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Postgraduate degree

National Security Studies MA

Please note the course details apply to 2025 entry. Details for 2026 entry for our postgraduate courses will be published from mid-October 2025.

Key information

Study mode:
Full time
Part time
Duration:
One year full-time, September to September, two years part-time
Credit value (UK/ECTS equivalent):
UK 180 / ECTS 90
Application status:
Open
Start date:
September 2025
Apply

Our unique 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 together current serving security policy practitioners in the public and private sectors, studying alongside our postgraduate students with an interest in policy. All participants will gain an in-depth understanding of national security issues and security approaches in the international context. The course will educate students in 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 lectures from former ministers, MPs and leading national security experts from the UK and overseas. In the past, guest speakers have included former Security and Intelligence Coordinator Professor Sir David Omand, former National Security Adviser Professor Lord Peter Ricketts, former Ambassador to the UN and National Security Adviser Professor Sir Mark Lyall Grant, and former Deputy Head of the US State Department’s Policy Planning Staff Professor Kori Schake.

Key benefits

  • Development of strategic analysis and policy development. The course culminates in the King's National Security Briefing, where participants present their policy proposal ideas to an elite panel of national security experts.
  • Development of in-depth, critical and comparative analysis of national security, and familiarisation with the latest research in the discipline.
  • High level oral presentation and effective writing skills, developed through a programme of formative and summative exercises throughout the course.
  • Transferable skills such as the development of practical, policy-oriented insights into national security coordination and strategy.
  • 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.

To provide the basis for understanding the contemporary practice of national security strategy in many countries, the programme’s core module adopts a staged, thematic approach by addressing issues of structure, processes, tools, and application (case studies). First, students are provided with an introduction to the historical, conceptual and practical dimensions of the developing a comprehensive ‘national security approach’. Students become acquainted with the structures of national security by studying aspects of the national security architecture ranging from National Security Councils to strategic reviews, such as the recent UK Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy. Participants will learn about why and how international governments must coordinate their national security activities even more coherently and effectively to better deliver cross-government and whole-of-system government outcomes, to address an ever-growing range of security threats domestically and internationally. Although the UK is the primary case study of the ‘national security architecture’ classes, the lessons derived are applied to diverse international case studies during the interactive seminars. Second, students learn about various processes of national security, including defence strategy, counterterrorism, risk management, intelligence and oversight. Participants examine the effectiveness of these processes in different national contexts: how successful have the security agencies of national governments been in tackling terrorism? What are the factors that undermine the relationship between intelligence assessment and policy? Is the UK’s National Risk Register (NRR) fit for purpose? Participants are empowered to think through these critical puzzles in the pursuit of national security. Third, students are introduced to a range of tools of national security, examining instruments such as sanctions, energy security, critical infrastructure, science and technology, and the role of the private sector. Participants develop a practical understanding of the challenges and opportunities for the instrumentalisation of national security, including whether there are any functions or sub-sectors of national security strategy that are so sensitive that they should never be conducted by the private sector, assessing the impact of unilateral sanctions on target states, evaluating the effectiveness of nuclear deterrence, and appraising the extent to which foreign investment in critical national infrastructure constitutes a national security issue. Finally, whilst an international and comparative approach is imbued across the programme, the final weeks of the course focus on an in-depth application of the themes studied on the course to case studies of different sizes, constitutions and political systems, including examples such as the U.S., China, Russia, India, and Finland. Participants learn to apply their knowledge to case studies. This comparative approach develops a more holistic understanding of how different states - with differing resources, public administration and economic systems - might safeguard their autonomy, build resilience and project influence. 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 ministers and officials, MPs, and leading national security experts from around the world. The course will be adapted to incorporate current issues and events, but past cohorts have heard from former National Security Advisers, Intelligence Co-ordinators, senior defence officials, and more. Speakers on the course have included Professor Kori Schake, (former Deputy Head of the US State Department’s Policy Planning Staff and Director for Defense Strategy and Requirements in the National Security Council), Lord Peter Ricketts, GCMG, GCVO (formerly the first UK National Security Advisor), and Sir David Omand (formerly the first UK Security and Intelligence Coordinator and Director of the Government Communications Headquarters). Another key focus of the programme is to develop practical and transferable skills, including critical thinking, systematic approaches, policy analysis, and a greater understanding of international approaches and systems. Participants have gone on to work for NGOs, the FCO, the MOD, the Home Office, NATO, the UN or pursue careers in journalism, finance, academia, the diplomatic services, the armed forces and more. Recent posts held by our alumni include Threat Analyst, Director of Political Violence Forecasting, Research Advisor at NATO Defence College, and Research Analyst in the civil service. Classes are taught via a combination of weekly lectures and seminars. Lectures provide students with a concise and accessible introduction to the material covered in the module, as well as the opportunity to interact with the academic teaching staff and guest lecturers. Seminars provide students with opportunities to explore selected topics in more depth, in smaller groups, and under the guidance of a seminar lead. Several seminars will be used to pursue Problem-Based Learning scenarios, in which students collaborate in small syndicate groups to prepare a presentation for their wider seminar groups on subjects such as Intelligence and Oversight in different countries, and contemporary debates on American foreign policy. The first term culminates in a counter-terrorism simulation, led by a Visiting Professor from the National Security community, whilst the second term culminates in The King’s National Security Briefing – oral policy presentations in which each student pitches an idea to address a national security problem to a panel of distinguished policy practitioners. In previous years, these panels have included experts such as Sir Laurie Bristow KCMG (UK Ambassador to Afghanistan), Shashank Joshi (the Economist's defence editor), and Dr Camino Kavanagh (a member of the UN advisory support team to the Chairs of two UN negotiating processes relating to cyber/ICT and international security). Over the course of twenty weeks, participants will hear a range of perspectives on the strategic and operational aspects of national security and decision-making. In so doing, the MA programme in National Security Studies enables participants to understand and engage in contemporary debates about what constitutes an effective national security strategy and how it can be delivered. This course is also available to external candidates as a 30-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. 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.

Base campuses

The Quad - Strand campus
Strand Campus

Located on the north bank of the River Thames, the Strand Campus houses King's College London's arts and sciences faculties.

Waterloo campus exterior at night.
Waterloo Campus

Waterloo campus is home of the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery and facilities for other faculties

Please note that locations are determined by where each module is taught and may vary depending on the modules you study.

Regulating bodies

King's is regulated by the Office for Students

UK applicants

Standard requirements

A minimum 2:1 undergraduate Bachelor’s (honours) degree

If you have a lower degree classification, or a degree in an unrelated subject, your application may be considered if you can demonstrate significant relevant work experience, or offer a related graduate qualification (such as a Masters or PGDip).

Programme-Specific Requirements

Undergraduate degree with 2:1 honours (i.e. overall average of at least 60% across all years of study) in International Relations, War Studies, History, Political Science, Strategic Studies, Criminology, Economics, Geography, History, Law, Philosophy, Psychiatry, Psychology, Religious Studies, Social Anthropology, Sociology, Theology. Applications from students with first degree in other areas, including science, language, and journalism, are also welcome. Candidates who do not achieve a 2:1 or hold a first degree but have relevant professional or voluntary experience will also be considered.

In order to meet the academic entry requirements for this programme you should have a minimum 2:1 undergraduate degree with a final mark of at least 60% or above in the UK marking scheme. If you are still studying you should be achieving an average of at least 60% or above in the UK marking scheme.

International applicants

Equivalent International qualifications

English language requirements

English language band:
B

To study at King's, it is essential that you can communicate in English effectively in an academic environment. You are usually required to provide certification of your competence in English before starting your studies.

Nationals of majority English speaking countries (as defined by the UKVI) who have permanently resided in this country are not usually required to complete an additional English language test. This is also the case for applicants who have successfully completed an undergraduate degree (of at least three years duration), a postgraduate taught degree (of at least one year), or a PhD in a majority English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI) within five years of the course start date.

For information on our English language requirements and whether you need to complete an English language test, please see our English Language requirements page.

Selection process

Applications must be made online using King’s online application portal apply.kcl.ac.uk and a non-refundable application fee of £85 applies.

All applications are assessed by a committee of academic tutors. This process takes on average eight weeks.

