Strategic Studies (MSc)

Programme Fees

UK

Tuition Fees for 2026/27 Academic Year

£11,100

Tuition Fees for 2026/27 Academic Year (University of Aberdeen Graduates *)

£7,000

University of Aberdeen graduates are eligible for the Alumni Postgraduate Scholarship, reducing tuition fees to £7,000 - matching the current SAAS tuition loan - See full terms and conditions

EU / International students

Tuition Fees for 2026/27 Academic Year

£23,000

Tuition Fees for 2026/27 Academic Year (Self-funded Students *)

£15,000

The above fee includes the £8,000 Aberdeen Global Scholarship provided to self-funded international students. Full terms and conditions apply.

Stage 1

Stage 1: Compulsory Courses

Getting Started at the University of Aberdeen (PD5506)

This course, which is prescribed for all taught postgraduate students, is studied entirely online, takes approximately 2-3 hours to complete and can be taken in one sitting, or spread across the first 4 weeks of term.

Topics include University orientation overview, equality & diversity, MySkills, health, safety and cyber security, and academic integrity.

Successful completion of this course will be recorded on your Transcript as ‘Achieved’.

Detailed course information

Stage 1: Optional Courses

Students opting not to take a pathway must will select two courses from the following:

• PI5541 Political Psychology of Climate Change (30 credit points)
• LS5549 The Use of Force in International Law (30 credit points)
• PI5520 Terrorism and Counter Terrorism (30 credit points)
• PI5521 Chinese Security Issues (30 credit points)

If you are following the Strategic Studies and Energy Security pathway, you will take:

• PI5541 Political Psychology of Climate Change (30 credit points)
• PI5521 Chinese Security Issues (30 credit points)

If you are following the Strategic Studies and Management pathway, you will take:

• BU555A Managing Change (15 credit points)
• BU5584 The Leadership Challenge (15 credit points)

If you are following the Strategic Studies and International Law pathway, you must select one course from each of the following lists:

Strategic Studies:

• PI5520 Terrorism and Counter Terrorism (30 credit points)
• PI5521 Chinese Security Issues (30 credit points)
• PI5541 Political Psychology of Climate Change (30 credit points)

Law:

• LS5549 The Use of Force in International Law (30 credit points)
• LS5590 International Human Rights Law (30 credit points)

If you are following the Strategic Studies and Management pathway, you must also select one course from the following:

• PI5520 Terrorism and Counter Terrorism (30 credit points)
• PI5521 Chinese Security Issues (30 credit points)

The use of Force in International Law (LS5549)

30 Credit Points

The course aims to develop an in-depth and critical appreciation of current issues in the area of the use of armed force in International Law. The course is of interest to students who want to understand the legal considerations which frame contemporary conflicts.

The course will first analyse the fundamental principle of the prohibition on the use of force between States. It will then examine the current exceptions to this principle (e.g., right to self-defence, authorisation to use force given by the United Nations Security Council); further, what types of arguments States tend to use to justify the resort to force. Consequently, the course will study the most recent military interventions on the international plane (e.g., in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, Libya, Palestine, Syria, Ukraine, Gaza and Iran). Teaching will be principally delivered through discussion-based seminars.

Detailed course information

Terrorism and Counter - Terrorism (PI5520)

30 Credit Points

International terrorism and counterterrorism dominate both contemporary scholarly debates in International Relations (IR) and policy discussions. This course examines these debates by focusing, on the one hand, on the (individual and/or structural) causes and different manifestations of terrorism and, on the other hand, on debates on how to respond to terrorism not only effectively but also without violating humanitarian principles and international law. Overall, the course aims to provide students with an overview of current research on international terrorism and counterterrorism in IR and its neighbouring disciplines and to enable them to develop an in-depth knowledge and understanding of core aspects of the issue.

