PMINTSCS - MA International Security Studies

Taught entirely online by leading experts in the field, this unique course will give you a detailed understanding of the complex security issues the world faces in the 21st Century. The subjects you will explore include the security challenges posed by climate change, the impact of Covid-19 and the threat of future pandemics, security in a digital age, transnational crime, terrorism, conflict resolution, religion, poverty, gender, migration, human rights and citizenship.

Throughout there will be an emphasis on practitioner experience and consideration of possible solutions to the most fundamental security issues the world faces.

Inclusiveness is at the centre of this course, both in terms of delivery and in the content matter. The modules and delivery frameworks we use are designed to support our students in their learning and seek to reflect the extraordinary diversity of our students’ lives and experiences. Through the innovative use of assessments and methods used in the classroom, combined with the support from the teaching staff, students are encouraged to become confident, creative and resilient learners. Learning outcomes are consistent with those expected on other Masters courses offered by Politics and International Relations.

The range of topics available allows students to tailor the course to suit their own needs and particular research. For example, to be awarded the Masters, you will produce a specialised research dissertation in consultation with an expert supervisor. You can also be awarded a PG Diploma which does not require the dissertation.

This innovative Masters allows students around the world to take advantage of the opportunities online learning allows, bringing education to those who are constrained both geographically and in terms of time. Online learning provides openness and flexibility to a large group of students globally and the availability of new IT based interactive platforms allows us to harness the potential benefits.

Throughout your studies will be supported by committed staff who will work with you to ensure that you have an in-depth understanding of the key issues and debates that will equip you for a career in a broad range of areas, including policy-making, diplomacy, and future research, in international and local organisations, multinational corporations and governmental departments.

Students are seen very much as partners on this course, co-creating a living curriculum, and working with staff to develop and demonstrate the essential academic skills and knowledge sought by employers and higher education institutions (for further postgraduate study).

This course has at its heart London Metropolitan University’s commitment to social justice and change, using the power of education to transform lives.

The course is designed to give students an array of skills which provide a solid foundation in core security issues. Wherever one is located in the world, Security related issues dominate the international, regional and state agendas today. Whether policy makers or academics seek security for the state or for marginalised groups, or recommend the individual as the key recipient of security, one thing is certain; there has to be a place where we can discuss and design solutions to the myriad non-military and military problems that face us as humans. Terrorism, clashes between different religions, the existence of a large number of weak states, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, climate change, mass rapes as a tool for ethnic cleansing during times of conflict, domestic violence, natural disasters and slavery all diminish the security of individuals, states and communities.

International Security Studies will not only equip students to analyse these types of problems but will also help them to grasp the important inter-disciplinary links with international relations. These skills will open up countless career opportunities and enable graduates to engage with institutions and individuals central to this area.

On successful completion of this course students will be able to:

1. Advance and demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of International Security concerns, and to develop new skills to a high level
2. Apply established methods and techniques of tackling the issues raised by International Security Studies to their own research
3. Apply knowledge with originality, based on a practical understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge in the field of International Security Studies
4. Evaluate critically current research and advanced scholarship in International Security Studies
5. Evaluate methodologies and develop critiques of them and, where appropriate, to propose new hypotheses
6. Exercise self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, and act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks at a professional or equivalent level
7. Deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively, making sound judgements, and communicating their conclusions clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences
8. Demonstrate confidence, resilience, ambition and creativity and will act as inclusive, collaborative and socially responsible practitioners/professionals in their discipline.
9. Exercise initiative and personal responsibility, including decision-making in complex and unpredictable situations, and to learn independently for the purposes of continuing professional development

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Students are assessed by a mix of methods, including essays, unseen examinations, presentations, a research design project, a regional report and a 12,000 word dissertation. Different modules have different mixes. A diversity of assessment is regarded as intrinsically desirable, testing and developing different skills and abilities, including research, analytical, communication, practical, team-work and employability-related skills. Many components – e.g. case studies and the dissertation – give students a large degree of flexibility in designing and researching their own projects, choosing their own topics and utilising methods and approaches of their own devising.

Formative Assessment Opportunities are also available throughout the programme as all staff are available to provide feedback on written drafts and engage with students during seminars and office hours thereby directly supporting students in enhancing the quality of their summative assessments and making them aware of how academic judgements are made.

In the case of the Dissertation, students are allocated with a supervisor early during the programme who engages with individual students throughout the research and writing phases. Full-time students who start in September will normally complete the dissertation in one calendar year. Full-time February students will normally complete it in three semesters across two academic years.

Students are provided with timely feedback on their assessments in line with University guidelines. This ensures that they remain well informed of their ongoing progress and forthcoming responsibilities. Students are encouraged to discuss the feedback with their tutors to build on the constructive and developmental content of the comments they have received, enabling feedback to feed-forward into future assessments and to encourage personal skills and knowledge development.

