MA in International Conflict Studies

Our MA in International Conflict Studies provides you with a critical, in-depth and nuanced understanding of international conflict and security. It aims to combine theory and practice, providing advanced engagement with the theoretical aspects of the subject as well as training in the investigation and analysis of specific cases of conflict, violence and security. It enables you to engage critically in developing an understanding of the origins, dynamics and governance of international and transnational conflict and political violence.

Key benefits

• Our department has an excellent reputation as a graduate training institution and is recognised by the British Academy, the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the Economic and Social Research Council as a training institution for research in international conflict and security
• The course is run by leading scholars in International Relations, specialising in critical conflict and security studies
• This unique Master's course provides you with the intellectual tools and research skills necessary for career advancement. These include a capacity for advanced critical engagement with research in international conflict and security studies, the ability to analyse complex socio-political contexts of conflict and security, and a knowledge of qualitative research methodologies
• You will gain analytical research experience and the capacity to conduct your research, working individually and as part of a team
• Assignments are designed to strengthen your written, oral, and visual presentation and debating skills
• You have access to visiting lectures and seminars provided by academics and practitioners in the fields of security, migration, human rights, humanitarian law, diplomacy, and surveillance practices, to name but a few
• Our unrivalled location in the heart of London beside the River Thames brings outstanding advantages and excellent academic, social and cultural opportunities. We are close to the seat of government, the City of London, the Imperial War Museum, the National Maritime Museum, the Royal Courts of Justice and the Inns of Court
• Our graduates succeed in a broad range of sectors, including international organisations such as the UN, or NATO, government, policy think tanks, journalism, academia, transnational corporations, or non-governmental organisations, such as Amnesty International

Course essentials

You will begin this International Conflict Studies MA with the core module on the theories and methods of global governance of conflict and security. It is a research-led module that is taught by academics who are actively researching in this field and will give you a foundational understanding of this topic.

You will consider conflict with a broad, international focus. For example, you will look at the politics of identity and how it relates to the emergence of violent conflict, and how security influences human rights and migration policies. You will also learn about the relationship between language and violent conflict, the ethical and political implications of different approaches to studying this topic, and how differences in race, culture and gender intersect with conflict, violence and security.

You can hone your expertise when you select your optional modules. For example, you could study war and insurgency in the Middle East since 1945 or the international politics of the region, or choose to learn about propaganda or power-sharing agreements in deeply divided societies.

You will then write a dissertation on the topic of your choice. This will enable you to deepen your analytical and research skills and also to develop your expertise in your chosen domain.

Throughout your studies, you will be approaching the topic of conflict and security from a diversity of perspectives. This could be applying lenses such as feminism, racism, materialism, globalisation, post-colonialism and more, to shine a light on conflict and understand it from different contexts. This will help you to gain a deeper understanding of how different communities are impacted by conflict and the innovative ways to deal with it.

During this International Conflict Studies MA, you will be based in the Department of War Studies. It is one of the only multidisciplinary academic departments in the world to focus solely on the complexities of conflict and security.

This means that all War Studies students benefit from research-led teaching in such subjects as the history and evolution of war and grand strategy, arms control and non-proliferation, migration, strategic thought, cyber, conflict and the environment, the influence of science and technology on international security, along with regional specialisms covering Africa, Asia (East and South), Russia and elsewhere.

This degree can be taken as part of a joint arrangement with our partner institution, Sciences Po that offers a graduate programme in International Affairs. Please see the Teaching & Structure tab above for more information.

Duration: One year full-time, September to September, two years part-time