qualitative Methods (15)
-Introduction to Quantitative Methods or Advanced Quantitative Methods (15)

Optional modules - choose two of the following 15-credit modules (the others remain available as options):
-Rebellion (15)
-Conflict Resolution and Post-War Development (15)
-Governing Divided Societies (15)
-Terrorism (15)
-War, Peace, Human Rights and International Law (15)
-Foreign Policy Analysis (15)

Choose further modules up to a value of 30 credits. The following are suggestions:
-Globalisation (15)
-International Political Economy (15)
-The Political Economy of Development (15)
-International Trade Policy (15)
-Global Ethics (15)
-Democracy and Accountability: Holding Power to Account (15)

Dissertation/report
All MSc students undertake an individual research project which culminates in a dissertation of 10,000 words.

Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures and seminars, and is taught by scholars who have subject-specific knowledge and have carried out theoretical and empirical research in the field. Students will be assessed by a variety of methods: unseen examinations, long essays and the dissertation.

Careers

Graduates of the programme are ideally placed to develop careers in the field of international relations, public policy and political analysis. Many graduates go on to further research study at UCL or other universities in the UK or overseas.

Top career destinations for this degree:
-Anti Money Laundering Analyst, Citibank
-Global Security Intern, Monsanto
-Research Analyst, Guidepoint Global
-Policy Officer, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
-Data Analyst, Thomson

Employability
The Security Studies MSc is designed with the intention of endowing students with an advanced set of methodological skills that enable them to collect and analyse real-world data to test theoretically-informed hypotheses about the sources, impacts, and resolution of various forms of non-violent and violent political conflict. These analytical skills have enabled prior students to gain employment across the sectors, including positions on the civil service fast stream, at private sector political risk firms and banks, and in niche area NGOs and charitable organisations helping to tackle poverty and unrest at home and abroad.

Why study this degree at UCL?

UCL Political Science is recognised as a centre of excellence in the field and offers a uniquely stimulating environment for the study of all fields of politics.

Students benefit from weekly seminars featuring distinguished external speakers, and regular high-profile events for policymakers and others.

The research preparation and tailor-made interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary training students receive is one of the highest available in the world, in one of the world's top universities, as reflected in its performance in a range of rankings and tables.

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Overview

In today's environment, international security studies goes beyond the traditional security challenges such as military conflict and can include challenges to human, societal, economic and environmental security. This degree explores the strategies being developed to respond to these security and intelligence threats. It covers a broad spectrum of traditional and non-traditional security issues examined from a regional and global context.

See the website http://courses.mq.edu.au/international/postgraduate/master/master-of-international-security-studies

Key benefits

- Gives you access to experts from around the world with practical experience in all levels of security
- Opportunity to undertake study in the workplace (external study mode), supervised and coordinated through web-based activities
- You may be able to complete an industry-focused internship depending on your academic performance
- Offers contemporary and rigorous academic study in security studies and intelligence analysis, as well as transnational crime, international law and political violence
- This degree can be combined with the Master of Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism

Suitable for

Anyone with an interest or with experience in the areas of international relations, security, government, risk assessment or non-government organisations.

Recognition of prior learning

Course Duration
- 1.5 year program
Bachelor degree in a relevant discipline;
Bachelor degree in any discipline and work experience in a relevant area at a senior level;*
Bachelor degree in any discipline and Graduate Diploma in a relevant discipline.

- 1 year program
Work experience in a relevant field at senior level;*
Honours, Graduate Diploma, Masters (coursework) or Higher Degree Research in a relevant discipline.

- Relevant disciplines
Natural and Physical Sciences, Information Technology, Health, Banking, Finance and Related Fields, Society and Culture, Communication and Media Studies, Accounting, Business and Management, Business Management, Human Resource Management, Organisation Management, Industrial Relations, International Business, Pubic and Health Care Administration.

- Relevant areas
*Police Force, Defence Force, Public Service.
Level of seniority: Police - Senior Sergeant equivalent or above; Defence - Major, equivalent or above; Public Service APS 5 equivalent or above.
Knowledge must be equivalent to a Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma level, to be deemed by the Department on a case by case basis of assessment.

English language requirements

IELTS of 6.5 overall with minimum 6.0 in each band, or equivalent

All applicants for undergraduate or postgraduate coursework studies at Macquarie University are required to provide evidence of proficiency in English.
For more information see English Language Requirements. http://mq.edu.au/study/international/how_to_apply/english_language_requirements/

You may satisfy the English language requirements if you have completed:
- senior secondary studies equivalent to the NSW HSC
- one year of Australian or comparable tertiary study in a country of qualification

Careers

Career Opportunities
- advisers and analysts for private security agencies
- advisers and analysts to international organisations involved in security operations
- border protection agency officials strategists
- commentators and researchers for media outlets
- researchers for intelligence agencies

- Employers
Our graduates find employment with government and non-government employers who deal with state and international security issues.

See the website http://courses.mq.edu.au/international/postgraduate/master/master-of-international-security-studies

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MLitt in International Security Studies

The ISS Pprogramme aims to provide you with a solid foundation in theoretical perspectives on and policy approaches to international security. It also seeks to develop more specialised knowledge from the detailed study of particular topics in international security, ranging from specialisations in particular geographical regions to vital contemporary issues such as terrorism, great power relations, and global governance.

International Security Studies students develop the skills required for government service in a number of capacities (including military, defence, intelligence, diplomacy, and development) and in international or regional organisations, and NGOs

Features

* There are over 40 academic members of staff in the School.

* International Relations was ranked top in the UK in Guardian University Guide 2016.

* There is a large and vibrant postgraduate community, with around 100 taught postgraduate and 80 research students in any year, which includes a large proportion of international students.

* We have an established reputation throughout the world for high-quality teaching and research.

* We have specialist areas in international security, terrorism studies, peace and conflict, international institutions, regional studies including the Middle East, Central Asia and Southern Africa, and international theory

Postgraduate community

International Relations has been taught at the University for 25 years; a department was created in 1990 which became a School in its own right in 2003. We are located at the centre of the University, occupying a purpose-built building which opened in 2008.

All International Relations modules taught on our MLitt programmes are distinctive options available only to postgraduate students. At the same time you are incorporated into the wider research life of the School, taking part in our regular research seminars and occasional series organised on specific topics.

The discipline of International Relations is both theoretical and practical. Academics teaching in the discipline are frequently called upon to apply their insights to the realities of international relations. In consequence staff members provide expert judgements in the media, give advice to legislatures or governments, or provide non-governmental organisations with briefings on specific issues or countries.

International Relations is a distinct discipline that draws on diplomatic history, political theory, political economy, political science and international law to provide theoretical perspectives to explain the processes and patterns of international affairs in the modern world. This enables you to assess developments in the international system and specific geographic regions. You will explore issues such as the origins of war and peace, foreign policy making, international trade, international terrorism, human rights, international organisations, international law, and the interaction of political and economic development. You also analyse the ways in which states relate to other international actors, and develop normative theories that relate the world as it is to the world as it might be. All of these have practical applications for you as both citizen and potential decision maker.

Careers

International Relations postgraduates may find employment as policy makers within national and EU civil services as well as political research units. Fieldwork-based jobs with aid agencies, other NGOs or journalism also present employment opportunities. With the increasing globalisation of industry, commerce and banking, the particular knowledge and awareness of the International Relations postgraduate are particularly relevant.

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MLitt in Middle East, Caucasus and Central Asian Security Studies

This is a multidisciplinary degree which offers an advanced grounding in the security of three fascinating and turbulent regions: the Middle East, Caucasus and Central Asia. It explores the security, politics, economics, history and culture of these strategically significant regions. It is aimed at professionals who have worked in or on the regions and for students with a decided interest in these themes and in this region. The course also offers an opportunity for language study in Arabic, Persian, or Russian. In most years, field trips to the region constitute a part of the programme. This degree will equip you to either continue with doctoral work or pursue a non-academic career in which you contribute to analysis, policy and planning (particularly in international diplomacy, international organisations, non-governmental organisations and consultancy work).

The MECACS Institute houses two of the School of International Relations’ largest-ever external grants, from the European Commission on ‘Post-Soviet Tensions’ and ‘Around the Caspian’, as well as the Centre for Syrian Studies. These all bring to St Andrews added international interactions with the degree’s regions. Our teaching is therefore deeply informed with “real world” experience given that we are able to bring practitioners and outsider experts regularly to the programme.