In addition, extra classes are arranged for all students to further their understanding of the skills necessary to ensure good academic practice. Library sessions detailing university research and database resources provide relevant and current information on research facilities within the university and elsewhere in London. Dedicated dissertation classes build on this information and also provide students with vital information on conducting research and writing lengthy academic papers.

Further advice on good academic practice and discussions on relevant subject-specific literature are carried out by staff within the virtual classroom. Documents pertaining to good academic practice such as avoiding plagiarism are disseminated to all students and available on WebLearn sites.

Combined, these approaches ensure that assessment and feedback practices are informed by reflection, consideration of professional practice, and subject-specific and educational scholarship.

All students are required to submit assignments via relevant WebLearn sites through Turnitin. These are marked and made available to second markers and external examiners in all cases and all students are informed of these procedures through module discussions as well as during induction undertaken by the Course Leader.

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Part-time students take two modules per semester during the first year of study and one per semester and the dissertation in the second year.

For a Masters award students will need to pass 180 credits. This will comprise 120 credits gained from the six taught modules (i.e. two core 20 credit modules plus four optional modules chosen by the student) and 60 credits from passing the dissertation.

For the PG Diploma, students must pass 120 credits. This will include both 20 credit core modules plus four other 20 credit options.

For a PG Certificate, the students must pass 60 credits. This will include at least one core 20 credit module plus two 20 credit options.

The course is designed to enable students to adopt a critical approach to knowledge and understanding whereby ideas are examined in a reflective manner, seeking to promote linkages between the various modules; for example, in relating theory to practice, and encouraging interdisciplinarity across subject areas.

Throughout the emphasis will be on empowering students to make critical decisions, focused on reflective practices, to seek practical solutions to the problems examined by Security Studies.

Reflective learning will be encouraged both in online activities and assessment. For example, presentations and simulations will involve in-class feedback and reflection, while feedback on written assessments and follow-up feedback from module leaders will facilitate reflective learning both in and outside the classroom.

Students will be encouraged to engage positively with all feedback opportunities, and to reflect and learn from these, resulting in the development of further learning strategies. With the strong practical orientation of the course, students will also be encouraged to reflect upon and develop their personal skills in wider social, cultural and employability senses.

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This degree is relevant to a large number of careers dealing with security in local and national structures and processes, as well as international ones. The degree will be of particular benefit to anyone wishing to work for a public, private or international organization.

In terms of employability, this degree could not be more timely. As a recent British Academy report noted:

‘Much of the debate around future skills has focused on the needs of the workforce and ensuring that the UK economy is well equipped. But the challenges of the future are not confined to the workplace. There are a growing number of organisations dedicated to identifying, unpicking and planning for the challenges facing humanity in the future. Although there is not complete consensus on what these are, there are several common themes: climate change and resource scarcity, pandemics and global health, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, international terrorism and new methods of warfare.’ (Qualified for the Future Quantifying demand for Arts, Humanities and Social Science skills, The British Academy, May 2020, Qualified-for-the-Future-Quantifying-demand-for-arts-humanities-social-science-skills.pdf)

Thus, there are a variety of typical career destinations, such as routes into the security services, diplomacy and conflict resolution. Other important possibilities could include positions that offer experience in international development, internationally-focused non-governmental organisations (NGOs), as well as multilateral donor organisations, partners in non-profit and private sectors, and institutions such as the European Union or a range of organisations within the United Nations.

The degree will also provide a basis for those who wish to pursue careers in local and public service roles such as the police, intelligence or armed forces as well as in the civil services of most states. Such careers are widespread globally.

Examples of potential employers include: The Centre for the Study of Existential Risk, Global Challenges Foundation, UN Sustainable Development Goals, UK Government Industrial Strategy Grand Challenges, Ministry of Defence Global Strategic Trends, EU Global Trends 2030, Policy Horizons Canada, Global Catastrophic Risk Institute. All offer potential career pathways for students who study this degree. (ibid). In addition to these, private security agencies and companies such as Triple Canopy, Academi, ICTS Europe and many others have proliferated considerably in recent decades.

Finally, the degree will also be very useful for those pursuing further education, such as a PhD, as well as for those who wish to write about state, regional or global security concerns – such as journalists or advisors / consultants on international and security issues.

On successful completion of this course, you could go into a range of roles within government, internationally-focused non-governmental organisations (NGOs), not-for-profit and private sectors as well as institutions such as the European Union, NATO or the United Nations.

Some example roles include political risk analysts, civil service roles, intelligence analysts, public service roles, a career within law enforcement, the armed forces and a number of private security and military companies. You could also choose to continue into a research role or further education such as a PhD.

You will be required to have:

• a second class degree (2:2) from a UK university or international equivalent.

All applicants must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the English language and hold a relevant qualification such as an Academic IELTS with a 6.0 overall and a 5.5 minimum in all bands. For more information about English qualifications please see our English language requirements.