MA International Security

Key details

MA INTERNATIONAL SECURITY

Start Year

2022

Attendance

Full Time

Award

Degree of Master of Arts

Duration (years)

Few subjects can claim to be as relevant as International Security, and our MA will provide you with a thorough and in-depth understanding of the key issues and debates within it.

You’ll cover war, peace, conflict and terrorism, as well as the ‘new security challenges’, such as poverty, famine and environmental change. You’ll acquire essential grounding in international relations theory. You’ll study security within the international system, from the Cold War to the present day, and will engage in simulations, learning about the theoretical and practical challenges posed by the strategic relations between the different international stakeholders.

You’ll graduate ready for a career in international security, or to pursue doctoral research. And you’ll do all this under the guidance of leading authorities in the field.

About

Our Master’s degree programme will provide you with a theoretical and empirical understanding of the major issues in – and challenges posed to – international security.

Within our core modules you’ll examine contemporary security and gain sound knowledge of the issues that fall within its realm, including new wars, humanitarian interventions, poverty, famine, disease pandemics, transnational crime and terrorism. You’ll get to grips with international relations theory. And you’ll find solutions to the type of challenges you might face in the real world through simulated exercises.

You’ll be able to tailor your learning by selecting optional modules, and you’ll complete your degree with a dissertation, which you’ll research and write independently on a subject of your choosing, with academic supervision.

You could also have the chance to take part in trips abroad to locations including Brussels and Geneva, and institutions such as the EU and NATO. We hope to resume these in 2022/23, subject to government health advice at the time..Once there, you’ll have the opportunity to speak to officials and military personnel about their work. And you’ll also be able to meet graduates from UEA who are now working in or near Brussels.

Most years there are also visits to Paris, Kortrijk in Flanders, and Geneva and we hope to resume these in 2022/23, subject to government health advice at the time.. The programme includes study and discussion with academics, politicians and officials, plus visits to international organisations, non-governmental bodies and think tanks such as the European Institute for Asian studies, ICRC, WHO and UNESCO.

As a member of our postgraduate community you’ll be able to attend numerous events and talks during your time here. We regularly attract distinguished lecturers, with previous guests including Shami Chakrabarti, the former director of Liberty, and Sir Stephen Wall, a retired diplomat. See our website to find out more about our postgraduate community and experience some of these lectures.

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Important Information

Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the courses listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the regular review of course programmes. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes, there will normally be prior consultation of students and others. Changes may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will inform students.

Assessment for Year 1

In addition to your Master’s dissertation, you will be assessed for each module using a variety of methods, including essays, projects, course tests and reflective reports.

Structure

Our one-year International Security Master’s programme includes three compulsory modules: International Security, International Relations Theory, and War Games: Diplomacy and Strategy in International Relations.

The module International Relations Theory is central to all of our international politics MA programmes, and will provide you with an essential grounding in the subject area. It offers a current and interdisciplinary understanding of international politics, and requires no previous knowledge of the subject.

In International Security, you’ll examine the study of security within the international system, from its roots in Cold War strategic studies to the development of the broader field of security studies today. You’ll critically analyse contemporary security issues and gain a sound theoretical base for considering practical issues of security, including new wars, humanitarian interventions, poverty, famine, disease pandemics, transnational crime and terrorism.

The final compulsory module, War Games: Diplomacy and Strategy in International Relations, is a simulation-based introduction to some of the major issues and ideas concerning diplomacy and military strategy in international relations. The simulations will help you learn about the theoretical and practical challenges posed by the strategic relations between states, so you develop a more nuanced understanding of war and peace in international politics.

You’ll also be able to tailor the course to your interests by choosing three of our optional modules.

The remaining core component of the course is the Dissertation module. You’ll write your dissertation on a topic that interests you, as agreed with a specialist supervisor from the faculty, and you’ll submit this in September. It’s a fantastic opportunity for you to hone your skills in conducting independent research, and through it you’ll gain valuable experience, producing a lengthy piece of research on a specialist topic of your choosing.

We organise a dedicated Postgraduate Day in the spring, which is an opportunity to discuss the progress of your dissertation with staff and fellow MA and PhD students. And we have an office in Brussels, in association with the East of England European Partnership. The office provides a base for our teaching and employability activities, and as a postgraduate student, you will be able to use its facilities to carry out research and write your dissertation, should you so wish.

Teaching and Learning

Teaching

Our Political, Social and International Studies department within the School of Politics, Philosophy, Language and Communication Studies possesses world-leading expertise in the research and teaching of international politics, public policy, media and society, and social and political theory.

You will be taught by experts in international relations, security studies, political philosophy, political communications and media studies. Our teaching is research-led, in that we ask the same questions of our students as we do in our research. Which means you can be sure your learning is at the cutting-edge of the discipline.

