Master's degrees

• A rich curriculum that encompasses both traditional security concerns (such as warfare, terrorism, strategy and intelligence) and broader understandings of international security (such as human security, artificial intelligence, population movements and environmental security). All are examined through an illuminating variety of case studies and informed by cutting-edge scientific research.
• Analytical approaches that include both a practical concern for policy relevance (with modules focused on problem-solving and how to provide policy advice) and deeper reflections informed by critical schools of security studies (on themes such as securitisation, resilience, gender and the ethics of security).
• Assessments that can be tailored to individual interests and career ambitions, by enabling in-depth exploration of preferred security topics and bespoke theoretical approaches in essays, policy briefs, presentations and a dissertation.
• Participation in Hacking for the Ministry of Defence (H4MoD), an innovative module delivered in partnership with the Ministry of Defence (MoD).  The module allows students to tackle complex real-life problems proposed by the MoD and other government agencies. It requires students to conduct interviews, gather feedback, and engage directly with security professionals and other stakeholders to test their ideas.
• The opportunity to participate in research seminars and policy-focused discussions with external guests and Loughborough experts presenting their latest and ongoing work. Past examples have included officials from the armed forces, private security personnel, and leading researchers on topics ranging from NATO, Arctic security, Syria, and Ukraine to information-sharing, terrorism, militarism, peacebuilding, climate change and disaster risk-reduction.

Our MA students also have opportunities to discuss their own research with senior experts. This programme is delivered by academic experts including Guy Aitchison, Ali Bilgic, Alexandre Christoyannopoulos, Duncan Depledge, Caroline Kennedy-Pipe, Christina Oelgemoller, Varun Uberoi, Giulia Piccolino, Tom Waldman, and Chris Zebrowski.

Many of our own graduates choose to stay with us by enrolling on the MA and are joined by students from across Europe and beyond. Some of the students on the MA have shared their experience on our prospectus.

Graduates from the programme have gone on to work for major security organisations, intergovernmental organisations, think tanks, multinational companies and in the national and international public sector. Our International Security MA is designed for those interested in working in diplomacy, journalism, civil service, policymaking, campaigning and/or research, as well as those wanting to learn more about international security threats and how key actors frame and responded to them.