Personal statement and supporting information

You will be asked to submit the following documents in order for your application to be considered:

Personal Statement Yes A personal statement is required. This can be entered directly into the online application form (maximum 4,000 characters) or uploaded as an attachment to the online application form (maximum 2 pages). Please explain why you are interested in this particular programme and outline any relevant experience you have. If there are any anomalies in your academic record, please use the personal statement to explain related extenuating circumstances.
Previous Academic Study Yes A copy (or copies) of your official academic transcript(s), showing the subjects studied and marks obtained. If you have already completed your degree, copies of your official degree certificate will also be required. Applicants with academic documents issued in a language other than English, will need to submit both the original and official translation of their documents.
References Yes One academic reference is required. A professional reference will be accepted if you have completed your qualifications over five years ago. In some cases, we may request an additional reference from you.
Other Optional Applicants may wish to include a CV (Resume) or evidence of professional registration as part of their application

Teaching methods - what to expect

Check out further information about our War Studies courses including our teaching team, exclusive videos and more on our hub page.

We will use a delivery method that will ensure students have a rich, exciting experience from the start. Face to face teaching will be complemented and supported with innovative technology so that students also experience elements of digital learning and assessment.

The following table will give you an idea of what a typical academic workload might look like as you progress through your studies:

Module Lectures, seminars and feedback Self-study

Per 15-credit module

20 hours of teaching. Typically, 2 hours per week over one 10-week term. This can be split into lectures and seminars. A 30-credit module will be double this.

         

130 hours

Dissertation module (60 credits)

Up to 12 hours of online guidance, training workshops and personal supervision.

588 hours

Typically, one credit equates to 10 hours work.

Location

This course is primarily taught at the King’s College London Strand and Waterloo Campuses.

Please note that locations are determined by where each module is taught and may vary depending on the optional modules you select.

This programme can be taken as part of the partnership between Kings College London and Sciences PO that allows participating students to study for two years, with a year in both Paris and London. On completion of the programme, graduates receive a master's degree from the Paris School of International Affairs of Sciences Po (PSIA), and a master's degree from King's College London. Spanning a wide range of disciplines, this selective programme allows students to customise their training at both universities, and to benefit from the numerous opportunities, networks and services offered on both sides of the Channel.

For further information about the programme, including eligibility criteria and details of how to apply, please visit the Paris School of International Affairs’ website.

Assessment

  • Essays
  • Individual & Group Presentations
  • Exercises
  • Seminar participation
  • Exams
  • Dissertation

The primary methods of assessment for this course are an assessed essay, the oral policy briefing, and formative group presentations.

The dissertation module assessment will be based on a 100% dissertation assignment where students have the opportunity to focus on a topic of their own special interest, under academic supervision.

The study time and assessment methods detailed above are typical and give you a good indication of what to expect. However, they are subject to change.

Structure

Courses are divided into modules. You will take modules totalling 180 credits.

Required modules

You are required to take the following modules:

National Security Studies (45 credits)
Dissertation (60 credits)

Optional modules

In addition, you are required to take 75 credits from a range of optional modules offered by the Department of War Studies that may typically include:

Small States and International Security (15 credits)
Cyber Diplomacy (15 credits)
The Science and Security of Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Weapons (15 credits)
East Asian Security (30 credits)
Global Health Security, Science, And War (15 credits)
Armchair Intelligence- Open Sources & Online Investigation (15 credits)
War, Technology and Innovation (30 credits)

The list of options above is not exhaustive. King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to respond to student demand as well as to provide up to date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. The optional modules available change each year and are therefore only made accessible to enrolled students during the module allocation period. At the start of the programme, you will be asked to select a number of optional modules (more than you are required to take) in preference order. The department will then allocate you the required number of optional credits, endeavouring to give all students as many of their top choices as possible. Please note that, due to limited spaces on each module, we are unable to guarantee that you will be allocated a place on any particular optional module or modules. Part-time students in the first year of study will take National Security Studies (45 credits) and up to 45 credits of optional modules. In your second year you will write your Dissertation (60 credits) and take optional modules adding up to the remaining credits. Please note: Teaching for part-time students in the Department of War Studies is scheduled between the hours of 9 am – 6 pm Monday – Friday. Individual student timetables are dependent on the modules chosen and vary each year so we are unable to provide these in advance. Timetables are usually released in mid-September following enrolment.

