Course features

Warfare remains a defining feature of international politics, requiring today’s strategists and policymakers to engage with its evolving nature. This course explores the key concepts, debates, and characteristics of modern conventional warfare by examining how conflict plays out in five core domains: land, sea, air, space, and cyber.

With expert instruction from Dr Christopher Tuck and Dr Stuart Griffin, you’ll learn how each domain brings unique strategic challenges and opportunities. Whether assessing the utility of land forces, exploring the complexity of naval power, or understanding the emerging dynamics of cyber and space warfare, you’ll develop the ability to evaluate how these arenas interact to shape modern military operations.

Through critical analysis, contemporary case studies, and interactive content, you’ll strengthen your ability to assess the relevance of military power in a complex international environment — building practical insight into the nature and future of conflict.

Course format

This course is delivered through the edX learning platform and is designed to be completed in approximately 5 hours.

What you'll learn

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

• Understand key concepts in contemporary warfare across all major domains

• Critically assess the strategic use of military force in each domain

• Analyse real-world debates about modern defence and conflict

• Evaluate how the domains interact and influence policy

• Gain insight into emerging trends in space and cyber warfare

Curriculum

Unit 1: The Land Domain

Examine land warfare concepts, tools of policy, and evolving debates.

Unit 2: Maritime Warfare

Explore maritime strategy, capabilities, and its political implications.

Unit 3: Air Warfare

Assess air power’s strategic use, relevance, and operational challenges.

Unit 4: Space Warfare

Understand space power as an emerging domain of military competition.

Unit 5: Cyber Warfare

Investigate cyber threats and the role of digital power in modern conflict.

Entry Requirements

No formal requirements. English proficiency recommended (IELTS Level 6).

Further information

King’s College London has partnered with the online education platform edX to deliver self-paced short courses to learners worldwide. Anyone can audit the course materials for free, excluding graded assessments, for a limited time.

For full access to the course, including graded assessments, and to obtain a verified certificate upon successful completion, the USD fee is $249.

The GBP course fee displayed on this page is for illustrative purposes only and subject to change in line with current exchange rates.

Payment for verified access to the course is made directly via edX. Please see edX Terms of Service for further information.