Strand Campus
Strand Campus sits along the Thames at London's cultural heart. Alongside world-class teaching spaces, students enjoy access to the pedestrianised Strand Quad, with Somerset House and iconic landmarks just steps away.
Overview
The National Security Studies MA enables participants to develop an in-depth understanding of national security, both in the UK and from an international perspective. The course focuses on cross-governmental responses to security challenges and is structured around key themes such as strategy, counter-terrorism, and ethics in national security.
This course brings postgraduate students with an interest in national security policy together to study alongside current serving security policy practitioners in the public and private sectors.
The compulsory module adopts a staged, thematic approach, examining structures, policy areas and practices, tools and capabilities, and practical applications through case studies. Throughout there is an emphasis on the development of practical and transferable skills, including critical thinking, systematic approaches, policy analysis, and a greater understanding of international approaches and systems.
Altogether, the programme informs students about key national security themes, enabling them to critically analyse current and future developments in the field. Delivered by a team of academic experts with a background in security policy research and practice, it complements teaching with a series of guest presentations from former government officials and leading national security experts. The course is adapted each year to incorporate current issues and events, but past cohorts have heard from former National Security Advisers, Intelligence Co-ordinators, senior defence officials, and more.
Please note: The compulsory module is also available to external candidates as a 45-credit master’s level short course. Designed with the objectives of the UK government’s proposed College for National Security in mind, the course will bring together security policy practitioners, representatives from the private sector and policy-interested postgraduate students to consider issues around National Security. For further information please visit the King’s short course pages.
Key benefits
- Development of strategic analysis and policy development skills. The course culminates in the King’s National Security Briefing, where participants present their policy proposal ideas to a panel of national security experts.
- Development of in-depth, critical and comparative analysis of national security issues and approaches, and familiarisation with the latest research in the discipline.
- Development of high-level oral presentation and effective writing skills, through a programme of formative exercises and summative assessments throughout the course.
- Development of transferable skills, including the ability to translate complex evidence into practical, policy-oriented analysis of national security coordination and strategy.
- The Department offers a varied list of interdisciplinary optional modules (approx. 35-45) that are open to students on all residential MA programmes. This provides an opportunity to focus or broaden your MA studies as you wish. (Please note that due to the large number of optional modules we offer, the spaces on any particular module are limited). See ‘Teaching & Modules’ tab for more information.
- Students benefit from the unique central London location, enabling them to participate in a wide range of national security-related activities and events within and beyond King's, and to build their professional networks in the field.
- A chance to network and connect with visiting academics, government ministers, diplomats and other experts in the field of national security.
- You will be based in a multidisciplinary department devoted to the study of all aspects of conflict, security and international politics, given you the opportunity to engage with and learn from some of the very best academics in the field.
Administrative bodies
Regulating body
Application closing date guidance
Base campus