Detailed course information

Chinese Security Issues (PI5521)

30 Credit Points

The focus of this module is the key approaches, institutions, and contemporary issues in global security relating to the rise of China. Set in the context of broader global security issues, this module offers students an introduction to Chinese security policy and approaches to international relations. It lifts the vale on a very misunderstood, controversial, and increasingly critical feature of global security and world affairs. It will explore debates on China's rise, China's growing involvement in international politics, and global security.

Detailed course information

Managing Change (BU555A)

15 Credit Points

The concepts of change and innovation have never been more topical, especially given the commercial context of fierce business competition, shorter product life cycles and more demanding customers. Increasingly, long-term commercial success is based on an ability to manage change, to act creatively and to promote innovation; These processes interconnect and overlap and often present major challenges to modern organizations; We address these issues through providing detailed case illustrations ranging from the workplace to the wider business market. Learning is encouraged through interaction, reading, investigation, video and case analysis, and critical discussion.

Detailed course information

The Leadership Challenge (BU5584)

15 Credit Points

This course provides an opportunity to explore and develop an understanding of your own leadership behaviour. Through workshops, group activities and discussions we investigate how personality, past experience, current situations and culture shape the way each of us behave in a leadership role. Using this information as a starting point we then explore how different leadership theories and approaches can be used as frameworks for developing a deeper understanding of leadership behaviour. You will also have an opportunity to try out a range of practical tools and techniques to assist you in the development of your own approach to leadership.

Detailed course information

International Human Rights Law (LS5590)

30 Credit Points

The course was designed to help students build competence in dealing with the doctrinal issues about international human rights. It involves understanding the place of human rights in public international law, finding one’s way around the foundational human rights documents and the jurisprudence of human rights bodies. The course delivery puts heavy emphasis on classroom discussion on the controversial issues on contemporary human rights law that shape doctrinal development in this field: the justifiability of torture, the limits of freedom of religion, the justiciability of social rights, etc.

Detailed course information

The Political Psychology of Climate Change (PI5541)

30 Credit Points

This course investigates issues at the intersection of politics, psychology, and climate change. It aims to develop the knowledge and skills of student to apply a political psychological analysis to global climate politics. It considers factors such as how personality, beliefs, perceptions, emotions, and identity impacts environmental issues.

Detailed course information

Stage 2

Stage 2: Compulsory Courses

All students will undertake PI5901

Dissertation in Strategic Studies (PI5901)

60 Credit Points

The Strategic Studies dissertation is a compulsory element of the MSc Strategic Studies, Strategic Studies & International Law and Strategic Studies & Management degree programmes.

Detailed course information

Stage 3

Stage 3: Compulsory Courses

Strategic Theory (PI5001)

30 Credit Points

This core module considers the contribution of strategy, as the mechanism for the application of power and force, to national, regional, and international security. It explores what strategy is (the pursuit of continuing advantage) and how to think clearly about it. Topics addressed include the nature of strategy, deterrence, arms control, strategic stability, nuclear policy, and emerging technology and future warfare.

Detailed course information

Stage 3: Optional Courses

Students opting not to undertake a pathway must select PI5027 or PI5034.

If you are following the Strategic Studies and Energy Security pathway, you will also take:

• PI5037 Critical Climate Politics and Security (15 credit points)
• BU5053 Introduction to Energy Economics (15 credit points)

If you are following the Strategic Studies and International Law pathway, you will also take:

• LS501T Critical Legal Thinking and Scholarship (0 credit points)
• LS501U International Law: A Time of Challenges (30 credit points)

If you are following the Strategic Studies and Management pathway, you will also take:

• BU5048 Business Strategy (15 credit points)
• BU5072 Negotiation and Cross Cultural Management (15 credit points)

Religion, Conflict and Security (PI5027)

30 Credit Points

Since the end of the Cold War the world has seen a resurgence of religious movements in the public sphere and, particularly since 9/11, religion has increasingly been viewed in policy debates as an issue of domestic and international security. In the ever increasingly globalized era, religious identifications criss-cross national boundaries and identities posing a dilemma for the established norms of the secular nation-state, political theory and actors. This course will examine some of the emerging theories associated with the rise of political religion, and the potential for conflict and peace that emerge. Utilizing diverse case studies ranging from religious Zionism, to political Islam to national Hindu movements the course will critique and employ contemporary theoretical frameworks to gain understanding of the current phenomena of religion in the international political domain.

