Terrorism, Security & Society

Program Overview

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Postgraduate Taught

Study

Key information

Study mode:

Full time

Part time

Duration:

One year full-time, September to September, two years part-time

Credit value (UK/ECTS equivalent):

UK 180 / ECTS 90

Application status:

Open

Start date:

September 2025

Course essentials

This degree can be taken as part of a joint arrangement with our partner institution, Sciences Po that offers a graduate programme in International Affairs. Please see the Teaching & Structure tab above for more information.

Base campuses

Strand Campus

Located on the north bank of the River Thames, the Strand Campus houses King's College London's arts and sciences faculties.

Waterloo Campus

Waterloo campus is home of the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery and facilities for other faculties

Please note that locations are determined by where each module is taught and may vary depending on the modules you study.

Regulating bodies

King's is regulated by the Office for Students

Entry requirements

UK applicants

Standard requirements

A minimum 2:1 undergraduate Bachelor’s (honours) degree

If you have a lower degree classification , or a degree in an unrelated subject, your application may be considered if you can demonstrate significant relevant work experience, or offer a related graduate qualification (such as a Masters or PGDip).

Programme-Specific Requirements

Undergraduate degree with 2:1 honours in International Relations, War Studies, History, Political Science, Strategic Studies, Criminology, Economics, Geography, History, Law, Philosophy, Psychiatry, Psychology, Religious Studies, Social Anthropology, Sociology, Theology. Applications from students with first degree in other areas, including science, language, and journalism, are also welcome. Candidates who do not achieve a 2:1 but have relevant professional or voluntary experience will also be considered. Mature candidates will be considered favourably.

In order to meet the academic entry requirements for this programme you should have a minimum 2:1 undergraduate degree. If you are still studying you should be achieving an average of at least 60% or above in the UK marking scheme.

International applicants

Equivalent International qualifications

Select a country to view the equivalent international qualifications.

English language requirements

English language band:

B

To study at King's, it is essential that you can communicate in English effectively in an academic environment. You are usually required to provide certification of your competence in English before starting your studies.

Nationals of majority English speaking countries (as defined by the UKVI) who have permanently resided in this country are not usually required to complete an additional English language test. This is also the case for applicants who have successfully completed an undergraduate degree (of at least three years duration), a postgraduate taught degree (of at least one year), or a PhD in a majority English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI) within five years of the course start date.

For information on our English language requirements and whether you need to complete an English language test, please see our English Language requirements page.

Teaching & structure

Teaching methods - what to expect

• Lectures
• Seminars
• Self-Study

We will use a delivery method that will ensure students have a rich, exciting experience from the start. Face to face teaching will be complemented and supported with innovative technology so that students also experience elements of digital learning and assessment.

The following table will give you an idea of what a typical academic workload might look like as you progress through your studies:

Module	Lectures, seminars and feedback	Self-study
Per 15-credit module	20 hours of teaching. Typically, 2 hours per week over one 10- week term. This can be split into lectures and seminars. A 30- credit module will be double this	130 hours.
Dissertation module (60 credits)	Up to 12 hours of online guidance, training workshops and personal supervision.	588 hours.

Typically, one credit equates to 10 hours work.

Location

This course is primarily taught at the King’s College London Strand and Waterloo Campuses. Please note that locations are determined by where each module is taught and may vary.

This programme can be taken as part of the partnership between Kings College London and Sciences PO that allows participating students to study for two years, with a year in both Paris and London. On completion of the programme, graduates receive a master's degree from the Paris School of International Affairs of Sciences Po (PSIA), and a master's degree from King's College London. Spanning a wide range of disciplines, this selective programme allows students to customise their training at both universities, and to benefit from the numerous opportunities, networks and services offered on both sides of the Channel.

For further information about the programme, including eligibility criteria and details of how to apply, please visit the Paris School of International Affairs’ website.

Assessment

• Essays
• Individual & Group Presentations
• Exercises
• Seminar participation
• Exams
• Dissertation

Your performance will be assessed through a combination of coursework and examinations. Assessment patterns vary between modules but forms of assessment typically include essays, individual and group presentations, exercises and exams.

The dissertation module assessment will be based on a 100% dissertation assignment.

The study time and assessment methods detailed above are typical and give you a good indication of what to expect. However, they are subject to change.

Structure

Courses are divided into modules. You will take modules totalling 180 credits

Required modules

You are required to take the following modules:

• Terrorism & Counter Terrorism (45 credits)
• Dissertation (60 credits)

Optional modules

In addition, you are required to take 75 credits from a range of optional modules offered by the Department of War Studies, which may typically include:

• Armchair Intelligence- Open Sources & Online Investigation (15 credits)
• Home Grown Radicalisation & Counter- Radicalisation in Western Europe & North America (30 credits)
• Technology, Security and Global Politics (15 Credits)
• The Science and Security of Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Weapons (15 credits)
• Responding to Terrorism (15 credits)
• Gender in International Politics and Security (15 credits)
• Sanctions and Economic Statecraft in War and Peace (15 credits)
• Negotiation, Mediation and Dialogue (30 credits)

The list of options above is not exhaustive. King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to respond to student demand as well as to provide up to date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. The optional modules available change each year and are therefore only made accessible to enrolled students during the module allocation period. At the start of the programme, you will be asked to select a number of optional modules (more than you are required to take) in preference order. The department will then allocate you the required number of optional credits, endeavouring to give all students as many of their top choices as possible. Please note that, due to limited spaces on each module, we are unable to guarantee that you will be allocated a place on any particular optional module or modules. Part-time students in the first year of study will take Terrorism & Counter Terrorism (45 credits) and up to 45 credits of optional modules. In your second year you will write your Dissertation (60 credits) and take optional modules adding up to the remaining credits. Please note: Teaching for part-time students in the Department of War Studies is scheduled between the hours of 9 am – 6 pm Monday – Friday. Individual student timetables are dependent on the modules chosen and vary each year so we are unable to provide these in advance. Timetables are usually released in mid-September following enrolment.

King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.

Please note that modules with a practical component will be capped due to educational requirements, which may mean that we cannot guarantee a place to all students who elect to study this module.

Careers

Employability

War Studies graduates go on to work for NGOs, the FCO, the MOD, the Home Office, NATO, the UN or pursue careers in journalism, finance, academia, the diplomatic services, the armed forces and more. Recent posts held by our alumni include Threat Analyst, Director of Political Violence Forecasting, Research Advisor at NATO Defence College, Foreign Policy Fellow.

Fees & Funding

Tuition Fees

UK:

• Full time: £19,550 per year (2025/26)
• Part time: £9,775 per year (2025/26)

International:

• Full time: £35,800 per year (2025/26)
• Part time: £17,900 per year (2025/26)

These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King’s terms and conditions.

Deposit

If you receive an offer for this programme, you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure your place. Deposit payments are credited towards the total tuition fee payment.

• The Home deposit is £500.
• The International deposit is £2000.

Additional Costs

In addition to your tuition costs, you can also expect to pay for:

• Books if you choose to buy your own copies.
• Clothing for optional course related events and competitions
• Library fees and fines.
• Personal photocopies.
• Printing course handouts.
• Society membership fees.
• Stationery.
• Travel costs for travel around London and between campuses.
• Graduation costs.

Funding

To find out more about bursaries, scholarships, grants, tuition fees, living expenses, student loans, and other financial help available at King's please visit the Fees and Funding section.