International Master in Security, Intelligence and Strategic Studies
Introduction
The International Master in Security, Intelligence and Strategic Studies (IMSISS) is a 24 month Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree (EMJMD) developed by a consortium of four European universities –University of Glasgow (UK), Dublin City University (Ireland), Charles University in Prague (Czech Republic) and University of Trento (Italy).
Students on this degree programme will examine a broad range of contemporary security challenges, such as terrorism, civil war and conflict, mass migration, energy supply security, cyber security and new technologies, and transnational and serious organised crime. Students will also explore the intelligence and strategic approaches used by governmental and non-governmental actors to combat these threats.
The degree adopts a unique approach to the study of security by combining theoretical, applied and empirical knowledge and skill sets. Students will have the opportunity to meet with and work alongside a range of academics and researchers from international partner universities and think tanks from around the world, as well as practitioner experts from governmental and industry security and defence sectors.
Students will examine a broad range of contemporary security challenges, such as terrorism, civil war and intra-state conflict, mass migration, energy security, cyber security, and transnational crime. Students will also explore the intelligence and strategic approaches used by governmental and non-governmental actors to combat these threats. The degree adopts a unique approach to the study of security by combining theoretical, applied and empirical knowledge and skill sets. Students will have the opportunity to meet with and work alongside a range of academics and researchers from international partner universities and think tanks from around the world, as well as practitioner experts from governmental and industry security and defence sectors.
Erasmus Mundus scholarships are available for the programme. Further information and details on how to apply can be found on the IMSISS website: www.securityintelligence-erasmusmundus.eu
Why do this programme?
International security presents complex, challenging realities for a wide range of actors from nation states and international organisations, to multi-national corporations. Globalisation and increased interdependency has radically changed the way we view security in relation to state, society, the economy and even the biosphere.
There is a demand for greater attention and coordinated responses from the international community, including not only individual nation states but also international organisations such as the EU, the African Union (AU), the United Nations (UN) and security alliances such as NATO. To support these organisations there is a need for knowledgeable, well informed experts with the skills to not only react to crises, but to identify and anticipate the threats and challenges that create crises. These experts can and should come from civilian (e.g. academia, governmental, non-governmental and private sectors) as well as military backgrounds.
Bridging these ‘expert’ security communities and ensuring opportunities for dedicated training and shared knowledge, experiences and best practice is the purpose of this IMSISS degree programme.
Programme Structure
The programme is structured around four mobility periods across two years. During Year 1 you will undertake a series of core and optional courses reflecting key themes and research design.
In Year 2 you will choose a specialist concentration containing a range of themed courses. Also included is a fourth flexible study period, during which time you will complete your independent study (dissertation) and may have the opportunity to undertake a work-based learning placement with a relevant associate partner.
Each mobility period is designed to provide you with a variety of perspectives on the three core themes of the programme and to develop valuable knowledge and practical skills that will feed into future career opportunities.
Core and optional courses include:
- International security & strategic thought (UofG)
- Intelligence analysis & policy making (UofG)
- European & international security strategies (UofG)
- Intelligence & security analysis: theory & practice (DCU)
- Political terrorism (DCU)
- Conflict, security & peacebuilding (DCU)
- Politics of the Middle East & North Africa (DCU)
- Arms control & disarmament (Charles)
- Economic warfare (Charles)
- Radicalisation & deradicalisation (Charles)
- Cyber security (Charles)
- Space security (Charles)
- Ethics & violence (Charles)
For a full range of available courses and concentrations across the three Universities, please see the IMSISS programme website.
NOTE: An optional summer school, provided by OTH Regensburg, includes training on data analytics, social network analysis, and methods of strategic intelligence and analysis, such as the intel cycle and target centric approaches.
Programme Aims and Objectives
IMSISS has five key objectives which seek to ensure students:
- attain a firm understanding of the theoretical concepts that inform contemporary security studies;
- acquire the expertise and necessary skills to critically engage with security, intelligence and strategy in an applied manner;
- are provided with experiential learning and employability enhancement through work-based learning opportunities with practitioner organisations;
- have access to a range of academic and non-academic personnel from industry and business, the military, intelligence community, governmental and non-governmental organisations thus helping to understand how security experts shape security practice;
- utilise mobility experiences to develop, appreciate the importance of, and articulate intercultural awareness as a key aspect of addressing security challenges.
Why Choose DCU?
- The School of Law and Government is Ireland’s leading academic department for the study of international development, environment and conflict studies.
- DCU is a young, innovative university with a reputation for excellence in teaching and research consistently rated in the ‘Top 50 under 50’ by the QS World University Rankings.
- IMSISS is a unique EU-funded programme of study, integrating theory with applied learning and welcomes students from a wide breadth of countries.
- IMSISS offers students the prospect of work placement (on a competitive basis), which is integrated into their dissertation.
- Get a head start in your career as you build relationships and contacts with colleagues, specialists and policy makers from a variety of backgrounds.
- Open doors to further postgraduate studies in Intelligence Analysis, Security Studies, Political Science and International Relations, Terrorism Studies and more.
The programme will provide students with the training and knowledge to move into national/ international government/ civil service, NGOs, private security sector, media, armed forces, business related activities (i.e. risk analysis) or academia.
Requirements
For entry requirements for this programme, please click on link below:
https://www.gla.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/internationalsecurity/#tab=3