We also offer this course via distance learning.

Course Aims

This course is designed to:

• Equip you with an understanding of key issues in contemporary international security;
• Achieve a balance between breadth and depth of study in contemporary international security by providing you with a coherent mixture of theoretical and empirical study;
• Provide you with competencies and skills to understand contemporary international security problems and to be able to analyse international security problems using a mix of theoretical and empirical tools.

Course Detail

This course provides a thorough grounding in international security, focusing on developments since the end of the Cold War. As the events of 11th September 2001 and the subsequent Global War on Terror promulgated by the World’s lone superpower illustrate with shocking clarity, international security remains a vital issue on the global agenda. The search for a stable and just international security order has proven elusive, with war and armed conflict continuing in many parts of the world.

At the same time, international security involves much more than states and military conflict. International security problems often stem from complex political, economic, environmental, social and cultural causes, and involve a broad range of non-state actors. The study of security in the contemporary international system thus poses a series of challenging intellectual questions and policy dilemmas, which this course will help you address in an informed and creative manner.

The distinctive feature of this course is the way it seeks to integrate two elements: first, the theoretical and conceptual challenges involved in studying international security; and second, the main empirical problems and issues on the contemporary international security agenda. In addition, you will be encouraged to think about the way the security agenda varies in different regions of the world, such as Europe and the Middle East.

Course Structure

You must complete the International Security core module plus a further three option modules from the list of optional modules. If you wish to continue on to the MA, these modules will be followed by your dissertation.

The Core Module: International Security

Issues of security and insecurity are central to international relations, as the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and the Iraq War of 2003 underline. This course provides you with a thorough grounding in the theory and practice of international security in the contemporary era. It examines the main theoretical and conceptual approaches to the study of international security, before considering a range of contemporary security issues including: the emergence of a zone of stable peace in Europe; the violent break up of Yugoslavia; 'New Wars' in the South; terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; the Iraq War and the future of the Middle East; and the prospects for peace and security in the Twenty-First Century. This module thus provides you with the analytical tools to think critically and independently about the nature of contemporary international security, focusing on developments since the end of the Cold War.

Duration and Mode of Study

One year full-time or two years part-time campus-based. This course is also available via distance learning.

Start Dates

September each year.

Entry Requirements

Either a first or a good second class honours degree from a British university or its equivalent, in Politics, History, International Relations or other related subjects.

Applicants whose first language is not English are required to have a qualification such as the British Council International English Language Testing System (score 6.5 or above) or the Test of English as a Foreign Language (score 90/575).

How to Apply

For further details and an application form for the MA/Diploma International Security please contact us:

Next Step: Request an Information Pack for the Campus based programme

Next Step: Request an Information Pack for the Distance Learning programme

These pages should be read in conjunction with the University of Leicester’s Postgraduate Prospectus and Postgraduate Regulations.