UCL Security Studies Msc

Is anyone currently on this course? I was wondering how you might be finding it? If not, does anybody know anything about the courses reputation, I havent found anything online, thanks.

Reply 1

username1076056

Hey, I'm currently on the MSc Security Studies programme at UCL. On the whole I am pleased with the programme, the department facilities (which have recently been completely refurbished and we've extended into the adjacent town house on Tavistock Square giving us more space), and the quality of teaching. The School of Public Policy enjoys promoting itself as the only graduate focused political science department in the country (which will continue until 2015 when it is introducing PPE and Politics as its first undergraduate degrees). The seminar series organised by the department attracts high profile dignitaries, this year's speakers included the former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw (whom is also an honorary Professor of the department), Jonathan Powell spoke on the issues of terrorism (Blair's ex-Chief of Staff 1997-2007), and we even had Nicola Sturgeon the Deputy First Minister talk about Scottish independence on the same day that Osborne formally declared that the UK would not allow the Scottish to keep pound sterling.

The course attracts (and this goes for the department as well) a broad mix of students from a range of backgrounds although most have studied political science. There seems to be a fair few Oxford graduates (but interestingly few Cambridge grads) spread across the Master's programmes including Security Studies. My main reason for choosing the Security Studies course at UCL over others of it's kind was because of UCL's global footprint (4th in the world according to the QS, and highly ranked/ top 5 for politics in every national league table), and the highly employable skills afforded to students due to the compulsory Quantitative Research Methods and Qualitative Research Methods modules (which you choose between introduction and advanced). Most likely, unless of course you have a knowledge of statistics, and Stata the data analysis software you will be expected to use, you will find Quantitative Research Methods challenging, but also very rewarding. I have to be honest, I did not enjoy the module all the time, it was very difficult (I thought that I might fail it). However, somehow I managed to get a Distinction, and afterwards felt hugely proud to have accomplished this in such a skills based module.

The programme itself is quite theoretical. It seems that most of the department's lecturers prefer quantitative research methods for dissertations (I say this as I am just getting into this phase of the course). You can pick optional modules from outside of the department that can be more arts based, i.e I chose to do the Russian politics module which is taught by SSEES and the coursework + exam follows your typical arts based format.

In terms of the programme's reputation, well I can't specifically say (I'm probably biased) but it seems to have attracted some intelligent students. Moreover, the course will put you in good stead for jobs in NGO/IGO and think tanks as most expect applicants to have formal quantitative and qualitative research skills.

The department and UCL as a whole are very good at using there reputation to attract employers and help students go on to PhD study or further education. I'm off to St Andrews next September for example.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 2

username1076056

Original post by anna_xine

Did you have the introduction level or advanced level for qualitative and quantitative research methods?

I chose the introduction level for both qualitative and quantitative research methods as I hadn't done statistics or a dedicated methods course before. If you have any other questions feel free to pm me or post on the forum, happy to help!

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 3

adl90

Original post by MarcoFr

I chose the introduction level for both qualitative and quantitative research methods as I hadn't done statistics or a dedicated methods course before. If you have any other questions feel free to pm me or post on the forum, happy to help!

I'm trying to decide between LSE (MSc Conflcit Studies) and UCL (MSc Security Studies). I'd love to hear why you chose UCL over other uni's and the opportunities for internships during the program, if there is time etc.

Reply 4

username1076056

Original post by adl90

I'm trying to decide between LSE (MSc Conflcit Studies) and UCL (MSc Security Studies). I'd love to hear why you chose UCL over other uni's and the opportunities for internships during the program, if there is time etc.

Well, my options didn't include LSE (which I chose not to apply to due to what I felt was an outrageously high tuition fee that I simply could not justify paying). At the time, my other offers were for:

MSc Defence, Development and Diplomacy at Durham
MA Intelligence and International Security at Kings College London

I chose the programme at UCL because of the compulsory quantitative and qualitative research methods courses. I feel that by doing these modules it has made me more competitive in the job market. Specifically, several think tanks/NGO/IGO/charities demand quantitative research skills as a prerequisite for positions. Moreover, there is a good variety of modules to pick from within SPP and outside be it in the Jill Dando Institute of Crime Science or the School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES).

With regards to internships, obviously its policy for the university to advise against this (as they like to claim that a full-time course requires a student's full-time focus). However, that said there are students on the course working for a variety of think tanks. The programme is only one year, so there is not an explicit internship programme offered to students on the course (it's up to you to look for them). On a separate note, the Constitution Unit is based in the department (it's quite high profile for what it does) and your more than welcome to apply for a role within it after completing your degree, although I think it's unpaid. Conversely, the department's SPP postgraduate intranet has a comprehensive database with almost every single possible NGO/IGO et al imaginable where alumni have applied for internships/ full-time roles. The careers service at UCL is really quite good, and you really do get plenty of events where you get the opportunity to network with businesses. Last night I attended a SSEES careers event, and there were 11 firms including GCHQ, political risk, business risk and the Economist Intelligence Unit. Of course, none of those firms were paid to be there (so my Russian politics lecturer/organiser of the event says), they all attended as they consider UCL graduates to be employable beings :wink:

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 5

adl90

Original post by MarcoFr

Well, my options didn't include LSE (which I chose not to apply to due to what I felt was an outrageously high tuition fee that I simply could not justify paying). At the time, my other offers were for:

MSc Defence, Development and Diplomacy at Durham
MA Intelligence and International Security at Kings College London

I chose the programme at UCL because of the compulsory quantitative and qualitative research methods courses. I feel that by doing these modules it has made me more competitive in the job market. Specifically, several think tanks/NGO/IGO/charities demand quantitative research skills as a prerequisite for positions. Moreover, there is a good variety of modules to pick from within SPP and outside be it in the Jill Dando Institute of Crime Science or the School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES).

With regards to internships, obviously its policy for the university to advise against this (as they like to claim that a full-time course requires a student's full-time focus). However, that said there are students on the course working for a variety of think tanks. The programme is only one year, so there is not an explicit internship programme offered to students on the course (it's up to you to look for them). On a separate note, the Constitution Unit is based in the department (it's quite high profile for what it does) and your more than welcome to apply for a role within it after completing your degree, although I think it's unpaid. Conversely, the department's SPP postgraduate intranet has a comprehensive database with almost every single possible NGO/IGO et al imaginable where alumni have applied for internships/ full-time roles. The careers service at UCL is really quite good, and you really do get plenty of events where you get the opportunity to network with businesses. Last night I attended a SSEES careers event, and there were 11 firms including GCHQ, political risk, business risk and the Economist Intelligence Unit. Of course, none of those firms were paid to be there (so my Russian politics lecturer/organiser of the event says), they all attended as they consider UCL graduates to be employable beings :wink:

Thanks for the reply! Yeah I definitely like the methods courses that are offered! Thanks for the info on interning and jobs fairs, that's really awesome to know the uni actively looks to help students secure work! I'm a foreign student so all of the courses are about the same amount sadly! I'll definitely be taking everything you've mentioned into consideration!

Thanks!

UCL Security Studies Msc

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