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Studies & Degrees in Defence and Strategic Studies

Defence and strategic studies is the academic study of war, armed force and security policy. The Strategic and Defence Studies Centre of the Australian National University describes its field as the analysis of armed force in international affairs. Students look at why wars start, how states plan and use military power, and how conflicts are prevented or ended.

The subject draws on several disciplines. King's College London teaches its War Studies degree through history, politics, international relations, philosophy, sociology, diplomacy and strategic studies. The Department of Defence and Strategic Studies of the University of Madras lists national security, South Asian security, arms control, nuclear proliferation, conflict resolution, international terrorism, maritime security and environmental security among its areas of focus. It is a civilian university subject, open to students with no military background, although serving officers also take these courses.

Qualifications and levels

  • Bachelor's degree. The War Studies BA at King's College London takes three years, with an optional year abroad, and asks for A-levels at AAA. Students write a dissertation in the final year and may take one language module free of charge. At Massey University in New Zealand, Security Studies is a specialisation within the Bachelor of Arts and is taught by distance and online.
  • Diplomas and certificates. Massey's Diploma in Arts (Defence Studies) combines modern defence studies and military history. Full-time students take eight 15-credit courses (120 New Zealand credits) in one year. Its Graduate Certificate in Arts (Defence Studies) is for graduates of another subject who want to study defence without a second bachelor's degree.
  • Master's degree. The MA in War Studies is the oldest degree programme of the Department of War Studies at King's, going back some 60 years; it is designed for students with little or no specialist background in the field. Massey's Master of Arts (Defence and Security Studies) has 180 credits and can be completed in three semesters of full-time study. The University of Madras offers an M.A. in Defence and Strategic Studies in a department established in 1977.
  • Doctorate. The University of Madras offers a full-time or part-time PhD, and research degrees are the usual route into university teaching and think tanks.

Credit systems differ between countries: New Zealand and UK credits are not ECTS credits. Ask the school how its qualification is recognised in the country where you want to work.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists 7 active schools for defence and strategic studies. Three are in the United Kingdom: King's College London, Lancaster University and the University of London. The others are Massey University in New Zealand, the University of Madras in India, the University of Melbourne in Australia and the Facultad de Economía y Empresa of the Universidad de Zaragoza in Spain. Outside our list, the Australian National University offers a Bachelor of International Security Studies, a Master of Strategy and Defence and a Master of Strategic and Defence Studies.

The subject is often taught inside a politics, international relations or history department and under different names, such as war studies, security studies or international security. Check each school's current course list. Teaching in the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia is in English.

Students who prefer to study in Spanish can look at the Máster Universitario en Paz, Seguridad y Defensa of the Instituto Universitario General Gutiérrez Mellado, part of the Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED). UNED describes it as an official postgraduate programme. It has 90 ECTS credits spread over two academic years and is taught by distance learning, with two face-to-face sessions each semester.

Careers

Graduates work where security policy is made, analysed or reported. King's College London names international organisations, non-governmental organisations, national civil and military public service, politics, journalism, public advocacy and risk analysis as destinations for its War Studies master's graduates. Massey mentions civil defence and disaster relief, diplomacy and conflict resolution, peacekeeping and policy analysis. The Madras department gives its students guidance for employment in the armed forces, government departments, the corporate sector and NGOs.

A degree in this subject does not give direct entry to the armed forces or to intelligence services. Each country recruits through its own selection process, and many government posts are open only to its citizens.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a military background to study defence and strategic studies?

No. These are university programmes for civilian students as well as serving personnel. The MA in War Studies at King's College London, for example, is designed for students with little or no specialist background in the field.

How long does a degree take?

The War Studies BA at King's College London takes three years, with an optional year abroad. Massey's Master of Arts (Defence and Security Studies) can be completed in three semesters of full-time study.

Can I study the subject online?

Yes, at some universities. Massey University teaches its defence and security qualifications by distance and online, and UNED's master's in Spain is a distance programme with a small number of face-to-face sessions.

Is strategic studies the same as international relations?

It is a narrower field. International relations covers all relations between states; strategic studies concentrates on the use and control of armed force, defence policy and security.