War Studies KCL or International Relations Queen Mary
Hi everyone,
I received an offer from KCL and QM as you can see in the title but don't know which one to choose, having a slight preference for KCL.
I'm an international student and don't really know how those universities are seen in your country, if you have any information on those courses (locations, reputation...) I would gladly take it especially the War Studies one.
Thanks a lot !
I received an offer from KCL and QM as you can see in the title but don't know which one to choose, having a slight preference for KCL.
I'm an international student and don't really know how those universities are seen in your country, if you have any information on those courses (locations, reputation...) I would gladly take it especially the War Studies one.
Thanks a lot !
Original post by Eniotnha
Hi everyone,
I received an offer from KCL and QM as you can see in the title but don't know which one to choose, having a slight preference for KCL.
I'm an international student and don't really know how those universities are seen in your country, if you have any information on those courses (locations, reputation...) I would gladly take it especially the War Studies one.
Thanks a lot !
I received an offer from KCL and QM as you can see in the title but don't know which one to choose, having a slight preference for KCL.
I'm an international student and don't really know how those universities are seen in your country, if you have any information on those courses (locations, reputation...) I would gladly take it especially the War Studies one.
Thanks a lot !
King's is definitely seen as 'more prestigious' than QMUL. In addition, the War Studies department at KCL is the best in the country.
Original post by ageshallnot
King's is definitely seen as 'more prestigious' than QMUL. In addition, the War Studies department at KCL is the best in the country.
What is war studies? What kind of jobs can you get with it?
I feel like although KCL is held at higher regard, International Relations seems like a more respectable degree course?
What do you want to work as OP?
@Princepieman - How is 'War Studies' seen by employers? It's not a very common degree.
What do you want to work as OP?
@Princepieman - How is 'War Studies' seen by employers? It's not a very common degree.
Original post by High Stakes
I feel like although KCL is held at higher regard, International Relations seems like a more respectable degree course?
What do you want to work as OP?
@Princepieman - How is 'War Studies' seen by employers? It's not a very common degree.
What do you want to work as OP?
@Princepieman - How is 'War Studies' seen by employers? It's not a very common degree.
Pretty much this. KCL seems like a better uni but I don't think I have ever heard of war studies before. Although International Relations is a respectable degree. Although if you would enjoy war studies then maybe go for that.
Original post by High Stakes
What is war studies? What kind of jobs can you get with it?
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/war-studies-ba.aspx
Original post by High Stakes
I feel like although KCL is held at higher regard, International Relations seems like a more respectable degree course?
What do you want to work as OP?
@Princepieman - How is 'War Studies' seen by employers? It's not a very common degree.
What do you want to work as OP?
@Princepieman - How is 'War Studies' seen by employers? It's not a very common degree.
War Studies, alongside Political Economy, make up two of the best courses available at KCL. Think of how LSE's flagship course is their Economics degree - these two are KCL's bread and butter.
You'll find tonnes of alumni amongst the highest realms in politics (both nationally and internationally), business and a myriad of other sectors. Don't write it off because it 'sounds funny', employers know of and respect the course.
I'm sure this has since been settled, but I remember looking at this thread when deciding on King's. Especially for the aspect of "what kind of jobs can you get?".
What you put into your time at King's is what you'll get out. You need to be able to go out on your own and actively search for opportunities and internships. Whilst King's will hold networking events & help with CV's and applications, no one will go out and get you one.
I managed to get one in Parliament in my first summer by directly contacting that MP's office and playing to their specialism in the security sector.
From the Prime Minister of Jordan to the Force Commander of the UN mission in Liberia, it is apparent that the bulk of notable War Studies alumni occupy the upper realms of the military and wider security domain. WS graduates have gone on to occupy the following positions in the British Armed Forces, to name a few:
Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe
Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff
Director Special Forces
Commander Land Forces
Commandant General Royal Marines
Standing Joint Force Commander
Commander Allied Rapid Reaction Corps
Commandant of Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (Officer Academy for the British Army)
In terms of wider British political positions, they have been:
Private Secretary to Queen Elizabeth II
FCO’s Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia
British Ambassadors to Slovenia, Sweden, Georgia, and Ukraine to name a few
Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands
Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Foreign Secretary
Senior Advisor Middle East at the Ministry of Defence
Shadow Minister for Defence
Members of Parliament
Members of the European Parliament
Civil Servants at the: Cabinet Office, FCO, MOD, Parliament, etc.