King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.

Please note that modules with a practical component will be capped due to educational requirements, which may mean that we cannot guarantee a place to all students who elect to study this module.

Employability

War Studies graduates go on to work for their national governments, NGOs, the FCDO, the MOD, the Home Office, NATO, the UN or pursue careers in journalism, finance, academia, the diplomatic services, the armed forces and more. Recent posts held by our alumni include Threat Analyst, Director of Political Violence Forecasting, Research Advisor at NATO Defence College, Foreign Policy Fellow, Senior Foreign News journalist and presenter for the BBC.

Curious to find out more? Access on-demand content including taster lectures and talks, and meet our current staff and students on our subject hub page.

Tuition Fees

UK:

Full time: £19,550 per year (2025/26)

Part time: £9,775 per year (2025/26)

International:

Full time: £35,800 per year (2025/26)

Part time: £17,900 per year (2025/26)

These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King’s terms and conditions.

Deposit

If you receive an offer for this programme, you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure your place. Deposit payments are credited towards the total tuition fee payment.

The Home deposit is £500. The International deposit is £2000.

  • If you receive an offer before March, payment is due by 20 March.
  • If you receive an offer between 1 March and 20 May, payment is due within one month of receiving the offer.
  • If you receive an offer between 21 May and 15 July, payment is due within two weeks of receiving the offer.
  • If you receive an offer between 16 July and 10 August, payment is due within one week of receiving the offer.
  • If you receive an offer from 11 August onwards, payment is due within three days of receiving the offer.

If you are a current undergraduate King’s student in receipt of the King's Living Bursary this academic year, you are not required to pay a deposit to secure your place on the programme. Please note, this will not change the total fees payable for your chosen programme.

Please visit our web pages on fees and funding for more information.

Additional Costs

In addition to your tuition costs, you can also expect to pay for:

  • Books if you choose to buy your own copies.
  • Library fees and fines.
  • Personal photocopies.
  • Printing course handouts/binding costs.
  • Society membership fees.
  • Stationery.
  • Travel costs for travel around London and between campuses.
  • Graduation costs.
  • Clothing for optional course related events and competitions.

Funding

To find out more about bursaries, scholarships, grants, tuition fees, living expenses, student loans, and other financial help available at King's please visit the Fees and Funding section.