The majority of our teaching takes place in lectures, seminars and simulation exercises, which are supported by films and other scenarios in order to explore different ideas and examples, both thematically and empirically.

Independent study

Each of the modules you’ll undertake has been designed to improve your engagement and encourage independent learning. The independent study element of this MA programme will help you develop many skills that will be crucial to your future career, primarily, the ability to think critically and to constructively and sensitively question ‘received wisdom’, which will prove enormously important in any profession.

To help develop this skillset, we’ll give you the opportunity to hone your debating, presentation and teamwork skills, your project work, critical analysis and synthesis of arguments, your independent research, written and time management skills, and your ability to apply theory to real-world cases.

How you'll spend your time during semester 1 and 2:

Teaching: 25%

Independent Learning: 75%

Whilst writing your dissertation, you will with a dedicated Postgraduate day where you will present your dissertation proposal and receive feedback from your peers and staff. You will then meet regularly with your dissertation supervisor.

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Assessment for Year 1

In addition to your Master’s dissertation, you will be assessed for each module using a variety of methods, including essays, projects, course tests and reflective reports.

Compulsory Modules

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS THEORY

Code PPLI7005A

Credits 20

The main objective of this course is to introduce you to the academic study of International Relations theory. You'll investigate leading theoretical approaches and become familiar with important concepts and debates in International Relations theory. You'll be introduced to the nature of knowledge claims (epistemology) and fundamental assumptions about social/international reality (ontology) in International Relations.

INTERNATIONAL SECURITY

Code PPLI7006B

Credits 20

States and individuals seek ‘security’ from various threats and dangers but what, exactly, does it mean to be secure? Is security even possible? Who should have security, and from what should they be – or do they need to be - secured? Is security even desirable, or does the search for it sometimes have negative consequences? This module introduces you to these ‘big questions’ of security studies. You will examine the study of security in the international system, from its roots in classical political theory and Cold War strategic studies through to the development of a more broadly focused field today. You will consider the responses of different theoretical perspectives on these ‘big questions’ and apply these to a range of contemporary security issues, for example, conflict resolution, human security, the arms industry, migration, crime, poverty, and terrorism.

PSI DISSERTATION

Code PPLX7010X

Credits 60

For all MA students registered on programmes in Political Social and International Studies except those undertaking a Dissertation by Practice. Students are required to write a dissertation of 10,000 words on a topic approved by the Course Director or other authorised person. The dissertation is to be submitted the first working day of September in the relevant year.

WAR GAMES: DIPLOMACY AND STRATEGY IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Code PPLI7012A

Credits 20

Why are wars fought, and why are they are won (or lost)? War Games introduces you to key issues around diplomacy and strategy within global politics. Topics you will cover include the causes and costs of war, military strategy, nuclear warfare, and statecraft. But you won't only be reading about these issues. War Games is taught through a combination of seminars and simulation exercises in which you will help resolve an international crisis. These simulations will allow you to engage with the theoretical and practical challenges of inter-state relations, developing a more nuanced understanding of war and peace in global politics. This, in turn, will provide you with an excellent insight into the ways in which decisions are made in the international system.

Optional A Modules

(20 credits)

GOVERNANCE, DEMOCRACY AND DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-7023A

Credits 20

“Good governance” and durable democracy are key items on the international development agenda. However, despite their prominence in the development discourse, it remains contested not only how to achieve these political development goals, but also how to define them in the first place. The aim of Governance, Democracy and Development is to critically assess the possible definitions, contested causes and arguable consequences of “good governance” and democracy. Key topics to be discussed in the module include how to define and measure democracy and “good governance”, explanations for the emergence of democracy, theories on the survival of democracy and dictatorship, local forms of governance and democracy, aid and governance, trust and cooperation, the effects of democracy and dictatorship on prospects of economic development, and key challenges to democracy in the 21st century. Throughout the module, you will be expected to assess the strengths and limitations of central concepts and theories from the academic debate by applying them to relevant empirical evidence, such as political regime trends in Turkey or the economic effects of recent elections in Kenya.

PERSPECTIVES ON GLOBALISATION

Code DEV-7028A

Credits 20

Globalisation refers to the increasingly interconnected nature of social life on our planet. It has been described as ‘the most important change in human history’. You will critically examine a number of key debates about globalisation: about what is driving the process, and about what impacts it is having – for example, on economic development, poverty and inequality, conflict, and the environment. This module takes an inter-disciplinary approach, presenting different conceptual frameworks within which contemporary globalisation is analysed.

SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION

Code ENV-7025A

Credits 20

If everyone on Earth lived like a typical UK citizen we’d need three planets-worth of resources. But we only have one. Why do we consume the way we do? What drives our behaviour and how might we persuade people to live more sustainably? What do we mean by a sustainable lifestyle, anyway? These are questions academics, businesspeople, campaigners and policymakers struggle with every day and there are no easy answers. In this module you’ll get to grips with competing visions about what sustainable consumption is. You’ll gain an understanding of a range of theoretical approaches to understanding consumption behaviour and you’ll learn how to apply these theories to develop strategies for achieving sustainable consumption. You’ll begin by examining the impacts of western-style consumerism on the Earth’s social, economic and environmental systems. Using concepts such as ecological footprinting, needs and wellbeing, you’ll take a closer look at how economic and environmental systems interact. You'll contrast a ‘green growth’ approach to sustainable consumption with a more radical ‘de-growth’ model. Drawing on interdisciplinary social science theories from economics, psychology, sociology and ethnography, you’ll go on to investigate a range of strategies for achieving change, by government, business, civil society, and individual consumers. You’ll get hands-on experience testing and applying these ideas yourselves, in participative workshops, alongside award-winning innovative teaching methods. In lectures, you’ll learn about topics such as Ethical Consumption, Limits to Growth, Collaborative Consumption, Community-based initiatives, Life Cycle Analysis and Behaviour-change campaigns. Understanding the theoretical debates behind everyday actions for sustainability will make you better able to design and implement sustainability strategies in the workplace – whether in the public or private sector, or civil society. You’ll be able to identify the strengths and weaknesses in sustainable consumption campaigns and policies, and offer theoretically-informed solutions.

RUNNING THE WORLD: GLOBAL GOVERNANCE AND EMERGING POWERS

Code PPLI7014A

Credits 20

Who runs the world? The United Nations and Bretton Woods institutions –the International Monetary Fund, World Bank and World Trade Organisation – form the bedrock of the 20th Century Liberal world order. But there is much more to global governance than these liberal institutions dominated by Western powers. The last century was shaped by postcolonial independence movements, by South-South commitments to make global governance more inclusive, such as the Non-Allied Movement during the Cold War, and by powerful cartels such as OPEC. Rising powers in the global South are now reshaping global governance structures through new groups and projects such as the BRICS, the AIIB and the Belt and Road Initiative. And, as the world seems to be moving away from American hegemony, the question of how rising powers will affect global order and the governance structures that sustain it is fast becoming one of the most pressing of the twenty-first century. This module offers students the opportunity to study different components of global governance in the 21st Century, from the North Atlantic power axis of the USA and Western Europe, to changes arising from Asia, while also considering Russia, the Middle East and African powers.

UNDERSTANDING DIGITAL MEDIA

Code PPLM7000A

Credits 20

Digital technologies are often hyped as revolutionising society. You will be introduced to the ways in which the internet and other digital technologies are (and are not) affecting society from theoretical and empirical perspectives. The module is divided into three blocks: the first introduces the theoretical debates surrounding digital media; the second discusses how our everyday interpersonal relations are affected by digital media; the third addresses the impact of digital technology on media and politics. Topics covered include: the network society; social networking and virtual communities, surveillance, digital journalism and online activism.

PUBLIC POLICY: THEORY AND ANALYSIS

Code PPLX7002A

Credits 20

How and why is public policy made the way it is? Our aim is to enable students to develop a rich and wide appreciation of the many ways that policy is made and the factors that influence these. You will gain advanced critical understanding some of the main theories, models and concepts used in the study of public policy and how they are applied. You will also develop substantive knowledge of specific policies and policy areas, which may include environment, health, immigration and welfare policy. In addition, students successfully completing the module will be able to demonstrate an empirical understanding of the public policy process in the UK, ability to make comparisons with other OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) democracies, and an understanding of the changing role of nation-states in policy development.

Optional B Modules

(40 credits)

CONTEMPORARY WORLD DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-7000B

Credits 20

The objective of Contemporary World Development is to examine key debates around development objectives, processes and agencies. While issues discussed here are of contemporary significance, references will be made to the historical contexts in which these debates have arisen. Concerns central to development policy making will be reviewed through theoretically grounded critical perspectives. Topics covered include the Millennium Development Goals, donors and aid politics, state and NGOs, and poverty.

