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.

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

The study of war and conflict (15 credits)

Research Design and Methods, War studies (15 credits)

During your first semester you will read an introductory course in war studies with focus on how and why states exercise military power, followed by a course in scientific method. The introductory course gives a basic grounding in war studies, while the course in methodology teaches you how to analyse and understand warfare and the organisation of war and defence in a scientific framework.

Elective courses (30 credits) - see box "Semester 2 and 4, examples of elective courses" below.

The range of elective courses will be determined on an annual basis.

In your second semester you will read four elective course. You decide for yourself if you wish to delve deeper into a specific area by following the suggested thematic tracks, or if you would prefer to read courses with a broader span. The elective courses offer a broad spectrum of subject matter. For example, you could choose in-depth studies of various types of warfare, strategy or defence or opt for courses in political science focusing on security policy, crisis management or policy analysis. In other words, the master programme offers both breadth and in-depth knowledge based on the latest research findings.

Master's Thesis, War Studies (30 credits)

The third semester is reserved for work on your master’s dissertation. This gives you the opportunity to conduct an in-depth study of the issues that interest you most and to test your proficiency in scientific methods.

Internship, War studies (30 credits)

or Elective courses (30 credits) - see box "Semester 2 and 4, examples of elective courses" below.

For the fourth semester you are free to decide whether you wish to apply for an internship, or if you prefer, to take additional elective courses. In other words, you can choose to engage in more empirical and theoretical studies or to focus more directly on practical situations in a work environment.

Examples of elective courses:

The range of elective courses will be determined on an annual basis.

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.

Checklist for complete application

Degree certificate, transcript/grades and supporting documents must be uploaded on www.universityadmissions.se with your application. All documents must be in Swedish, English, Danish or Norwegian or translated to any of these languages by an authorised translator. Please note that the original documents should be uploaded as well.
If you are in your final Bachelor year, you can still apply. Please provide a signed and stamped document from your home university stating that you are likely to graduate before the semester start at SEDU. Please read more and use the statement of enrollment status form and upload it under your personal account on universityadmissions.se. If admitted, you will be admitted with the condition that you submit proof of your degree before the start of term.
Upload your Bachelor's thesis, you must upload a graded, written independent work (Bachelors's thesis) in its entirety together with your application. If your thesis was co-written, please also upload a graded independently written essay related to the subject of Politics, security and crisis as well as your thesis.
An extended deadline is given until February 14, 2025 for students within their final Bachelor year. Please note that the official grade must be clearly visible and documented in your application. The thesis must be written in Swedish, English, Danish or Norwegian, or translated into one of these languages.
If your Bachelor's does not include a thesis or if you are in your final year and have not completed your thesis yet, you are given the option to attach two relevant independent works such as course essays. These works must be connected to war and defence, and have obtained an official grade which must be clearly visible in your application. (Only those who are in the final year of a bachelor's program ((or are in a program that does not include a bachelor's thesis)) can refer to other academic works).
Upload your proof of English eligibility (equivalent to English 6/English B in Sweden) on universityadmissions.se To find out if your upper secondary studies meet the requirements check here on the universityadmissions webpage. Check your specific country's requirements on the same webpage here. Please consult universityadmissions.se for rules and regulations regarding Toefl, IELTS or other systems.
All supporting documents must be submitted by February 3, 2025.
Admission results will be posted on universityadmissions.se on March 27.
Accepting your offer. If admitted, we will email you with an offer to confirm or decline your seat. Note that you cannot accept your seat through Universityadmissions.

Selection of eligible candidates

Selection is based on a comprehensive assessment of previous studies and the relevance of previous studies. Particular importance is given to the quality of the Bachelor’s thesis (or academics works) in terms of grade and subject relevance.

Application and Tuition Fees (for applicants outside the EU)

Application fee for citizen outside of EU/EEA/Switzerland: SEK 900
Tuition fee for citizen outside of EU/EEA/Switzerland: SEK 105 000 per year (60 credits)

Apply

Application code

P2504

Program code

2MKF1

Type

Programme

Starting Term

Autumn Term 2025

Study period

2025-09-01 - 2027-06-06

Level

Second cycle

Scope

120.0 credits

Study pace

100%

Study mode

Campus

Location

Stockholm

Language of instruction

English

Entry requirements

Officers’ Programme degree or a Bachelor's degree corresponding to 180 credits, of which 90 credits must be in War Studies or another relevant subject such as International Relations, Peace and Conflict Studies, Security Studies, or Political Science.

A graded independent research project (BA thesis) or the equivalent (for applicants with foreign academic qualifications).

In addition, a level of proficiency in the English language, corresponding to English 6/English B is required.

Students with a Swedish Bachelor's degree meet this language requirement.

Certain elective courses may have additional entry requirements in order to ensure students can properly benefit from the course.

Application opens

2024-10-15

Application closes

2025-01-15

Admissions round

International Master's Programmes Autumn Semester 2025

Programme syllabus

Master's Programme in War and Defence Studies

Courses

Obligatory courses

Elective Courses

In the program there are several elective courses available. A selection is listed in the box "Semester 2" and "Semester 4".

Contact

If you have questions about the course, please contact the Study Counsellors.

You can reach us by e-mail: masterprogramme@fhs.se

Discover the Swedish Defence University

Watch the film for information on War Studies and Political Science.