To provide the basis for understanding the contemporary practice of national security strategy in many countries, the programme’s core module adopts a staged, thematic approach by addressing issues of structure, processes, tools, and application (case studies). First, students are provided with an introduction to the historical, conceptual and practical dimensions of the developing a comprehensive ‘national security approach’. Students become acquainted with the structures of national security by studying aspects of the national security architecture ranging from National Security Councils to strategic reviews, such as the recent UK Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy. Participants will learn about why and how international governments must coordinate their national security activities even more coherently and effectively to better deliver cross-government and whole-of-system government outcomes, to address an ever-growing range of security threats domestically and internationally. Although the UK is the primary case study of the ‘national security architecture’ classes, the lessons derived are applied to diverse international case studies during the interactive seminars. Second, students learn about various processes of national security, including defence strategy, counterterrorism, risk management, intelligence and oversight. Participants examine the effectiveness of these processes in different national contexts: how successful have the security agencies of national governments been in tackling terrorism? What are the factors that undermine the relationship between intelligence assessment and policy? Is the UK’s National Risk Register (NRR) fit for purpose? Participants are empowered to think through these critical puzzles in the pursuit of national security. Third, students are introduced to a range of tools of national security, examining instruments such as sanctions, energy security, critical infrastructure, science and technology, and the role of the private sector. Participants develop a practical understanding of the challenges and opportunities for the instrumentalisation of national security, including whether there are any functions or sub-sectors of national security strategy that are so sensitive that they should never be conducted by the private sector, assessing the impact of unilateral sanctions on target states, evaluating the effectiveness of nuclear deterrence, and appraising the extent to which foreign investment in critical national infrastructure constitutes a national security issue. Finally, whilst an international and comparative approach is imbued across the programme, the final weeks of the course focus on an in-depth application of the themes studied on the course to case studies of different sizes, constitutions and political systems, including examples such as the U.S., China, Russia, India, and Finland. Participants learn to apply their knowledge to case studies. This comparative approach develops a more holistic understanding of how different states - with differing resources, public administration and economic systems - might safeguard their autonomy, build resilience and project influence. 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 ministers and officials, MPs, and leading national security experts from around the world. The course will be adapted to incorporate current issues and events, but past cohorts have heard from former National Security Advisers, Intelligence Co-ordinators, senior defence officials, and more. Speakers on the course have included Professor Kori Schake, (former Deputy Head of the US State Department’s Policy Planning Staff and Director for Defense Strategy and Requirements in the National Security Council), Lord Peter Ricketts, GCMG, GCVO (formerly the first UK National Security Advisor), and Sir David Omand (formerly the first UK Security and Intelligence Coordinator and Director of the Government Communications Headquarters). Another key focus of the programme is to develop practical and transferable skills, including critical thinking, systematic approaches, policy analysis, and a greater understanding of international approaches and systems. Participants have gone on to work for NGOs, the FCO, the MOD, the Home Office, NATO, the UN or pursue careers in journalism, finance, academia, the diplomatic services, the armed forces and more. Recent posts held by our alumni include Threat Analyst, Director of Political Violence Forecasting, Research Advisor at NATO Defence College, and Research Analyst in the civil service. Classes are taught via a combination of weekly lectures and seminars. Lectures provide students with a concise and accessible introduction to the material covered in the module, as well as the opportunity to interact with the academic teaching staff and guest lecturers. Seminars provide students with opportunities to explore selected topics in more depth, in smaller groups, and under the guidance of a seminar lead. Several seminars will be used to pursue Problem-Based Learning scenarios, in which students collaborate in small syndicate groups to prepare a presentation for their wider seminar groups on subjects such as Intelligence and Oversight in different countries, and contemporary debates on American foreign policy. The first term culminates in a counter-terrorism simulation, led by a Visiting Professor from the National Security community, whilst the second term culminates in The King’s National Security Briefing – oral policy presentations in which each student pitches an idea to address a national security problem to a panel of distinguished policy practitioners. In previous years, these panels have included experts such as Sir Laurie Bristow KCMG (UK Ambassador to Afghanistan), Shashank Joshi (the Economist's defence editor), and Dr Camino Kavanagh (a member of the UN advisory support team to the Chairs of two UN negotiating processes relating to cyber/ICT and international security). Over the course of twenty weeks, participants will hear a range of perspectives on the strategic and operational aspects of national security and decision-making. In so doing, the MA programme in National Security Studies enables participants to understand and engage in contemporary debates about what constitutes an effective national security strategy and how it can be delivered. This course is also available to external candidates as a 30-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. 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.

Base campuses

The Quad - Strand campus
Strand Campus

Located on the north bank of the River Thames, the Strand Campus houses King's College London's arts and sciences faculties.

Waterloo campus exterior at night.
Waterloo Campus

Waterloo campus is home of the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery and facilities for other faculties

Please note that locations are determined by where each module is taught and may vary depending on the modules you study.

Regulating bodies

King's is regulated by the Office for Students

UK applicants

Standard requirements

A minimum 2:1 undergraduate Bachelor’s (honours) degree

If you have a lower degree classification, or a degree in an unrelated subject, your application may be considered if you can demonstrate significant relevant work experience, or offer a related graduate qualification (such as a Masters or PGDip).

Programme-Specific Requirements

Undergraduate degree with 2:1 honours (i.e. overall average of at least 60% across all years of study) in International Relations, War Studies, History, Political Science, Strategic Studies, Criminology, Economics, Geography, History, Law, Philosophy, Psychiatry, Psychology, Religious Studies, Social Anthropology, Sociology, Theology. Applications from students with first degree in other areas, including science, language, and journalism, are also welcome. Candidates who do not achieve a 2:1 or hold a first degree but have relevant professional or voluntary experience will also be considered.

In order to meet the academic entry requirements for this programme you should have a minimum 2:1 undergraduate degree with a final mark of at least 60% or above in the UK marking scheme. If you are still studying you should be achieving an average of at least 60% or above in the UK marking scheme.

