How long does the MA in Strategic Studies take?

The MA in Strategic Studies runs one year full-time or two years part-time on-campus, online and by distance learning. Every MA in Strategic Studies cohort follows the same weekly seminar timetable.

How is the MA in Strategic Studies delivered?

The MA in Strategic Studies is taught on-campus in central London, online in live seminars, and by distance learning with recorded seminars. Dissertation supervision is one-to-one across all three modes.

Is the MA in Strategic Studies recognised in the UK?

Yes. The MA in Strategic Studies is a UK Level 7 Master's award aligned with BISA and IISS themes, appropriate for senior strategic-analyst practice.

What are the entry requirements for the MA in Strategic Studies?

A UK Bachelor's degree at 2:2 or above (or equivalent), plus IELTS 6.5 for non-native English speakers. Senior professionals without a first degree can enter the MA in Strategic Studies on portfolio.

What does the MA in Strategic Studies cost and is funding available?

Fees for the MA in Strategic Studies vary by study mode and cohort intake. LSLPE admissions publishes the current schedule and advises on employer sponsorship and instalment plans.

MA in Strategic Studies | LSLPE | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The MA in Strategic Studies at LSLPE is a UK Level 7 postgraduate programme running one year full-time or two years part-time across on-campus, online and distance routes. Content is calibrated to the way strategy is actually written and defended in the UK: threat assessment, deterrence, alliance management, defence economics, hybrid conflict and nuclear order, drawing on IISS commentary, RUSI-adjacent themes and Chatham House programme work.

By graduation you are producing structured strategic assessments, running scenario exercises on live questions, delivering a departmental-style briefing to a seminar audience, and completing a dissertation supervised by an academic or a practising strategic analyst.

Key Features

Content aligned with British International Studies Association (BISA) senior-track expectations in strategic studies.
Themes aligned with International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) and Chatham House commentary.
Political Studies Association (PSA) methods coverage.
Seminars run in the case-room and select-committee tradition, evidence-led and argued in public.
Dissertation supervision by academics and practising strategic analysts.
Distance and online cohorts follow the same weekly seminar timetable as on-campus students.

What You Will Learn

The main analytical traditions in strategic studies: classical, structural realist, constructivist and cognitive.
Threat assessment method for a defence and security audience.
Deterrence theory and its contemporary application.
Alliance management, NATO and coalition operations.
Defence economics and procurement.
Hybrid conflict, cyber and information operations.
Nuclear order and non-proliferation regimes.
Research method design for a Master's-level strategic studies dissertation.

Who This Course Is For

Officers, analysts and policy advisers moving into senior strategic roles.
Graduates of a Bachelor's in politics, international relations or history taking a specialist Master's.
International applicants seeking a UK Level 7 award in strategic studies.
Working professionals in defence, intelligence or foreign policy who want a formal Master's credential.
Career changers moving from journalism, corporate risk or NGO conflict work.

Career Pathways

Strategic Intelligence Analyst
Defence Policy Analyst in a ministry or think tank
Foreign Policy Adviser on strategic briefs
Political Analyst on a country or region desk
International Relations Analyst in a research team
Public Affairs Officer with a defence portfolio
International Affairs Officer at a multilateral
Human Rights Officer on conflict-adjacent work

The LSLPE careers service maintains standing relationships with strategic studies think tanks, defence-facing consultancies and international bodies, and refreshes content annually against BISA and IISS commentary.

Entry Requirements

A UK Bachelor's degree (2:2 or above) or equivalent international qualification in politics, international relations, history or a cognate discipline.
IELTS 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0) for non-native English speakers.
Applicants without a Bachelor's degree but with 5+ years of senior professional experience in defence, intelligence or foreign policy are considered on portfolio.
One academic and one professional reference.
A 500-word research proposal or professional practice statement.

Why Study at LSLPE

LSLPE teaches strategic studies from central London, within a short tube ride of the FCDO, Chatham House, IISS, Parliament and Whitehall. Every intake, on-campus or remote, joins the same weekly seminar structure with named programme-tutor support, run in the case-room and select-committee tradition.

Three parallel study modes let progressors, working practitioners and portfolio-route applicants complete the MA in Strategic Studies without leaving employment, and the LSLPE careers service maintains standing relationships with IISS-adjacent teams, defence policy consultancies and multilateral bodies.

Apply for MA in Strategic Studies

The MA in Strategic Studies is a senior UK credential for analysts and policy professionals who want a rigorous, research-informed grounding in strategy. Enrol on an LSLPE Master's programme — dissertation, capstone or sponsor project supervised by practising barristers, policy advisers and City economists. Enrol Now