Conflict, Security and Development explores the conceptual, historical and policy issues surrounding security and development and how these manifest themselves in the wider context of contemporary warfare and international security.
Key benefits
Development and security are inextricably linked, yet all too often both academics and policy-makers address them separately. The MA in Conflict, Security, and Development is a unique globally-recognized programme that brings together these interrelated areas of study, acknowledging that conflict, insecurity, and underdevelopment interact in dynamic ways and that a full understanding of them requires a holistic approach. The programme exposes students to a variety of complex transnational issues, taking a multidisciplinary approach to some of the key questions facing policy-makers and scholars today. It is designed to enhance students’ analytical, research, and critical thinking skills, to provide them with detailed practical knowledge of conflict, security, and development around the world, and to prepare them to become leaders in the public and private sectors, government, and academia.
Course detail
- Description -
Security and development studies have remained largely unaffected by other's perspectives and priorities, and the sense that each area of study stems from a different set of assumptions and embraced a distinctive agenda has also been mirrored in the world of policymaking. This began to change in the 1990s when the importance of considering questions of security and development in their mutual interaction became increasingly recognised by practitioners and scholars alike. Our programme reflects this important trend and provides a unique course of study drawing upon the insights offered by a range of different disciplines, including international relations, history, development studies and anthropology.
This programme is designed to have broad-ranging appeal to those interested in pursuing graduate studies in security, conflict studies and development. You may find this programme to be of particular interest if you are a graduate in politics, history, international relations, economics and strategic studies; if you have practical experience in development and wish to reflect on the wider issues and implications of your experience; if you have worked with international organisations, including the UN and its specialised agencies or with NGOs in zones of conflict, and wish to reflect on your experience; or if you are a professional in development, defence, diplomacy and foreign affairs.
- Course purpose -
This programme is designed to provide students with an advanced and comprehensive understanding of the complex linkages between issues of security and development in contemporary international relations. The programme encourages you to explore the conceptual, historical and policy issues surrounding security and development and how these manifest themselves in the wider context of contemporary warfare and international security. Our programme’s core course introduces you to the major debates in the fields of security and international relations, regarding the interaction between processes of political and economic development, conflict, and violent social change.
- Course format and assessment -
Most 20-credit modules will be assessed by one 4,000-word essay or two 2,000-word essays. However, some 20-credit modules will be assessed on class participation and attendance, oral vivas or exams, or a combination of these.
Most 40-credit modules are assessed through a combination of essays (3,000-6,000 words), class participation and attendance, oral vivas and exams.
The dissertation module assessment will be on the research proposal (10%) and the dissertation (up to 15,000 words) (90%) for some programmes or solely on the dissertation for others.
Career prospects
Students on our MA programmes have gone on to build careers in further academic research, NGOs, civil service, NATO, UN, media and publishing, finance and investment, teaching, and the armed forces. For more information about career prospects and graduate destinations see:
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/sspp/departments/warstudies/employability.aspx How to apply:
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/apply/taught-courses.aspx To study for a postgraduate degree at
King’s College London is to study at the city’s most central university and at one of the top 20 universities worldwide (2015/16 QS World Rankings). Graduates will benefit from close connections with the UK’s professional, political, legal, commercial, scientific and cultural life, while the excellent reputation of our MA and MRes programmes ensures our postgraduate alumni are highly sought after by some of the world’s most prestigious employers. We provide graduates with skills that are highly valued in business, government, academia and the professions.
Scholarships & Funding:
All current PGT offer-holders and new PGT applicants are welcome to apply for the scholarships. For more information and to learn how to apply visit:
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/pg/funding/sources Free language tuition with the Modern Language Centre:
If you are studying for any postgraduate taught degree at King’s you can take a module from a choice of over 25 languages without any additional cost. Visit:
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/mlc