As for international alumni, they have held positions of:
Prime Minister of Jordan
Prime Minister of Moldova
UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process
Speaker of Parliament of Singapore
Chief of the Malaysian Army
Military Secretary of the Indian Army
Chief of the Defence Staff of the Nigerian Armed Forces
Permanent Representative to NATO
Deputy Commissioner for Counterterrorism at NYPD
US Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs
US Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control, Verification, and Compliance
In the private sphere, the department is a big feeder to the industries of cyber security, risk analysis, defence consulting, intelligence, and journalism. Some students go on to more generic consulting work and others transfer to legal professions. The department opens a number of niche doors and provides certain connections, but it certainly doesn’t close any doors to the wider corporate world.
Bear in mind that this isn’t the alumni of a university, this is a selection of some of the alumni of a small department. It doesn’t include any academics or professors at the department, who have been/are:
Chiefs of MI6, GCHQ, and the Joint Intelligence Committee
Permanent Representatives to the UN
NATO spokespersons
Chief Scientist of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Secretary of State in the German Federal Ministry of Defence
Professors at Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Yale, Georgetown, UC Berkeley, Columbia, Sorbonne, Sciences Po, etc.
What you put into your time at King's is what you'll get out. You need to be able to go out on your own and actively search for opportunities and internships. Whilst King's will hold networking events & help with CV's and applications, no one will go out and get you one.
I managed to get one in Parliament in my first summer by directly contacting that MP's office and playing to their specialism in the security sector.
From the Prime Minister of Jordan to the Force Commander of the UN mission in Liberia, it is apparent that the bulk of notable War Studies alumni occupy the upper realms of the military and wider security domain. WS graduates have gone on to occupy the following positions in the British Armed Forces, to name a few:
Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe
Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff
Director Special Forces
Commander Land Forces
Commandant General Royal Marines
Standing Joint Force Commander
Commander Allied Rapid Reaction Corps
Commandant of Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (Officer Academy for the British Army)
In terms of wider British political positions, they have been:
Private Secretary to Queen Elizabeth II
FCO’s Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia
British Ambassadors to Slovenia, Sweden, Georgia, and Ukraine to name a few
Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands
Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Foreign Secretary
Senior Advisor Middle East at the Ministry of Defence
Shadow Minister for Defence
Members of Parliament
Members of the European Parliament
Civil Servants at the: Cabinet Office, FCO, MOD, Parliament, etc.
As for international alumni, they have held positions of:
Prime Minister of Jordan
Prime Minister of Moldova
UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process
Speaker of Parliament of Singapore
Chief of the Malaysian Army
Military Secretary of the Indian Army
Chief of the Defence Staff of the Nigerian Armed Forces
Permanent Representative to NATO
Deputy Commissioner for Counterterrorism at NYPD
US Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs
US Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control, Verification, and Compliance
In the private sphere, the department is a big feeder to the industries of cyber security, risk analysis, defence consulting, intelligence, and journalism. Some students go on to more generic consulting work and others transfer to legal professions. The department opens a number of niche doors and provides certain connections, but it certainly doesn’t close any doors to the wider corporate world.
Bear in mind that this isn’t the alumni of a university, this is a selection of some of the alumni of a small department. It doesn’t include any academics or professors at the department, who have been/are:
Chiefs of MI6, GCHQ, and the Joint Intelligence Committee
Permanent Representatives to the UN
NATO spokespersons
Chief Scientist of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Secretary of State in the German Federal Ministry of Defence
Professors at Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Yale, Georgetown, UC Berkeley, Columbia, Sorbonne, Sciences Po, etc.
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