Showing content for section Overview
Overview
This course offers a clear and practical introduction to the major security challenges shaping today’s international environment. You’ll explore why insecurity, conflict and political tension arise, who the key actors are – from states to armed groups to global corporations and how their decisions shape the world.
Building on the analytical foundations laid during Initial Officer Training, the course deepens your understanding of global security, strategic risk and leadership in the 21st-century operating environment.
Designed specifically for Royal Air Force Officers, this programme translates professional military experience into a highly valued, Level 7 academic qualification.
With flexible distance learning and access to expert PMET tutors, you’ll develop advanced critical thinking and the ability to communicate complex ideas with clarity and precision.
The course is informed by a decade of Portsmouth Military Education Team (PMET) teaching at RAF College Cranwell, strong relationships with senior RAF stakeholders, and exclusive insight into contemporary air, space and cyber power.
By graduation, you’ll be equipped with the intellectual edge needed for career progression in the RAF and a recognised qualification that supports future transition into the civilian sector.
Course highlights
-
Designed exclusively for RAF Officers, drawing on PMET’s unique access and 10 years’ experience teaching at RAF College Cranwell.
-
Flexible, fully distance-learning format, allowing Officers to study around operational duties, postings and irregular schedules.
-
Specialist modules shaped with senior RAF input, including Air Power developed in consultation with the RAF’s Director of Defence Studies.
-
Direct alignment with RAF career development, bridging the gap between IOT training and later staff college education.
-
Expert teaching from academics and military practitioners, plus insights from PMET’s international network of security, defence, air, space and cyber specialists.
-
A strong career asset, strengthening analytical capability for service roles and providing recognised academic standing for future civilian employment.
This is a new course and we're finalising the detailed information for this page.
Contact information
Contact AdmissionsEntry requirements
Eligibility
This course accepts only UK students.
January 2026 / May 2026
- A second-class honours degree or equivalent.
Professional experience and other qualifications (Commissioned RAF Officer and completion of the Air Space Power course on IOT) will be taken into consideration for applicants not meeting this requirement.
If you're applying with a non-UK degree, you’ll need to show you meet the UK entry requirements listed above.
To find out if your non-UK degree or other qualification is accepted, please visit our page for your country and view the UK equivalent of your qualification.
September 2026 / January 2027 / May 2027
- A second-class honours degree or equivalent.
Professional experience and other qualifications (Commissioned RAF Officer and completion of the Air Space Power course on IOT) will be taken into consideration for applicants not meeting this requirement.
If you're applying with a non-UK degree, you’ll need to show you meet the UK entry requirements listed above.
To find out if your non-UK degree or other qualification is accepted, please visit our page for your country and view the UK equivalent of your qualification.
Course costs and funding
Tuition fees (January 2026 / May 2026 start)
- Part-time: £4,700 per year (may be subject to annual increase)
Tuition fees (September 2026 / January 2027 / May 2027 start)
- Part-time: £4,850 per year (may be subject to annual increase)
University of Portsmouth graduates may receive a 20% alumni tuition fee discount.
Fees are subject to annual increase. Read our tuition fees terms and conditions.
You'll be able to pay your fees in instalments. Find out how to pay your tuition fees.
Tuition fees terms and conditions
Funding your studies
Find out more how to fund your studies, including the scholarships and bursaries you could get. You can also find more about tuition fees and living costs, including what your tuition fees cover.
If you're a UK student, you may be eligible for a Government postgraduate loan, which you can use to help with course fees and living costs.
Applying from outside the UK? Find out about funding options for international students and our international student scholarships.
Loans, scholarships and bursaries
Browse funding such as the Government Postgraduate Loan, our scholarships for new and returning students, and subject specific loans.
Funding for international students
Learn more about sponsorships, scholarships and loans for students applying from outside of the UK.
Financial support for disabled students
If you have a disability, mental health issue or long term illness, you can apply for additional funding to cover the extra study costs you may have.
Additional costs
These course-related costs aren't included in the tuition fees, so you'll need to budget for them when you plan your spending. Additional costs could include:
- Accommodation: Accommodation options and costs can be found on our accommodation pages.
- Recommended reading: You can borrow key texts from the library and if you choose to purchase these texts they may cost up to £60 each.
- General costs: Such as photocopying, memory sticks, printing charges, binding and specialist printing. We suggest budgeting £75 per year.
- Final project transport or accommodation: where necessary, which related to your research activities. The amount will depend on the project you choose.
Read more about tuition fees and living costs, including what your tuition fees cover.
Modules
Each module on this course is worth a certain number of credits.
You'll need to study modules worth a total of 180 credits. For example, 1 module worth 60 credits and 4 modules worth 120 credits.
Part-time distance learning
Modules on this course will include:
- Global Security Challenges
- Strategic Risk and Leadership
- Terrorism and Political Violence
- Crisis Management and Continuity
- Space Security
- Air Power
- Cybersecurity Politics
- Dissertation
Changes to course content
We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies.
Therefore, some course content may change over time to reflect changes in the discipline or industry. If a module doesn't run, we'll let you know as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative module.
How you'll spend your time
We recognise that you'll probably be juggling more demands when you do your Master's degree, as you may be working or you may have family responsibilities.
We'll give you as much indication here as we can of how many hours you can expect to spend in self-directed study, but please note that these indications are always subject to change. You should receive your full timetable several weeks before you start with us.
