GraduatePolitical Science & International Relations

Master of National Security Policy

Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia

About this program

The Master of National Security Policy is a graduate program at the Australian National University in Canberra, taken over 1.5 years full-time (72 Units). Coursework includes a minimum of 12 units from completion of foundational courses from the following list. Graduates are expected to demonstrate a multidisciplinary understanding of contemporary and emerging national security challenges affecting Australia. ANU is a research-intensive, Group of Eight university based in Australia's capital, and international students in this program study alongside a large Canberra-based policy, research and public-service community.

Cost & duration

Duration1.5 yr
Tuition (international)A$56,600
Application feeA$0

English test scores

IELTS6.5 overall (L6)
PTE58 overall

Verified programsandcourses.anu.edu.au

Course structure

137 terms of coursework

  • The Master of National Security Policy requires the completion of 72 units which must consist of:
  • A minimum of 12 units from completion of foundational courses from the following list:
  • NSPO8006
  • National Security Policymaking
  • NSPO8007
  • National Security: Concepts and Methods
  • NSPO8012
  • Leadership, Risk, and Crisis
  • NSPO8018
  • The Evolution of National Security Policy since 1945
  • A minimum of 18 units from completion of national security policy courses from the following list:
  • NSPO8008
  • Ethical Challenges for National Security
  • NSPO8009
  • Cyber and Emerging Technologies in National Security
  • NSPO8028
  • History for Policymakers
  • NSPO8030
  • Coercion and National Security
  • NSPO8032
  • Geoeconomics and National Security
  • NSPO8033
  • Climate, the Environment and National Security
  • NSPO8034
  • China, America and National Security
  • NSPO8035
  • Australia's Strategic Environment and Future Security Challenges
  • NSPO8036
  • Australian National Security Law: An introduction for policymakers
  • NSPO8038
  • Pacific Regional and National Security Policy
  • NSPO8050
  • War, Law and National Security
  • NSPO8051
  • Contemporary Security Challenges in Eurasia
  • NSPO8052
  • Imagining Security
  • A minimum of 6 units from completion of national security issues courses (3 units each) from the following list:
  • NSPO8040
  • Gender and Security
  • NSPO8041
  • Borders, Migration and Security
  • NSPO8042
  • Civil-Military Coordination
  • NSPO8043
  • Health and National Security
  • NSPO8044
  • Energy Security
  • NSPO8045
  • Propaganda and information war
  • NSPO8046
  • Terrorism and national security
  • NSPO8047
  • How Canberra works: a guide for security policy makers
  • NSPO8048
  • The Future of Intelligence
  • NSPO8049
  • Security in the Indo-Pacific
  • NSPO8053
  • Nuclear Proliferation, Interstate Conflict and Arms Control
  • NSPO8054
  • Preparedness and Resilience in National Security
  • A maximum of 6 units from completion of the following experiential course:
  • ANIP6503
  • Australian National Internships Program A
  • A maximum of 24 units from completion of a research thesis:
  • NSPO8031
24 units
  • Thesis
  • NSPO8037
  • Research Project
  • A maximum of 24 units from completion of security, strategy and policy courses from the following list:
  • Public policy
  • POGO8021
  • Public Sector Ethics
  • POGO8045
  • International Policymaking in the Shadow of the Future
  • POGO8062
  • Public Sector Management
  • POGO8076
  • Corruption and Anti-Corruption
  • POGO8235
  • Engaging China: Working with Policy in the PRC
  • POGO8401
  • Foundations in Public Policy
  • POGO8402
  • The Political and Institutional Architecture of Public Policy
  • REGN8022
  • Governance in a Complex and Uncertain World
  • REGN8052
  • Regulation and Governance
  • Economics
  • IDEC8000
  • Government, Markets and Global Change
  • IDEC8021
  • The Chinese Economy
  • IDEC8037
  • Pacific Economies and Politics
  • IDEC8039
  • Economic Security
  • IDEC8067
  • Asian Economies
  • Environmental security
  • EMDV8009
  • Asia Pacific Environmental Conflicts
  • EMDV8080
  • International Climate Change Policy and Economics
  • EMDV8082
  • Food Wars: Food Security and Agricultural Policy
  • EMDV8101
  • Transformative Approaches to Sustainability
  • EMDV8124
  • Disaster Risk Reduction and Management
  • Global security
  • INTR8068
  • Foreign Policy Analysis
  • DIPL8006
  • Diplomacy, Politics and the United Nations
  • MEAS8115
  • Islam in World Politics
  • SOCY6064
  • Surveillance and Society
  • Strategy and defence
  • STST8001
  • Strategy and Defence: Cases and Concepts
  • STST8004
  • Deterrence and Defence in Australian Strategic Policy
  • STST8026
  • Nuclear Strategy
  • STST8052
  • The Resort to Force: Military Operations and the Future of War
  • STST8068
  • Asian Strategy and Security: History, Theory, and Practice
  • Legal studies
  • LAWS8077
  • Cyber Law
  • LAWS8315
  • Maritime Security Law

