Our Intelligence & International Security MA examines the trends that continue to shape intelligence and international security developments in the 21st century. Intelligence plays a crucial role in managing the key national and international security threats that societies and individuals face, ranging from the threat of domestic and transnational terrorism, to digital espionage and attacks, to pandemics, to renewed inter-state, and great power rivalries. Understanding intelligence is also crucial if we are to understand the balance of power between the citizen and the state, particularly given the potential of digital surveillance. This MA programme offers students the opportunity to immerse themselves in the nature and mechanics of intelligence, from a global perspective. It delves into the practical matters that concern intelligence officers and organisations as they go about their business, and the challenges national governments face in utilising intelligence and in managing their intelligence machineries. Students will also consider the ethical issues that concern all aspects of intelligence operations.

Key benefits

• Gain an in-depth understanding of the nature of intelligence, intelligence processes, case studies of systems, success, and failure, and examine how intelligence has and continued to impact on national and international security.
• Develop core transferable skills, including the study of effective intelligence analysis, as well as communication, evaluation and analytical skills, interpersonal cooperation and writing opportunities, bias identification, and critical reading and thinking.
• Explore a wide variety of perspectives on the practice and study of intelligence through a diverse range of teaching approaches, including lectures, workshops, games and exercises.
• The Department hosts one of the largest groups of academics focused on intelligence and security anywhere in the world. You will be taught by world-leading experts in their fields who not only engage in academic work and research, but also undertake a wide variety of advisory roles to national governments and non-governmental organisations.
• Supplementing the academic programme are lectures and masterclasses given by our Visiting Professors, senior practitioners and leaders in the field, who share with students their unique experiences and perspectives on intelligence and its role in statecraft.
• You have the advantage of attending a variety of events run by the King's Centre for the Study of Intelligence (KCSI) which provide a platform and hub for bringing intelligence scholars together to share ideas.
• This MA is excellent preparation for employment in government service or in commercial risk management and open-source intelligence providers.
• Students from this course have gone on to work in a very wide variety of roles, with an international scope. Many of our alumni have entered government, NATO or the EU, others have entered the armed forces, gone on to work as investigative journalists, think tank researchers, UN officials, and security consultants for international NGOs. Many of them return to join us on the course to offer current students an insight into their career paths.

“Studying for my MA in the War Studies Department at King’s College London, proved to be both challenging and rewarding, with professors and the university providing tailored teaching for every student.”

Lulia, AlumniShow more

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