Middle East and Central Asian Security Studies postgraduates supply the need for analysts who combine analytical tools with in-depth familiarity of the culture of the geographic area of the Middle East and Central Asia/Caucasus. Recent graduates have gone on to: a leading European think tank on Caucasus and Central Asia, based in Brussels; the world’s largest regional intergovernmental security organisation, the OSCE, in Kazakhstan; various think tanks in Washington, DC; and local NGOs in Tajikistan, Central Asia.

Features

* There are over 40 academic members of staff in the School.

* International Relations was ranked top in the UK in Guardian University Guide 2016.

* There is a large and vibrant postgraduate community, with around 100 taught postgraduate and 80 research students in any year, which includes a large proportion of international students.

* We have an established reputation throughout the world for high-quality teaching and research.

* We have specialist areas in international security, terrorism studies, peace and conflict, international institutions, regional studies including the Middle East, Central Asia and Southern Africa, and international theory

Postgraduate community

International Relations has been taught at the University for 25 years; a department was created in 1990 which became a School in its own right in 2003. We are located at the centre of the University, occupying a purpose-built building which opened in 2008.

All International Relations modules taught on our MLitt programmes are distinctive options available only to postgraduate students. At the same time you are incorporated into the wider research life of the School, taking part in our regular research seminars and occasional series organised on specific topics.

The discipline of International Relations is both theoretical and practical. Academics teaching in the discipline are frequently called upon to apply their insights to the realities of international relations. In consequence staff members provide expert judgements in the media, give advice to legislatures or governments, or provide non-governmental organisations with briefings on specific issues or countries.

International Relations is a distinct discipline that draws on diplomatic history, political theory, political economy, political science and international law to provide theoretical perspectives to explain the processes and patterns of international affairs in the modern world. This enables you to assess developments in the international system and specific geographic regions. You will explore issues such as the origins of war and peace, foreign policy making, international trade, international terrorism, human rights, international organisations, international law, and the interaction of political and economic development. You also analyse the ways in which states relate to other international actors, and develop normative theories that relate the world as it is to the world as it might be. All of these have practical applications for you as both citizen and potential decision maker.

Careers

International Relations postgraduates may find employment as policy makers within national and EU civil services as well as political research units. Fieldwork-based jobs with aid agencies, other NGOs or journalism also present employment opportunities. With the increasing globalisation of industry, commerce and banking, the particular knowledge and awareness of the International Relations postgraduate are particularly relevant.

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In uncertain times, diplomatic activity plays an increasingly big role in national security. This distance learning course combines the study of international relations and professional diplomacy with insights from the security services to offer a unique multidisciplinary curriculum.

More about this course

Taught via Informa’s online learning platform, this course allows you to set your own schedule and to fit your studies around work or other commitments.

But flexible distance learning doesn’t mean missing out on high-calibre tuition. This course is taught by leading experts in each of the relevant fields, who deliver their lectures via video and audio files and tutorial discussions.

With growing links between security services and international diplomacy, this course bridges the gap between critical thinking and practical knowledge. You’ll examine the threat posed by terrorism on a local, national and international level, as well as studying economic and social inequality, the rise of new powers and the influence of the state.

At the end of the course you’ll complete a dissertation on a topic of your choosing. You’ll discuss the potential challenges and approaches to your field of interest, ethical and moral issues and the organisations involved.

To successfully complete the course you must pass each module. Assessment will comprise written coursework, with the final year culminating in a dissertation.

For further information on the PGCert portion of this course, please view this web-page: http://www.londonmet.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/diplomacy-and-security-studies-distance-learning---pg-cert/

For further information on the PGDip portion of this course, please view this web-page: http://www.londonmet.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/diplomacy-and-security-studies-distance-learning---pg-dip/

Modular structure

The MSc programme is comprised of seven modules. You can apply direct for the MSc level but also have the option to enrol at Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) and Postgraduate Certificate (PG Cert) level as well.

The PGCert level is three modules of study, the PGDip comprises the same three modules plus three others and the MSc is all six modules plus a dissertation. If you enrol at one of the lower levels you also

have the option of continuing your studies at the higher level on the same or future intakes. Further fees will apply.

The modules you'll study:
-Security Studies
-Intelligence Analysis
-Theory and Practise of Modern Diplomacy
-Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism
-International Relations in the Contemporary World
-Contemporary Issues in Crime, Safety and Security
-Diplomacy and Security Studies Dissertation

After the course

This course provides the perfect grounding for a career in the security and intelligence field or in diplomacy and international relations. You may be interested in going on to a career in counter-terrorism or homeland security, or even in law or political journalism.

