Overview

The Department of War Studies is one of the only academic departments in the world focused on understanding the complex realm of conflict, security, and international politics through inter-disciplinary teaching, research and engagement. We provide outstanding research-led teaching to the next generation of scholars in conflict, policy, and international relations from BA through to PhD. Our teachers are world-leading experts and pioneers in their fields, whose research and influence takes them to the forefront of global events as they happen.

We sit in the School of Security Studies alongside the Defence Studies Department, forming the largest community of scholars in the world dedicated to producing world-leading research on all aspects of security and international relations.  Our research develops new empirical knowledge, employs innovative theory, and addresses vital policy issues.

Course Detail

The department is interested in receiving applications from students planning their research projects in fields that will enhance the strength of the department's research groups, centres and programmes. Details of these can be found on the War Studies website, as well as a full list of staff and their research interests. The Department assumes that research students will normally be attached to one or more of these, which in all cases will enhance research culture and be consistent with the Department of War Studies' research strategy. In addition to the War Studies staff listed, academic staff based at the Defence Studies Department (DSD) at the Joint Services Command and Staff College may also be available for research supervision.

During the first year of study, it is College policy that both full and part time students will have their progress reviewed within 3 months of initial registration and again after a period of nine months registration. Thereafter, the progress of all students will be reviewed every six months.

All students on the doctoral programme are initially registered for an MPhil. After around 12 months (or the part time equivalent), you will demonstrate that you are ready for formal upgrade to the PhD programme. This involves the examination of a substantial document that you will produce, which may include draft chapters or other pieces of work, and a formal review meeting to assess the submitted work.

Your project will culminate in the submission of a thesis of up to 100,000 words in length. 

All MPhil/PhD candidates have the opportunity to undertake a tailored programme of individual researcher training and development across all years of study. Throughout their programme, students have access to extensive research methods, skills, and career training via the King’s Doctoral College and the London Interdisciplinary Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership (LISS-DTP).)

Joint PhD programme
Exciting opportunities are now available to undertake a joint PhD programme with the National University of Singapore or Hong Kong University. The joint programme fosters links across a range of subject areas including: history of warfare; international relations; strategic studies; counterinsurgency; post-conflict reconstruction and development; intelligence studies; conflict, peace and development; and war and psychiatry.

Research degrees by Blended Distance Learning

War Studies also offers a distance learning War Studies MPhil/PhD programme. This pathway is intended for well-qualified students whose professional commitments prevent their fulfilling the normal residency requirement of the MPhil/PhD programme at King’s. Supervision will normally be at a distance, and students will be expected to participate in the usual formal progress reviews which manage study on the programme. The programme will be supported by the online learning resources of the Doctoral Training Programme. If it is necessary for a student's progress, they may also audit modules from the War Studies Online MA programmes.

Attendance

It is expected that most students will study the distance learning programme on a part-time basis. Minimum attendance requirements on this pathway require students to attend in London at three key points:

1. Enrolment and Induction (late September or mid-January, depending on start date). All students must enrol (register) in person at the start of their course and attend the programme induction. This is a good opportunity to meet other students on your course and to arrange a meeting with your supervisor(s).
2. Formal upgrade from MPhil to PhD status (after around two years part-time registration or one year of full-time). As with other PhD programmes within in the department, the upgrade to a PhD degree from an MPhil is not automatic: students who wish to be considered for the PhD go through a formal upgrade. This is to ensure that all students have an appropriate research project which can be completed within the allotted timescale.
3. Final Examination for the degree (at the end of your course). Students are also encouraged and expected to participate in the academic activity of the department as their other commitments allow, although there is no formal period of residency required to gain the degree.

Most facilities on campus for postgraduate research students remain at the disposal of distance-learning students visiting London. Beyond the formal attendance requirements of the programme set out above students are welcome to visit King's and engage personally with supervisors and other research students as often as their schedule permits (international students should note the student visa information below for requirements of their visits to London).

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must meet the same academic entry requirements as for the standard MPhil/PhD programme. Further to those requirements, please note that the Blended Distance Learning option is intended for mid-career professionals whose work commitments prevent them from fulfilling the normal residency requirement of the MPhil/PhD programme at King’s. Students will usually be working in an area relevant to this area of study and be based outside the UK. As this is a distance learning programme requiring only short visits to the UK, many of our students need to enter the UK as a ‘Student Visitor’. Find out about VISA requirements.

Contact for Information

PGR Admissions Tutor for War Studies: Prof. Peter Neumann

Contact email: pgr-securitystudies@kcl.ac.uk