Conflict, Security and Development MSc

The programme is available on a full-time basis over one year or on a part-time basis over two years. There is flexibility in course options, allowing you to pursue the knowledge and skills most relevant to you.

Compulsory courses

You will take the following three compulsory courses:

Conflict, Security, and Development

This course focuses on:

• the security-development nexus
• the notion that security is a precondition for development and that development leads to security
• the type of resulting interventions and shifts in aid allocations

Politics and Theories of International Development

This course analyses the dominant and alternative theories that seek to explain development outcomes.

Peace and Conflict in Africa

This course covers major theories, trends and methodological questions in the study of armed conflict in Africa.

Option courses

You will choose from a range of option courses, allowing you to develop a specialised profile as a development professional. Available option courses may include:

• Resource Politics and Development
• Policing and Punishment: Global Perspectives
• Displacement and Development
• Pursuing Justice After Violence

You can take courses worth up to 20 credits outside of the option courses listed, subject to approval from the Programme Director.

Dissertation

You can choose from two different dissertation models, depending on your future career goals:

• a standard research dissertation

or

• a policy-focused dissertation

Standard research dissertation

You will be required to write a 15,000-word dissertation. This option is ideal for those wanting to continue on to a PhD programme or a professional role in a research institute.

Policy-focused dissertation

You will be required to write:

• a 13,500-word dissertation (worth 85% of your dissertation assessment)
• a 1,500-word policy briefing (worth 15% of your dissertation assessment)

The policy-focused dissertation option provides you with:

• direct engagement with experts in the field of security and development during the dissertation workshop
• opportunities to practice pitching research ideas to practitioners
• experience writing in a style aimed at policymakers and public audiences

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

Graduates of this programme will:

• demonstrate a critical understanding of the links between conflict, security and development and be able to analyse the various actors, agendas, and practices that these linkages have generated
• apply research skills and techniques appropriate to the study of development and security policy
• analyse and synthesize relevant data using interdisciplinary methods
• be able to independently engage with new ideas, and to confront social questions with open-mindedness and intellectual rigour
• gain knowledge and skills needed for progression to relevant professional work, including the ability to effectively and confidently articulate complex social ideas, with appropriate sensitivity and nuance, to different audiences

This programme is extremely relevant if you are seeking employment in:

• government agencies
• non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
• international organisations (United Nations, World Bank, etc.)
• humanitarian organisations
• research institutes
• the public sector
• think tanks
• academia

The Centre of African Studies (CAS), one of Europe’s largest centres for African Studies, is home to expert academics involved in research that tackles pressing issues in security and development.

As a student of CAS, you will:

• learn from the latest research and professional experience of lecturers and researchers
• benefit from staff members' ties to wider networks including experts, policymakers and professionals from across the globe
• be exposed to the latest advances in the field by staff who are actively involved in conflict research across the globe

CAS and the University’s Centre for Security Research each host a range of research-focused events and activities, including:

• regular seminars from guest speakers sharing their latest research
• public seminars with prominent public figures such as writers, influential thinkers and activists
• an annual conference drawing together international scholars, researchers, and practitioners

Teaching staff for the Conflict, Security and Development MSc programme are involved in ongoing research on various topics, including:

• veterans of peacekeeping operations
• security force assistance
• mobs and everyday violence
• gang anthropologies
• transitional justice and violence
• climate change

These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in a relevant subject such as politics, international relations, international development, anthropology, area studies, and international studies.

Students from China

This degree is Band C.

• Postgraduate entry requirements for students from China

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.0 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 169 in each component.
• Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 73 with at least 59 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
• Oxford ELLT: 8 overall with at least 6 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

• English language requirements

Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.

Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:

• borrowing money
  • taking out a loan
  • family support
• personal savings
• income from work
• employer sponsorship
• scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

• your programme
• the duration of your studies
• your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

• UK government and other external funding

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding