Security, Intelligence and Strategic Studies

Students on this degree programme will examine a broad range of contemporary security challenges, such as terrorism, civil war and conflict, mass migration, energy supply security, cyber security and new technologies, and transnational and serious organised crime. Students will also explore the intelligence and strategic approaches used by governmental and non-governmental actors to combat these threats.The degree adopts a unique approach to the study of security by combining theoretical, applied and empirical knowledge and skill sets. Students will have the opportunity to meet with and work alongside a range of academics and researchers from international partner universities and think tanks from around the world, as well as practitioner experts from governmental and industry security and defence sectors.International security presents complex, challenging realities for a wide range of actors from nation states and international organisations, to multi-national corporations. Globalisation and increased interdependency has radically changed the way we view security in relation to state, society, the economy and even the biosphere.There is a demand for greater attention and coordinated responses from the international community, including not only individual nation states but also international organisations such as the EU, the African Union (AU), the United Nations (UN) and security alliances such as NATO. To support these organisations there is a need for knowledgeable, well informed experts with the skills to not only react to crises, but to identify and anticipate the threats and challenges that create crises. These experts can and should come from civilian (e.g. academia, governmental, non-governmental and private sectors) as well as military backgrounds.Bridging these ‘expert’ security communities and ensuring opportunities for dedicated training and shared knowledge, experiences and best practice is the purpose of this IMSISS degree programme.IMSISS has five key objectives which seek to ensure students: attain a firm understanding of the theoretical concepts that inform contemporary security studies; acquire the expertise and necessary skills to critically engage with security, intelligence and strategy in an applied manner; are provided with experiential learning and employability enhancement through work-based learning opportunities with practitioner organisations; have access to a range of academic and non-academic personnel from industry and business, the military, intelligence community, governmental and non-governmental organisations thus helping to understand how security experts shape security practice; utilise mobility experiences to develop, appreciate the importance of, and articulate intercultural awareness as a key aspect of addressing security challenges.