The conduct of international security is changing. This is in response to new technologies, tactics, and challenges. Security itself is a contested term, with stark disagreements on its use. Join this course to gain a rigorous understanding of contemporary and emerging security challenges.

You explore the many different understandings of security, their histories, and futures. You look at how they matter to war, insurgency, and foreign policy today.

You learn to produce informed analysis of a range of issues including:

• imperial and civil wars
• rising powers and military intervention
• violence against civilians
• terrorism and new technologies of war
• intelligence and resilience
• weapons of mass destruction and biosecurity.

We host the specialised Sussex Centre for Conflict and Security Research, the Centre for Advanced International Theory, the Centre for Global Health Policy, and the Centre for Global Political Economy. You will learn through our multidisciplinary environment, interdisciplinary approach, cutting-edge research, international faculty, and distinctive programme of events.

Careers

Our course is ideal for you if you’re hoping to pursue a professional career in international security, or in the analysis of current international security affairs as a policy adviser, journalist or researcher. It’s also a good basis for postgraduate research in international security.

Graduate destinations

Recent Department of International Relations graduates have gone on to jobs including:

• associate project officer, OSCE
• deputy administrator, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
• market research analyst, Qualifa.