Course summary

Looking for a security studies Master’s in Birmingham? Our MA Security Studies is open to graduates from all subjects. The subject of security has considerable contemporary relevance, both nationally and internationally. A long and diverse list of issues have been characterised as security threats from warfare to global warming. On this Masters you will consider events such as these across a range of different perspectives discussing their implications for security at the international, national and local levels as well as their relevance to different actors such as the state and the individual. For example, the ongoing Syrian civil war and the breakdown of the Syrian state may represent a security risk for the UK by giving groups likes ISIS the space to operate and potentially attack the West. However, if we alter our focus we quickly become aware of a range of different insecurities felt by civilians displaced from their homes and struggling to survive as a result of the conflict. What's covered in the course? The MA Security Studies course takes a detailed and critical approach to the study of security, incorporating all of these different perspectives within a contemporary and international context. On this course, you will get a mix of the traditional focuses of the discipline such as conflict between states and theories of international relations, new security challenges such as cybersecurity and an opportunity to reflect upon what security is, who or what it is for and the impacts of practicing security. If you opt to undertake this course, you will get the opportunity to study this diverse subject with academics who have an equally diverse range of research informed expertise, including war and modern conflict, terrorism and counterterrorism, cybersecurity, European foreign affairs, and intelligence and surveillance. Alongside this, you will receive dedicated research training and practice throughout the degree that will prepare you for the dissertation as well as develop essential transferable skills that will allow for you to standout in the job market as well as providing you with the necessary tools should you wish to continue within academia. Why Choose Us?

• You will critically explore the concept of security, asking what it is, who it is for and what it entails.

• You’ll get to learn about issues of contemporary and international significance that reflect the breadth of the discipline from the proliferation of nuclear weapons to climate change.

• You’ll experience research-led teaching and study alongside a team of academics with diverse expertise who are actively publishing in the field.

• Separate yourself within the job marketplace by demonstrating to potential employers your academic commitment, expertise and transferable skills, such as research training and practice.

• Birmingham City University has just launched the UK's first Centre for Brexit Studies, researching all aspects of the UK's vote to leave the EU, including the impact it has on hate crime and national security in the UK.