King's College London

I chose to undertake an MA in Contemporary War mid-career to supplement my work as a foreign correspondent. The course was incredibly stimulating and I found the practical applications of International Relations (IR) theory really engaging and relevant. I particularly enjoyed international humanitarian law, insurgency and counter insurgency, intelligence and some of the modules which focused on emerging technology and conflict, as these were most relevant to my work.

I am now using the MA as I take a slight gear change in my career, working as a consult on international policy issues affecting Africa amongst other regions and trying to communicate them in an accessible, practical and accurate way. I feel strongly that the MA has enhanced my analytical skills as well as my writing and has opened many doors to other institutions, such as the Harvard Kennedy School of Governance and the Wilson Center in Washington DC.

The MA exposes students to some of the most brilliant minds in the field of IR and conflict studies, and the Department of War Studies is acknowledged world-wide as a centre of excellence. I had the benefit of practical field experience before I embarked on the course, but the MA has provided the context and the intellectual underpinning to understand better the stories behind the news.