SOCIAL SCIENCES, POLITICS AND ECONOMICS INTERNATIONAL STUDY GUIDE 2015 MSSC IN HUMAN SECURITY* The Human Security programme gives students the academic knowledge and the practical skills to develop and apply comprehensive, cross-disciplinary approaches to conflict and environmental management in development contexts around the world. The programme provides the qualifications to facilitate the collaboration and mutual learning necessary for addressing the structural causes and conditions of a given conflict. and practice. The courses taught during the two years of study include: Core Concepts Contextualised; Tropical Ecosystems Management and Human Security; Agroecology, Food Systems and Food Security; Research Methods; and Conflict Dynamics and Management. Additionally, through compulsory fieldwork, students put the relevant methodology and knowledge into practice, while sharpening their professional profile in preparation for the final thesis. A NEW APPROACH TO ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE CHANGE In recent years, professionals and academics alike have realised that many seemingly intractable conflicts are driven by multiple, interweav- CROSS-SECTORAL KNOWLEDGE AND SOLUTIONS Rather than emphasising discrete disciplines (such as natural resource management, education or health), the MSSc in Human Security focuses ing factors – social, economic and political. These factors need to be considered and addressed together if long-term stability, freedom from want and freedom from fear are to be realised. In particular, the growing challenges posed by global environmental and climate change threaten to trigger a rapid escalation and proliferation of conflicts throughout the world – including the West – as competition over access to scarce resources intensifies, supplies of essential commodities dwindle, and global population numbers continue to rise. on the complex of factors and processes that impinge upon any given conflict. Addressing the root causes of instability, insecurity and poverty consequently requires a set of skills and knowledge, perspectives and approaches that differ from those provided by traditional disciplinary expertise. Students therefore learn not only about environmental change, natural resources, education and healthcare, but about the social and political factors that cause instability, poverty and insecurity. The emergent paradigm that seeks to reinvent development in light of these changes has come to be known as a human security approach. Through a cross-disciplinary degree programme comprising socio-cultural theories and ethnographic methodologies (anthropology, political science and sociology) as well as environmental research methods (biology, environmental studies), the MSSc programme enables students to apply the key principles of the human security approach both in theory CAREER PROFILE Graduates in Human Security are qualified to work in a variety of conflict settings around the world. Their background in the holistic human security approach makes them a resource in demand. Graduates work internationally with issues that are of particular relevance to developing countries. They are well placed to build a career in national or international NGOs, state-based development agencies, UN organisations and private consultancy companies. I was very determined to do my Master’s outside my home country and had heard a lot of good things about studying in Denmark, and Aarhus in particular. The general atmosphere among students and professors is simply great and there is a unique spirit within the group of Human Security students. As a political scientist I expected a stronger focus on national and international policies. The anthropological approach of the programme opened up a totally new and different angle to me and to my understanding of environmental challenges. Rather than focusing on theoretical discussions, the studies are fairly hands-on and offer some very useful and real-life experiences. The single greatest thing about the programme is that through the combination of the many experts giving lectures on different issues from different angles I definitely got the feeling that the world is open to me regardless of where I want to work. COLM POWER Student, MSSC in Human Security programme, from Germany * PLACE OF STUDY Aarhus ANNUAL TUITION FEE EU/EEA/Swiss citizens: FREE Others: EUR 9,100 WWW masters.au.dk/humansecurity Fees are subject to change. See studyguide.au.dk SOCIAL SCIENCES, POLITICS AND ECONOMICS INTERNATIONAL STUDY GUIDE 2015 MSSC IN HUMAN SECURITY* 1ST SEMESTER 2ND SEMESTER 3RD SEMESTER Core Concepts Contextualized Agro-ecology, Food Systems and Food Security Elective Subject Tropical Ecosystem Management and Food Security Human Security: Research Methods Fieldwork/ Work Placement 4TH SEMESTER THESIS Conflict Dynamics and Management 30 ECTS 30 ECTS 30 ECTS 30 ECTS * PLACE OF STUDY Aarhus ANNUAL TUITION FEE EU/EEA/Swiss citizens: FREE Others: EUR 9,100 WWW masters.au.dk/humansecurity Fees are subject to change. See studyguide.au.dk