International applicants

Equivalent International qualifications

English language requirements

English language band:
B

To study at King's, it is essential that you can communicate in English effectively in an academic environment. You are usually required to provide certification of your competence in English before starting your studies.

Nationals of majority English speaking countries (as defined by the UKVI) who have permanently resided in this country are not usually required to complete an additional English language test. This is also the case for applicants who have successfully completed an undergraduate degree (of at least three years duration), a postgraduate taught degree (of at least one year), or a PhD in a majority English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI) within five years of the course start date.

For information on our English language requirements and whether you need to complete an English language test, please see our English Language requirements page.

Selection process

Applications must be made online using King’s online application portal apply.kcl.ac.uk and a non-refundable application fee of £85 applies.

All applications are assessed by a committee of academic tutors. This process takes on average eight weeks.

Personal statement and supporting information

You will be asked to submit the following documents in order for your application to be considered:

Personal Statement Yes A personal statement is required. This can be entered directly into the online application form (maximum 4,000 characters) or uploaded as an attachment to the online application form (maximum 2 pages). Please explain why you are interested in this particular programme and outline any relevant experience you have. If there are any anomalies in your academic record, please use the personal statement to explain related extenuating circumstances.
Previous Academic Study Yes A copy (or copies) of your official academic transcript(s), showing the subjects studied and marks obtained. If you have already completed your degree, copies of your official degree certificate will also be required. Applicants with academic documents issued in a language other than English, will need to submit both the original and official translation of their documents.
References Yes One academic reference is required. A professional reference will be accepted if you have completed your qualifications over five years ago. In some cases, we may request an additional reference from you.
Other Optional Applicants may wish to include a CV (Resume) or evidence of professional registration as part of their application

Teaching methods - what to expect

Check out further information about our War Studies courses including our teaching team, exclusive videos and more on our hub page.

We will use a delivery method that will ensure students have a rich, exciting experience from the start. Face to face teaching will be complemented and supported with innovative technology so that students also experience elements of digital learning and assessment.

The following table will give you an idea of what a typical academic workload might look like as you progress through your studies:

Module Lectures, seminars and feedback Self-study

Per 15-credit module

20 hours of teaching. Typically, 2 hours per week over one 10-week term. This can be split into lectures and seminars. A 30-credit module will be double this.

         

130 hours

Dissertation module (60 credits)

Up to 12 hours of online guidance, training workshops and personal supervision.

588 hours

Typically, one credit equates to 10 hours work.

Location

This course is primarily taught at the King’s College London Strand and Waterloo Campuses.

Please note that locations are determined by where each module is taught and may vary depending on the optional modules you select.

This programme can be taken as part of the partnership between Kings College London and Sciences PO that allows participating students to study for two years, with a year in both Paris and London. On completion of the programme, graduates receive a master's degree from the Paris School of International Affairs of Sciences Po (PSIA), and a master's degree from King's College London. Spanning a wide range of disciplines, this selective programme allows students to customise their training at both universities, and to benefit from the numerous opportunities, networks and services offered on both sides of the Channel.

For further information about the programme, including eligibility criteria and details of how to apply, please visit the Paris School of International Affairs’ website.

Assessment

  • Essays
  • Individual & Group Presentations
  • Exercises
  • Seminar participation
  • Exams
  • Dissertation

The primary methods of assessment for this course are an assessed essay, the oral policy briefing, and formative group presentations.

The dissertation module assessment will be based on a 100% dissertation assignment where students have the opportunity to focus on a topic of their own special interest, under academic supervision.

The study time and assessment methods detailed above are typical and give you a good indication of what to expect. However, they are subject to change.

Structure

Courses are divided into modules. You will take modules totalling 180 credits.

