International Peace and Security

Overview

The MA International Peace and Security at King's College London consists of a broad-based, multidisciplinary curriculum, focusing on law and conflict in international society and contemporary security issues. It is ideal if you are looking for a career in international organisations, government departments, political risk, the financial sector, further research/PhD or professional legal studies.

Our course was launched by the School of Law and the Department of War Studies – two long-standing and world-leading academic departments within King’s - in response to the rapidly changing world after the Cold War. It enables students to gain vital insight into major world events through the lens of international law, international politics and strategy. The specialist course draws on the strengths of War Studies and Law to provide an integrated study of international law and international politics relevant to the contemporary world.

Our MA will give students of international relations, historians and political scientists a deeper knowledge of international law. It will narrow the existing gap between international lawyers and international relations specialists as well as educate individuals interested in forging a career in international organisations (both inter-governmental and non-governmental), government, or as teachers of international law and politics.

Key benefits

• The opportunity to choose from a wide range of optional modules available within the Department of War Studies, and from a handful of carefully selected law modules (from within the Law School which may vary from one year to another) that are made exclusively available to International Peace and Security MA students each year.

• Develop skills beyond the expected academic ones, including group and team work, report, policy and situation analysis, as well as the unique opportunity to acquire peace and conflict field skills training delivered in conjunction with the major international NGO -International Alert.

• Graduates predominantly go on to work in fields such as international organisations, government departments and diplomacy, defence and scientific research, international criminal law, research — including academic, risk analysis and international NGOs, and commerce and finance.

• An unrivalled location in central London close to the Royal Courts of Justice, leading NGOs and research institutions, Westminster and London’s legal quarter.

Career prospects

War Studies Graduates go 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, Foreign Policy Fellow.