Admissions

Applicants must present one of the following: Bachelor or international equivalent with GPA 5/7; or Bachelor or international equivalent with GPA 4/7 and a minimum of 3 years full-time equivalent work experience at ANZSCO Skill Level 1 in a field related to the program; or Bachelor or international equivalent with GPA 4/7 and a GC or international equivalent with a GPA of 4/7; or Graduate Diploma or international equivalent with a GPA 4/7; or 48 units of courses in a postgraduate program with a GPA of 4/7; or Graduate Certificate or international equivalent with a GPA of 4/7 and a minimum of 3 years full-time equivalent work experience at ANZSCO Skill Level 1 in a field related to the program; or Graduate Records Examination (GRE) General test, completed no more than 5 years before the time of application, with a minimum score of 155 for Verbal Reasoning, 155 for Quantitative Reasoning and 4.0 in Analytical Writing and a minimum of 3 years full-time equivalent work experience at ANZSCO Skill Level 1 in a field related to the program; or A minimum of 10 years full-time equivalent work experience at ANZSCO Skill Level 1 in a field related to the program. The GPA for a Bachelor program will be calculated from (i) a completed Bachelor degree using all grades and/or (ii) a completed Bachelor degree using all grades other than those from the last semester (or equivalent study period) of the Bachelor degree. The higher of the two calculations will be used as the basis for admission. Ranking and English Proficiency: At a minimum, all applicants must meet program-specific academic/non-academic requirements, and English language requirements. Admission to most ANU programs is on a competitive basis. Therefore, meeting all admission requirements does not automatically guarantee entry. In line with the University's admissions policy and strategic plan, an assessment for admission may include competitively ranking applicants on the basis of specific academic achievement, English language proficiency and diversity factors. Applicants will first be ranked on a GPA ('GPA1') that is calculated using all but the last semester (or equivalent) of the Bachelor degree used for admission purposes. If required, ranking may further be confirmed on the basis of: a GPA ('GPA2') calculated on the penultimate and antepenultimate semesters (or equivalent) of the Bachelor degree used for admission purposes; and/or demonstrating higher-level English language proficiency Prior to enrolment in this ANU program, all students who gain entry will have their Bachelor degree reassessed, to confirm minimum requirements were met. Further information: English language admission requirements and post-admission support Diversity factors: As Australia’s national university, ANU is global representative of Australian research and education. ANU endeavours to recruit and maintain a diverse and deliberate student cohort representative not only of Australia, but the world. In order to achieve these outcomes, competitive ranking of applicants may be adjusted to ensure access to ANU is a reality for brilliant students from countries across the globe. Assessment of qualifications: Unless otherwise indicated, ANU will accept all Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) qualifications or international equivalents that meet or exceed the published admission requirements of our programs, provided all other admission requirements are also met. Where an applicant has more than one completed tertiary qualification, ANU will base assessment on the qualification that best meets the admission requirements for the program. Find out more about the Australian Qualifications Framework: www.aqf.edu.au . Unless otherwise indicated, where an applicant has more than one completed tertiary qualification, ANU will calculate the GPA for each qualification separately. ANU will base assessment on the best GPA of all completed tertiary qualifications of the same level or higher. ANU uses a 7-point Grade Point Average (GPA) scale. All qualifications submitted for admission at ANU will be converted to this common scale, which will determine if an applicant meets our published admission requirements. Find out more about how a 7-point GPA is calculated for Australian universities: www.uac.edu.au/future-applicants/admission-criteria/tertiary-qualifications .

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