Detailed course information

International Diplomacy Theory and Practice (PI5034)

30 Credit Points

This course explores the origins, theory, manifestations, and practice of diplomacy. This is achieved via a series of lectures, seminars, practical exercises, and simulations. Appropriate focus is also given to diplomatic skills (oral, written, and strategic). The course provides an understanding of diplomacy and how it functions.

Detailed course information

Programme Fees

UK

Tuition Fees for 2026/27 Academic Year

£11,100

Tuition Fees for 2026/27 Academic Year (University of Aberdeen Graduates *)

£7,000

University of Aberdeen graduates are eligible for the Alumni Postgraduate Scholarship, reducing tuition fees to £7,000 - matching the current SAAS tuition loan - See full terms and conditions

EU / International students

Tuition Fees for 2026/27 Academic Year

£23,000

Tuition Fees for 2026/27 Academic Year (Self-funded Students *)

£15,000

The above fee includes the £8,000 Aberdeen Global Scholarship provided to self-funded international students. Full terms and conditions apply.

Stage 1

Stage 1: Compulsory Courses

Getting Started at the University of Aberdeen (PD5006)

This course, which is prescribed for all taught postgraduate students, is studied entirely online, takes approximately 2-3 hours to complete and can be taken in one sitting, or spread across the first 4 weeks of term.

Topics include University orientation overview, equality & diversity, MySkills, health, safety and cyber security, and academic integrity.

Successful completion of this course will be recorded on your Transcript as ‘Achieved’.

Detailed course information

Strategic Theory (PI5001)

30 Credit Points

This core module considers the contribution of strategy, as the mechanism for the application of power and force, to national, regional, and international security. It explores what strategy is (the pursuit of continuing advantage) and how to think clearly about it. Topics addressed include the nature of strategy, deterrence, arms control, strategic stability, nuclear policy, and emerging technology and future warfare.

Detailed course information

Stage 1: Optional Courses

Students who opt not to follow a pathway must select between PI5027 or PI5034.

If you are following the Strategic Studies and Energy Security pathway, you will also take:

• PI5037 Critical Climate Politics and Security (15 credit points)
• BU5053 Introduction to Energy Economics (15 credit points)

If you are following the Strategic Studies and International Law pathway, you will also take:

• LS501T Critical Legal Thinking and Scholarship (0 credit points)
• LS501U International Law: A Time of Challenges (30 credit points)

If you are following the Strategic Studies and Management pathway, you will also take:

• BU5048 Business Strategy (15 credit points)
• BU5072 Negotiation and Cross Cultural Management (15 credit points)

Religion, Conflict and Security (PI5027)

30 Credit Points

Since the end of the Cold War the world has seen a resurgence of religious movements in the public sphere and, particularly since 9/11, religion has increasingly been viewed in policy debates as an issue of domestic and international security. In the ever increasingly globalized era, religious identifications criss-cross national boundaries and identities posing a dilemma for the established norms of the secular nation-state, political theory and actors. This course will examine some of the emerging theories associated with the rise of political religion, and the potential for conflict and peace that emerge. Utilizing diverse case studies ranging from religious Zionism, to political Islam to national Hindu movements the course will critique and employ contemporary theoretical frameworks to gain understanding of the current phenomena of religion in the international political domain.

Detailed course information

International Diplomacy Theory and Practice (PI5034)

30 Credit Points

This course explores the origins, theory, manifestations, and practice of diplomacy. This is achieved via a series of lectures, seminars, practical exercises, and simulations. Appropriate focus is also given to diplomatic skills (oral, written, and strategic). The course provides an understanding of diplomacy and how it functions.