Course structure
This Master's degree will take:
- 2 years part-time
You can expect:
- Largely asynchronous online learning activities, including pre-recorded lectures
- Online access to course materials
- Some limited synchronous elements, such as seminars, where you will join your instructors and classmates online at a scheduled time
- One-on-one dissertation support with a tutor
Teaching
Master's study is deeper and more specialised than an undergraduate degree. This means you'll focus on something that really matters to you and your career as you work closely with academics committed to the subject.
You'll spend more time in independent study and research than you did for your undergraduate degree. During your independent study, you'll be expected to complete self-led learning and research relating to your degree. You will have access to tutors, teaching staff and online discussion forums to guide you in your studies.
Assessment
You'll be assessed through a variety of means, including:
- Quizzes
- Written assessments
- Dissertation
Career development
Career planning
During your course you'll have expert career support from our Careers and Employability Centre, your tutors and our Business and Law Career-Ready Programme. This support will continue for 5 years after you graduate.
Career support
You'll benefit from:
- Networking events
- Regular emails from the Career Ready Programme sharing job opportunities, application tips and events
- Applied projects with companies such as IBM, Boeing and Hampshire County Council
- Workshops to enhance your employability skills
- Recruitment events including the Student and Graduate Opportunities Fair
- 1-to-1 appointments
- CV and cover letter advice
- Interview preparation and practice
- Support starting your own business
Supporting you
Master's study is more focused on independent learning than undergraduate study, but you'll get lots of support via video and phone from teaching and support staff to enhance your learning experience and help you succeed. You can build your personalised network of support from the following people and services:
Types of support
Your personal tutor helps you make the transition to independent study and gives you academic and personal support throughout your time at university.
As well as regular scheduled meetings with your personal tutor, they're also available at set times during the week if you want to chat with them about anything that can't wait until your next meeting.
In addition to the support you get from your personal tutor, you'll also have access to our student success advisers. They can give you confidential, impartial advice on anything to do with your studies and personal wellbeing, and refer you to specialist support services if you need extra help or support.
The Maths Cafe offers free advice and help with maths skills in a friendly, informal environment. You can come to our daily drop-in sessions, develop your maths skills at a workshop, or use our online resources.
You'll have help from a team of study support tutors. Based within the Faculty of Business and Law, these tutors are familiar with the specific requirements your assignments and work closely with faculty academics. This means they can give you focused support with the specific study skills you need to be successful on your course. They're available face-to-face, by phone, email, and by video call.
They can help with:
- academic writing (for example, essays, reports, dissertations, projects and literature reviews)
- reflective writing skills
- critical thinking skills
- delivering presentations (including observing and filming presentations)
- understanding and using assignment feedback
- managing your time and workload
- revision and exam techniques
If you're a mature student, specialist support to help you return to learning is available.
During term time, Faculty Academic Skills Tutors (AST) are available for bookable 1-to-1 sessions, small group sessions and online sessions. These sessions are tailored to your needs.
Support is available for skills including:
- University study
- Getting into the right study mindset
- Note-taking and note-making skills
- Referencing
- Presentation skills
- Time management, planning, and goal setting
- Critical thinking
- Avoiding plagiarism
If you have a disability or need extra support, our Disability Advice team will give you help, support and advice.
Library staff are available in person or by email, phone, or online chat to help you make the most of the University’s library resources. You can also request one-to-one appointments and get support from a librarian who specialises in your subject area.
The library is open 24 hours a day, every day, in term time.
You can get personal, emotional and mental health support from Student Wellbeing, in person and online. This includes 1–2–1 support as well as courses and workshops that help you better manage stress, anxiety or depression.
If you require extra support because of a disability or additional learning need our specialist team can help you.
They'll help you to
- discuss and agree on reasonable adjustments
- liaise with other University services and facilities, such as the library
- access specialist study skills and strategies tutors, and assistive technology tutors, on a 1-to-1 basis or in groups
- liaise with external services
If English isn't your first language, you can do one of our English language courses to improve your written and spoken English language skills before starting your degree. Once you're here, you can take part in our free In-Sessional English (ISE) programme to improve your English further.
How to apply
Ready to apply?
Start this course in January 2026
Start this course in May 2026
Start this course in September 2026
Start this course in January 2027
Start this course in May 2027
I'm a current Portsmouth student, or a recent Portsmouth graduate
If you're currently in your final year of study at Portsmouth, or you graduated since July 2024, you're eligible to make a fast track application. You'll have:
- a shorter application form to complete
- access to the 20% Alumni fee discount
- a guaranteed conditional offer, for most Master's courses
After you apply
Once we receive your application, we may ask you for further information. We will then either make you an offer or suggest alternatives if your application is unsuccessful.
You'll usually get a decision within 10 working days, so you shouldn't have to wait too long. Some courses have an interview stage – we'll let you know if you need to prepare for one.
Learn more about how we assess your application.
Admissions terms and conditions
When you accept an offer to study at the University of Portsmouth, you also agree to abide by our Student Contract (which includes the University's relevant policies, rules and regulations). You should read and consider these before you apply.
Finalising this course
All our courses go through a rigorous approval process to make sure they’re of the highest quality. This includes a review by a panel of experts, made up of academic staff and an external academic or professional with specialist knowledge.
This course is in the final stages of this process and is open for applications. If any details of the course or its approval status change after you apply, we’ll let you know as soon as possible and will be here to discuss your options with you.