CONFLICT, CIVIL WARS AND PEACE

Code DEV-7015B

Credits 20

The number of violent intrastate conflicts has outweighed the number of violent interstate conflicts for more than five decades. Yet it was only with the end of the Cold War that academics and policy-makers started paying more attention to the possible causes and consequences of large-scale intrastate violence. Today, questions of effective conflict management, especially of large-scale civil wars, are among the top priorities of international development agencies. The aim of the Conflict, Civil Wars and Peace module is to critically assess the possible causes and consequences of violent intrastate conflicts as well as their implications for the wider development agenda. Key topics to be discussed in the module include causes, dynamics and consequences of different types of violent conflict, strategies and causes of terrorism, the role of gender during and after violent intrastate conflicts, the (contested) relationship(s) between natural resource wealth and civil wars, institutional approaches to conflict management, the rationale and possible effects of third-party intervention in civil wars, and post-conflict reconstruction efforts, including state- and peace-building as well as transitional justice. Throughout the module, you will be expected to assess the strengths and limitations of central concepts and theories from the academic debate by applying them to relevant empirical evidence, such as the role of gender during the Rwandan genocide in 1994 or the performance of Bosnia and Herzegovina's post-civil war power-sharing arrangement.

EUROPEAN UNION: POWER, POLITICS AND POLICY

Code PPLI7013B

Credits 20

What is the European Union: an international organisation, a federal political system or something else? Who rules the EU: the European Commission or its members states? What is the concrete impact of EU policies on EU citizens? Is the EU a global power? In an era of crises, will the EU survive? To address these questions and more, you will examine: the origins, development and recent history of the European Union; the dynamics of EU decision making: and critically assess the key theories, models and concepts used in the study of the EU. You will also examine the working of EU policies in key areas, such as the single market, economic and monetary union (the Euro), energy and climate change, international trade, and security and defence. You will explore the role and internal operation of the EU institutions, as well as the interaction between the EU and the member states, including what the obligations of membership imply for member countries and what these means for state sovereignty and democracy. You will look at the relationship between the EU and its neighbours (including the UK), the global south and world powers. Finally, you will debate some major challenges the EU is facing, from the Eurozone and migration crises to Brexit and to the EU's response to COVID-19. This module is suitable for students politics & public policy as well as international relations, as it covers themes that cut across both disciplines and draws from both public policies and IR theories.

GENDER AND POWER

Code PPLM7015B

Credits 20

Thinkers such as bell hooks and Sara Ahmed have urged us to understand the need to “bring feminist theory home”. On this module, we consider the notions of gender and power alongside one another. We explore the power dynamics and structures which shape gendered experiences, and the inequalities that arise from related intersecting arenas of oppression. The module provides an overview of various contemporary feminist theories and invites critical reflection the relationship between feminist theory and lived experience, challenging the notion of a divide between the two. We will do so by considering the way in which feminist theories and gender-based activisms can variously inform, develop or critique one another. The module takes an interdisciplinary approach, drawing on the fields of media, politics, sociology, philosophy and cultural studies, and we will examine the underlying epistemological and ontological principles and assumptions which shape how we experience our lives, the world around us and what we know about it. To help develop our understanding, our conversations in teaching sessions will revolve around group discussion, and in-class research of various activist campaigns, where we draw on real-life examples – from our own daily lives, news articles, social media, etc, as well as gender-based activism.

PUBLIC RELATIONS, PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND THE MEDIA

Code PPLX7005B

Credits 20

This module enables students to develop an advanced understanding of the theory and practice of public affairs, interest intermediation, and the strategies used by interest, advocacy groups and others to influence the political process. As well as covering the main debates in the academic literature, it draws directly on the experience of practitioners and offers unique insights into this under-studied area of politics.

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Important Information

Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring and review of modules. Where this activity leads to significant change to a programme and modules, the University will endeavour to consult with affected students. The University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. Availability of optional modules may be restricted owing to timetabling, lack of demand, or limited places. Where this is the case, you will be asked to make alternative module choices and you will be supported during this process.

Entry Requirements

Degree classification

Bachelors (Hons) degree - 2.1 or equivalent

Degree subject

Humanities or Social Sciences such as Law, Politics, International Relations or Development Studies.

Additional entry requirements

If you have alternative qualifications that have not been mentioned above then please contact university directly for further information.

Relevant work experience can be taken into account for those with a non-relevant humanities or social science degree, such as experience in diplomacy, international organisations, the military and careers in development.

Students for whom english is a foreign language

We welcome applications from students whose first language is not English. To ensure such students benefit from postgraduate study, we require evidence of proficiency in English. Our usual entry requirements are as follows:

IELTS: 6.0 (minimum 5.5 in two components only, with 6.0 in the other two)
PTE (Pearson): 64 (minimum 59 in two components only with 64 in the other two)

Test dates should be within two years of the course start date.

Other tests, including Cambridge English exams and the Trinity Integrated Skills in English are also accepted by the university. The full list of accepted tests can be found here: Accepted English Language Tests

INTO UEA also run pre-sessional courses which can be taken prior to the start of your course. For further information and to see if you qualify please contact intopre-sessional@uea.ac.uk.

Intakes

This course is open to UK, EU and International applicants. The annual intake for this course is in September each year.

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Course Reference Number: 4477974

MA INTERNATIONAL SECURITY