Programme structure

The programme is structured around a series of mobility periods across two years where you study at the three programme universities for 1 academic semester each. During year 1 you will undertake a series of core courses reflecting the main themes of the programme and research methods training.

In year 2 you will choose a specialist concentration containing a range of optional courses. Also included is a fourth flexible mobility period, during which independent study (dissertation) and a possible optional work-based learning placement with a relevant non-academic practitioner partner are undertaken.

The periods of mobility are designed to enable you to engage with a variety of perspectives on the three core themes of the programme and promote valuable knowledge and practical skills based outcomes that will feed into future career opportunities.

Year 1

University of Glasgow (September - December)

• European and international security strategies
• International security and strategic studies
• Intelligence analysis & policy making
• Language option: Arabic, Chinese, Russian, German, French OR Spanish.

If students are able to demonstrate that they have completed a similar module in International Relations or Security Studies at A grade, they may be exempt from the International Security & Strategic Studies course and may instead choose one module from a defined list of alternatives. 

Dublin City University (January - May) – Intelligence, peace-building & terrorism pathway

You will take one core and two optional courses.

• Conflict, security and peace-building
• Contemporary issues in security
• Intelligence and security analysis: theory and practice (core)
• International security: critical approaches
• Gender and security
• Political terrorism
• A number of other options are available

University of Trento (January – May) – Causes of conflicts pathway

• Conflict, human rights and natural resources
• Civil societies and contentious politics
• Geographies of security
• History and politics of the Middle East: conflicts, ideologies and democratisation
• Italian language or academic and practitioner writing skills for those already proficient in Italian
• One optional course from a choice of seven

Various locations (June - August; optional)

• Research period to work on dissertation and engage with placement partner
• Summer School from a choice of four provided by partners and associate partners of the programme

Year 2 

Charles University Prague (September - February)

You must choose one specialist themed concentration and complete a minimum of four courses (including the core). You may choose a fifth course from any of the options offered to make up the required number of credits. (Additional courses may be added to concentrations and all courses are subject to availability)

Concentration A - Strategic Studies

Concentration B - Regional Security

Concentration C - Security & Technology

Concentration D - Conflict Studies

Independent study portfolio (March - August)

During this flexible mobility period you will return to the university location of your primary supervisor. This will be your official academic home for this period. During this period all students have to complete their independent study portfolio which includes a dissertation. Depending on your research topic you may be able to spend some time during this mobility period in a fourth location at one of our associate partners. Some students will also have the opportunity to undertake a 6-8 week work-based placement linked to their dissertation topic. These are offered by our associate non-academic partners and are available on a competitive basis.

A range of formative and extra-curricular features are embedded within this programme. These include

• Language learning opportunities (e.g. German, Czech, Russian, Chinese, Spanish, Urdu, Arabic),
• Study Tour opportunities (e.g. Brussels/Paris/London, Washington) to visit key institutions and organisations working in the security sector such as NATO, European External Action Service.
• Policy development exercises, situational workshops and crisis management training events
• A project based Summer School
• Opportunities to attend security focused conferences 
• Specialist guest lectures and seminars
• Membership of the University of Glasgow's Global Security Network and the opportunity to work closely with staff from Charles University’s Deutsch Security Square. 

Programme alteration or discontinuation
The University of Glasgow endeavours to run all programmes as advertised. In exceptional circumstances, however, the University may withdraw or alter a programme. For more information, please see: Student contract.