MA in International Security and Strategy
During their year at the Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS), course members can take the opportunity to study for an MA in International Security and Strategy under King's College London. The existing RCDS lecture, seminar and dissertation programme forms the main basis for accreditation, and this is supplemented by 13 afternoons of extra seminars, spread throughout the RCDS year, led by visiting King's College London academics.
Seminars
These seminars consolidate and deepen the studies being undertaken during the main RCDS course. In Term 1 these focus on the changing nature of the security landscape and in Terms 2 and 3 the focus is on strategy and the problems associated with the use of force in the international system:
Term 1
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The role of international relations theory in understanding the international system
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Exploring the concept of security in international relations today
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WMD Proliferation today
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International Terrorism
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Competition of resources
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Failed States
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Climate change as a security issue
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Pandemics as a security issue
Terms 2 and 3
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Classical Strategic Thought
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Grand Strategy
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Constraints on Strategy and Grand Strategy
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Civil Military Relations
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Just War
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Humanitarian War
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Deterrence
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Coercion
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The problem of victory
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Asymmetric Strategy
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Grand Strategy of major powers
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Grand Strategy of medium sized powers
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Grand Strategy of small powers
Assessment
The programme involves significantly more assessed work, in addition to the standard dissertation: three essays spaced throughout the year (one 4,000 word essay in Term 2 and two 6,000 word essays in Term 3) and one 3-hour examination (3 1-hour essays) in April. Questions along the lines of the following could be posed:
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Does the doctrine of sovereignty still retain utility in an era of globalisation?
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Is the UN more or less potent today than it was a decade ago?
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The key problem of the EU is the 'democratic deficit' in its institutions of governance - discuss.
The MA Programme has been running since 2001 and there is an average uptake of 35%
Please note that the MA in International Security and Strategy is only available to Royal College of Defence Studies course members.