Detailed course information

Critical Climate Politics and Security (PI5037)

15 Credit Points

This course will examine the causes and the effects of the current climate crisis, while placing a critical lens over the solutions being brought forth. We will also examine different framings of climate security and look at the politics upholding the securities of particular actors, spaces, and knowledges over others. Students will attain a critical understanding of the complexities involved in protecting the planet’s climate, and addressing the many challenges on the horizon if we do not.

Detailed course information

Introduction to Energy Economics (BU5053)

15 Credit Points

This course introduces key techniques from economics and finance to allowing understanding of the basics of business decision making within the energy industries and the economic implications of key energy policies. We consider basic financial concepts such as: present value, the opportunity cost of capital and their role in business decision making in energy industries. We also consider key economic elements of markets and how the economic environment structures the way in which businesses make decisions and energy market outcomes.

Detailed course information

Critical Legal Thinking and Scholarship (LS501T)

This course provides students from diverse legal and educational backgrounds with a common understanding of the core research, analytical, and writing skills which will be required for LLM-Taught courses. The course is delivered as a series of five interactive lectures with two individual assessments designed to encourage critical thinking and provide opportunities for early feedback. It also incorporates a library workshop to provide students with hands-on experience with the resources available for course and dissertation work.

Detailed course information

International Law: A Time of Challenges (LS501U)

30 Credit Points

The course analyses recent developments in international law. It first considers the sources of international law. The question is then asked whether traditional international law can regulate pressing issues on the international plane. Examples of these problems are international terrorism, nuclear weapons proliferation, ethnic conflicts, and climate change. The course encourages the student to think creatively as an international lawyer to resolve contemporary international challenges. Teaching will be principally delivered through discussion-based seminars.

Detailed course information

Business Strategy (BU5048)

15 Credit Points

Business Strategy covers a broad range of topics that come under the general heading of “Business Strategy” / “Strategic Management”. The course introduces participants to concepts, frameworks and models that are useful in providing explanations of how companies operate with respect to goal setting, understanding their competitive landscape, assessing opportunities, managing own capabilities, coordinating their activities with other companies, and competing to create value for customers. The course is interactive in nature, applying a learning-by-doing method involving students taking on roles as part of a series of simulation exercises.

Detailed course information

Negotiation and Cross - Cultural Management (BU5072)

15 Credit Points

Business cannot be conducted without some form of communication between the participants involved. This course examines a wide variety of different types of interpersonal communication in different types of business contexts and, by so doing, provides students with a detailed and practical overview of this vitally important subject area.

Detailed course information

Stage 2

Stage 2: Optional Courses

Students will op not to follow a pathway must select two from the following:

• PI5541 Political Psychology of Climate Change (30 credit points)
• LS5549 The Use of Force in International Law (30 credit points)
• PI5520 Terrorism and Counter Terrorism (30 credit points)
• PI5521 Chinese Security Issues (30 credit points)

If you are following the Strategic Studies and Energy Security pathway, you will take:

• PI5541 Political Psychology of Climate Change (30 credit points)
• PI5521 Chinese Security Issues (30 credit points)

If you are following the Strategic Studies and Management pathway, you will take:

• BU555A Managing Change (15 credit points)
• BU5584 The Leadership Challenge (15 credit points)

If you are following the Strategic Studies and International Law pathway, you must select one course from each of the following lists:

Strategic Studies:

• PI5520 Terrorism and Counter Terrorism (30 credit points)
• PI5521 Chinese Security Issues (30 credit points)
• PI5541 Political Psychology of Climate Change (30 credit points)

Law:

• LS5549 The Use of Force in International Law (30 credit points)
• LS5590 International Human Rights Law (30 credit points)

If you are following the Strategic Studies and Management pathway, you must also select one course from the following:

• PI5520 Terrorism and Counter Terrorism (30 credit points)
• PI5521 Chinese Security Issues (30 credit points)

The use of Force in International Law (LS5549)

30 Credit Points

The course aims to develop an in-depth and critical appreciation of current issues in the area of the use of armed force in International Law. The course is of interest to students who want to understand the legal considerations which frame contemporary conflicts.

