Master of Arts in Conflict, Security and Development Kings College London, UK

Development and security are inextricably linked, yet all too often, these topics are addressed separately by both academics and policymakers. This Conflict, Security and Development MA is a unique, globally recognised course that does the opposite. It takes a holistic, interdisciplinary approach to teach you the dynamic ways in which conflict, insecurity and development interact, thus helping you to develop a full understanding of these issues.

Key benefits

• Learn about the relationship between poverty, inequality and war; state fragility and peacebuilding; disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration after civil wars, and beyond.
• Enhance your analytical, research and critical thinking skills, and gain detailed practical knowledge of conflict, security and development around the world.
• Build strong intellectual and methodological foundations for further research, preparing you to become a leader in the public and private sectors, government or academia.
• Develop communication skills by presenting and disseminating research and analysis in written and oral forms to classmates, tutors, and the wider academic community.
• Learn from core teaching staff that are highly engaged with the policy world, who bring their field-grounded analysis directly into the classroom.
• Join an active alumni network of graduates working in academic research, the UN, the EU, NGOs, the civil service, NATO, think tanks, media and publishing, finance and investment, teaching, risk consultancy, and the armed forces.

This Conflict, Security and Development MA is a practical, policy-focused master’s that’s taught by policy-engaged teachers who are active researchers. This means you’ll learn from their own field-grounded analysis, instead of being educated just by textbooks.

You will learn about the theories underpinning the connection between security and development, then use this knowledge to consider how it actually works on the ground. This will teach you how to apply theories to real-life scenarios.

The MA in Conflict, Security and Development takes a thematic approach to its curriculum. You’ll begin by studying the theories of development before learning about the root causes of conflict and how countries tip over into it. You’ll learn about the dynamics of war itself, discovering what happens in the aftermath of conflict and during conflict resolution and the peace-keeping process. You will also think about the state building process, how the UN deals with the fall-out of conflict, including efforts to disarm, demobilise and reintegrate ex-combatants.

You will take a population-centred approach to explore how people on the ground experience conflict, and what policymakers can do. You’ll consider how factors like gender and race influence people’s experience of conflict, and examine big thematic policy issues, like the global health implications of insecurity, the role of private military companies, or what aid donors really want from countries in conflict.