War and Defence - two year Master's Programme

This Master’s Programme is a unique two-year programme in War Studies that gives students an advanced, broad and deep understanding of matters relating to war, security and defence.

The various modules explain how different modes of warfare are conducted, how modern defence systems are built and organised, and how security policies are designed and the impact they have on the world around us.

Degree in War Studies

This course leads to a Master’s Degree in War Studies: a degree course that is the only one of its kind available in Sweden.

The programme provides both advanced training in critical thinking, independent judgement, and tools to help you analyse complex processes, at the same time giving you deeper insight into how war, peace and security policies come to be shaped by different actors. This programme will boost your theoretical knowledge and provide training in both advanced scientific methods and analytical skills.

The programme also gives you the opportunity to take part in international student exchanges at highly reputed universities in Europe via the Erasmus programme, and you will also be able to enter the internship programme which provides relevant practical experience at public agencies, international organisations and private sector security companies.

Future career opportunities

Of all the academic institutions in Sweden, the Swedish Defence University (SEDU) it the only one that offers the unique Master’s Programme in War and Defence. Successful students move on to careers in relevant fields in public agencies and government departments, such as ministries for foreign affairs, defense research agencies, and agencies and organisations involved in civil contingencies work. In the private sector there are openings in security companies in fields ranging from cybersecurity to total defence, and in both national and international organisations such as the EU and the UN. In addition to jobs as researchers and analysts there are also job opportunities in civil defence and contingency planning at local, regional and national levels. For graduates who are Swedish citizens there are also openings for a civilian career in the Swedish Armed Forces.

Successful completion of the course also makes you eligible for a number of research programmes, for example in the fields of war studies, political science, peace and conflict research and international relations.

About the programme

War Studies is the multi-disciplinary study of war. It explores the ways in which war and defence are conducted and organised. Some of the central issues addressed by the programme include military strategy and organisation of a country’s defence systems. The use of military force and the organization of military structures often play an important role in security and peace missions and the course also deals with such topics as humanitarian interventions, peace keeping, and security policy. As a participant in the programme you will have access to a broad range of elective courses, for example from political science, crisis management and of course war studies. You will participate in these together with students from other programmes, which makes for an interesting and valuable blend of perspectives.

The programme will give you rigorous training in scientific methods to promote advanced analytical skills. Scenario-based roleplay, war gaming and a semester devoted to practical training also form part of the programme. In other words, the programme will give you not only theoretical and case-based knowledge of war and defence but also relevant practical and vocational skills.

At the Swedish Defence University students have access to Sweden’s foremost experts in war studies; lecturers and researchers who are not only leaders in their field, but who also frequently act as consultants to the media. The research conducted in the the field of war studies covers a broad range of subjects from military strategy, total defence, and civil war, to peacekeeping operations and war and gender.

Structure of the programme: overview by semester

In the second and fourth semesters there are opportunities for studies abroad via our exchange agreements with partner universities.

Student exchange schemes

The Swedish Defence University takes part in the Erasmus programme, which allows our students to spend a semester of their master’s training at a university abroad. Being an exchange student is an excellent ways of broadening one’s perspectives and acquiring new experiences at prestigious universities such as the University of St Andrews (Scotland), Sciences Po (France) and the University of Bologna (Italy). Our partner universities offer a wide selection of relevant courses, which means that your master’s degree may come to include several different specialties. Read more at our study abroad webpage on the Student Web.

Application fee and scholarships

Students coming from a country outside the EU must pay an application fee of 900 Swedish kronor and a tuition fee of 105,000 Swedish kronor per year. However, students from outside the EU may also apply for scholarships to cover the cost of tuition. Read more about the scholarships available at the Stockholm Defence University.