The course will first analyse the fundamental principle of the prohibition on the use of force between States. It will then examine the current exceptions to this principle (e.g., right to self-defence, authorisation to use force given by the United Nations Security Council); further, what types of arguments States tend to use to justify the resort to force. Consequently, the course will study the most recent military interventions on the international plane (e.g., in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, Libya, Palestine, Syria, Ukraine, Gaza and Iran). Teaching will be principally delivered through discussion-based seminars.

Detailed course information

Terrorism and Counter - Terrorism (PI5520)

30 Credit Points

International terrorism and counterterrorism dominate both contemporary scholarly debates in International Relations (IR) and policy discussions. This course examines these debates by focusing, on the one hand, on the (individual and/or structural) causes and different manifestations of terrorism and, on the other hand, on debates on how to respond to terrorism not only effectively but also without violating humanitarian principles and international law. Overall, the course aims to provide students with an overview of current research on international terrorism and counterterrorism in IR and its neighbouring disciplines and to enable them to develop an in-depth knowledge and understanding of core aspects of the issue.

Detailed course information

Chinese Security Issues (PI5521)

30 Credit Points

The focus of this module is the key approaches, institutions, and contemporary issues in global security relating to the rise of China. Set in the context of broader global security issues, this module offers students an introduction to Chinese security policy and approaches to international relations. It lifts the vale on a very misunderstood, controversial, and increasingly critical feature of global security and world affairs. It will explore debates on China's rise, China's growing involvement in international politics, and global security.

Detailed course information

The Political Psychology of Climate Change (PI5541)

30 Credit Points

This course investigates issues at the intersection of politics, psychology, and climate change. It aims to develop the knowledge and skills of student to apply a political psychological analysis to global climate politics. It considers factors such as how personality, beliefs, perceptions, emotions, and identity impacts environmental issues.

Detailed course information

Managing Change (BU555A)

15 Credit Points

The concepts of change and innovation have never been more topical, especially given the commercial context of fierce business competition, shorter product life cycles and more demanding customers. Increasingly, long-term commercial success is based on an ability to manage change, to act creatively and to promote innovation; These processes interconnect and overlap and often present major challenges to modern organizations; We address these issues through providing detailed case illustrations ranging from the workplace to the wider business market. Learning is encouraged through interaction, reading, investigation, video and case analysis, and critical discussion.

Detailed course information

The Leadership Challenge (BU5584)

15 Credit Points

This course provides an opportunity to explore and develop an understanding of your own leadership behaviour. Through workshops, group activities and discussions we investigate how personality, past experience, current situations and culture shape the way each of us behave in a leadership role. Using this information as a starting point we then explore how different leadership theories and approaches can be used as frameworks for developing a deeper understanding of leadership behaviour. You will also have an opportunity to try out a range of practical tools and techniques to assist you in the development of your own approach to leadership.

Detailed course information

International Human Rights Law (LS5590)

30 Credit Points

The course was designed to help students build competence in dealing with the doctrinal issues about international human rights. It involves understanding the place of human rights in public international law, finding one’s way around the foundational human rights documents and the jurisprudence of human rights bodies. The course delivery puts heavy emphasis on classroom discussion on the controversial issues on contemporary human rights law that shape doctrinal development in this field: the justifiability of torture, the limits of freedom of religion, the justiciability of social rights, etc.

Detailed course information

Stage 3

Stage 3: Compulsory Courses

All students including those undertaking pathways will complete PI5901.

Dissertation in Strategic Studies (PI5901)

60 Credit Points

The Strategic Studies dissertation is a compulsory element of the MSc Strategic Studies, Strategic Studies & International Law and Strategic Studies & Management degree programmes.

Detailed course information