This MSc will deepen your understanding of the world's most pressing security challenges and develop your analytical and methodological skills to address them. Security studies focus on the causes and consequences of international and civil conflict. The MSc will train you to apply empirical methods to understand why conflicts escalate to international and civil wars, the logic of wartime strategies and technologies, and how to end and prevent violent conflict. Students develop an understanding of theoretical approaches and debates in security studies, and the ability to analyse how different forms of violent and non-violent political conflict emerge, diffuse, are managed and resolved. They are also equipped with the qualitative and quantitative research skills required to collect and analyse empirical evidence in a systematic way. The programme is suitable for students who wish to specialise in security studies for a career and/or further research in the fields of international relations, public policy and political analysis. Applicants should ideally have a background in economics, history, international relations, law, political science, psychology or sociology.