Required modules

You are required to take the following modules:

National Security Studies (45 credits)
Dissertation (60 credits)

Optional modules

In addition, you are required to take 75 credits from a range of optional modules offered by the Department of War Studies that may typically include:

Small States and International Security (15 credits)
Cyber Diplomacy (15 credits)
The Science and Security of Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Weapons (15 credits)
East Asian Security (30 credits)
Global Health Security, Science, And War (15 credits)
Armchair Intelligence- Open Sources & Online Investigation (15 credits)
War, Technology and Innovation (30 credits)

The list of options above is not exhaustive. King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to respond to student demand as well as to provide up to date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. The optional modules available change each year and are therefore only made accessible to enrolled students during the module allocation period. At the start of the programme, you will be asked to select a number of optional modules (more than you are required to take) in preference order. The department will then allocate you the required number of optional credits, endeavouring to give all students as many of their top choices as possible. Please note that, due to limited spaces on each module, we are unable to guarantee that you will be allocated a place on any particular optional module or modules. Part-time students in the first year of study will take National Security Studies (45 credits) and up to 45 credits of optional modules. In your second year you will write your Dissertation (60 credits) and take optional modules adding up to the remaining credits. Please note: Teaching for part-time students in the Department of War Studies is scheduled between the hours of 9 am – 6 pm Monday – Friday. Individual student timetables are dependent on the modules chosen and vary each year so we are unable to provide these in advance. Timetables are usually released in mid-September following enrolment.

King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.

Please note that modules with a practical component will be capped due to educational requirements, which may mean that we cannot guarantee a place to all students who elect to study this module.

Employability

War Studies graduates go on to work for their national governments, NGOs, the FCDO, the MOD, the Home Office, NATO, the UN or pursue careers in journalism, finance, academia, the diplomatic services, the armed forces and more. Recent posts held by our alumni include Threat Analyst, Director of Political Violence Forecasting, Research Advisor at NATO Defence College, Foreign Policy Fellow, Senior Foreign News journalist and presenter for the BBC.

Curious to find out more? Access on-demand content including taster lectures and talks, and meet our current staff and students on our subject hub page.

Tuition Fees

UK:

Full time: £19,550 per year (2025/26)

Part time: £9,775 per year (2025/26)

International:

Full time: £35,800 per year (2025/26)

Part time: £17,900 per year (2025/26)

These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King’s terms and conditions.

Deposit

If you receive an offer for this programme, you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure your place. Deposit payments are credited towards the total tuition fee payment.

The Home deposit is £500. The International deposit is £2000.

  • If you receive an offer before March, payment is due by 20 March.
  • If you receive an offer between 1 March and 20 May, payment is due within one month of receiving the offer.
  • If you receive an offer between 21 May and 15 July, payment is due within two weeks of receiving the offer.
  • If you receive an offer between 16 July and 10 August, payment is due within one week of receiving the offer.
  • If you receive an offer from 11 August onwards, payment is due within three days of receiving the offer.

If you are a current undergraduate King’s student in receipt of the King's Living Bursary this academic year, you are not required to pay a deposit to secure your place on the programme. Please note, this will not change the total fees payable for your chosen programme.

Please visit our web pages on fees and funding for more information.

Additional Costs

In addition to your tuition costs, you can also expect to pay for:

  • Books if you choose to buy your own copies.
  • Library fees and fines.
  • Personal photocopies.
  • Printing course handouts/binding costs.
  • Society membership fees.
  • Stationery.
  • Travel costs for travel around London and between campuses.
  • Graduation costs.
  • Clothing for optional course related events and competitions.

Funding

To find out more about bursaries, scholarships, grants, tuition fees, living expenses, student loans, and other financial help available at King's please visit the Fees and Funding section.

Application closing date guidance

We encourage you to apply as early as possible so that there is sufficient time for your application to be assessed and we may need to request further information from you during the application process.

Our first application deadline is on 9 March 2025 (23:59 UK time). The final application deadlines for this programme are:

  • Overseas (international) fee status: 25 July 2025 (23:59 UK time)
  • Home fee status: 25 August 2025 (23:59 UK time)

After the first application deadline in March:

  • if the programme is not yet full, we will continue to accept applications until all available places are filled up to the final application deadlines above
  • if the programme becomes full before the final application deadlines stated above, we will close the programme to further applications

Please note, you will not be eligible for an application fee refund if you apply after the first application deadline, and we are unable to process further offers because places are filled and we close the course before the final application deadline.

Key information

Study mode:
Full time
Part time
Duration:
One year full-time, September to September, two years part-time
Credit value (UK/ECTS equivalent):
UK 180 / ECTS 90
Application status:
Open
Start date:
September 2025
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