Graduates will complete their studies with the skills and expertise to pursue careers at organisations such as the European Union or United Nations.

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Security is one of the fastest growing areas of concern in the academic, corporate and public domains, due not only to the threats of war and terrorism but also issues related to crime, safety, global strategy and political upheaval. This distance learning programme is delivered by Informa and will give you a solid grasp of the of problems facing the international community today.

More about this course

More than ever before, national governments, international agencies and major corporations recognise the need for personnel with a strong grasp of intelligence and security issues who can also demonstrate exceptional skills of research and analysis.

We'll not only equip you to analyse these types of issues but will also help you place them in the context of broader military, strategic and political considerations.

This distance learning course is taught in partnership with Informa via their online learning platorm. It will give you a solid academic grounding in the fields of criminology, terrorism and intelligence, which will provide you with the critical thinking skills needed to make sense of the ever-changing global security agenda. Thsi expertise will enable you engage with institutions and individuals central to this area.

To successfully complete the course you must pass each module. Assessment will incorporate coursework, online examinations, research assignments and essays. You'll be expected to participate in the virtual learning environment with tutors and fellow students.

For more information on the PGCert portion of this course, please view this web-page: http://www.londonmet.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/security-studies---pg-cert/

For more information on the PGDip portion of this course, please view this web-page: http://www.londonmet.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/security-studies---pg-dip/

Modular structure

The modules listed below are for the academic year 2016/17 and represent the course modules at this time. Modules and module details (including, but not limited to, location and time) are subject to change over time.

Year 1 modules include:
-Contemporary Issues in Crime, Safety and Security (core, 20 credits)
-Intelligence Analysis (core, 20 credits)
-International Financial Crime and Security (core, 20 credits)
-Security Studies (core, 20 credits)
-Security Studies Dissertation (core, 60 credits)
-Strategic Change in the Global Environment (core, 20 credits)
-Terrorism and Counter Terrorism (core, 20 credits)

After the course

The distance learning course will benefit anyone wishing to work for a public, private or international organisation.

Typical career destinations include education, marketing, local and public services, journalism or positions within institutions such as the European Union or the United Nations. The course is also particularly valuable if you're interested in policy issues or if you career plans involve dealing with international security affairs and you'd benefit from a solid academic grounding in the field.

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This Bologna-style two-year Master’s degree is taught entirely in English.

You can elect to take a Russian course when in Moscow, which can be a beginner's course. The course consists of the larger British-style modules taught over 20 weeks and smaller modules as taught at MGIMO. The subject area covers general topics in the area of international relations and contemporary international affairs, but allows you to specialise in subjects relating to Russia in an international context or else in more general sub-areas such as diplomacy, media or business economics. No knowledge of Russian necessary!

WHAT WILL YOU STUDY?

Modules include:
-International relations
-International security studies
-(Year 2 at MGIMO) Political process in contemporary Russia
-Foundations of Russia’s foreign policy
-Russian language module (beginner’s or advanced)

EMPLOYABILITY

Our graduates have gone into many walks of life, from UK Ambassador, military officer, members of the SAS or intelligence analyst, to banker, political analyst, university lecturer, staff college lecturer, journalist, official in an international organisation, or policeman. Others have gone into industry, teaching, local government administration, work for charitable foundations or parliament. Our courses give both a deep understanding of the specific subject matter and a range of transferable skills that can be utilised in a wide variety of future careers.

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About the course:
-For those with an interest in international relations and contemporary issues of international security
-Designed to enhance research skills in the area of security studies
-Preparation for a PhD, or for a research career in think tanks, government departments or non-governmental organisations
-Flexible programme to suit your particular research interests
-Specialist research dissertation

WHAT WILL YOU STUDY?

Sample modules:
-International relations theory (core module)
-Contemporary diplomacy
-Terrorism in a globalising world
-Introduction to qualitative research methods in politics and international relations
-Dissertation

Please note that all modules are subject to change.

EMPLOYABILITY

We provide lots of opportunities for you to develop transferable skills for your future career. Our graduates move on to a wide range of roles, including UK ambassadors, military officers, members of the SAS or intelligence analysts, bankers, political analysts, university lecturers, staff college lecturers, journalists, officials in international organisations or police officers.

Others have gone into industry, teaching, local government administration, charitable foundations or Parliament.

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