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Crisis and Security Management

Crisis and Security Management

Students of the Master’s programme in Crisis and Security Management (CSM) will become familiar with the causes of different forms of threats to security, with patterns of responses to these threats, with strategies of prevention and with ‘best practices’. In the master’s programme students will have the opportunity to develop a broad approach with an international perspective or to focus on the specific security questions in The Netherlands.

Timetable and Programme Overview

You can find the link to the timetable and the programme overview on the right-hand side of this page. Use this timetable to select your courses.

Only students of the MSc Crisis and Security Management can participate in the courses of Crisis and Security Management

Intro

Introduction Programme

Security ranks high on both the societal as well as the political agenda. The threat of terrorism, transnational organised crime, civil war, urban riots or natural disasters is making headlines almost every day and is a guarantee for political turmoil. Although from a factual perspective, the risk of high-end security incidents is low in most Western countries, the risk perception is far higher. When it comes to security and crisis, risk perception seems to be as important as actual risk assessments.

During the one year multi-disciplinary master's programme students will become familiar with the political and social dimensions of the governance of (in)security and crises. By analysing security discourses, security actors, security practices and security outcomes, students will become acquainted with the ‘wicked problem’ of security and crises topics in a complex and globalising world.

As security is no longer a public good solely provided by state actors or public actors but the combined outcome of public actors, private security actors, civil society and citizens as well, the master's programme will focus on the multiplicity of actors engaged in defining and practising security.

Further, as a result of the globalised and interwoven world of today in which incidents, images and messages travel within seconds from one part of the world to another part of the world, students will study current security and crisis challenges from a ‘glocal’ perspective: both global and local levels and especially the nexus of those levels.

The Master of Science programme in Crisis and Security Management is an academic programme that emphasises the ability to understand and analytically apply multidisciplinary insights from Security Studies, Public Administration, Political Science, Law, International Relations and other disciplines to challenges of crisis and security management.

The programme aims to educate students to become academically trained, reflective security and crisis professionals in a broad sense. It aims to teach students to develop a critical attitude, adopt a perspective of scholarly independence and a high level of self-directed and autonomous learning and functioning.

The programme strives to convey both general knowledge of the core themes and approaches in crisis and security management and specialised knowledge on the governance of radicalism, extremism and terrorism, the governance of crisis, cybersecurity governance, intelligence and national security, and war and peace. Furthermore, the programme emphasises the ability to reflect on the ethical and normative dimensions of crisis and security management and their consequences for the behaviour of government officials, agencies, actors in civil society and private sector.

The graduate is thus capable of recognising and analysing a broad range of complex and wicked problems in the domain of crisis and security management, both at the local, the national and the international level. The graduate is able to undertake independent research at graduate level, applying a broad range of theoretical and analytical approaches relevant to crisis and security management.

You can find the link to the programme overview on the right-hand side of this page.

The master CSM consists of a combination of main courses, specialisation courses and electives. The programme is concluded with a portfolio and reflection assignment. Only students of the MSc Crisis and Security Management can participate in the courses of Crisis and Security Management. Student can only participate in one of the six specialisations, and they cannot combine courses from different specialisations.

Governance of Radicalism, Extremism and Terrorism

Vak EC Semester 1 Semester 2

Main courses

Security Challenges in a Globalizing World 4
Security: Actors, Institutions and Constellations 5
Security and the Rule of Law 5
Portfolio 1

Specialisation

Social Movements and Political Violence 10
Becoming Radicalized: Pathways into and out of Extremism 10
Terrorism and Counterterrorism: Governing Wicked Problems 10
The State of the Art and its Discontents 10

Electives (choose one)

Security Networks and Technology 5
Global Environmental Politics and Ethics 5
Policing Studies 5
Global Transformations and Governance Challenges 10
Countering Transnational Organized Crime 5
Intelligence in War and Conflict 5
Psychology of Online Behavior: Response to Violence and Crises 5
Countering (Violent) Extremism 5
Radicalisation: Advances in experimental research 5
Climate crisis politics: constraints and opportunities 5
Accountability for Atrocity Crimes 5
Humanitarian response to disasters and emergencies 5
Conflict and Disaster Politics 5

Cyber Security Governance

Vak EC Semester 1 Semester 2

Main courses

Security Challenges in a Globalizing World 4
Security: Actors, Institutions and Constellations 5
Security and the Rule of Law 5
Portfolio 1

Specialisation

Behavioural Change Approaches to Cybersecurity 10
Cyber Conflict in International Relations 10
Cyber Crisis Management and Resilience 10
Digital Crime 10

Electives (choose one)

Security Networks and Technology 5
Global Environmental Politics and Ethics 5
Policing Studies 5
Global Transformations and Governance Challenges 10
Countering Transnational Organized Crime 5
Intelligence in War and Conflict 5
Psychology of Online Behavior: Response to Violence and Crises 5
Countering (Violent) Extremism 5
Radicalisation: Advances in experimental research 5
Climate crisis politics: constraints and opportunities 5
Accountability for Atrocity Crimes 5
Humanitarian response to disasters and emergencies 5
Conflict and Disaster Politics 5

Governance of Crisis

Vak EC Semester 1 Semester 2

Main courses

Security Challenges in a Globalizing World 4
Security: Actors, Institutions and Constellations 5
Security and the Rule of Law 5
Portfolio 1

Specialisation

Managing and Coordinating the Crisis Response 10
Governing Threats: Risk, Vulnerability and Preparedness 10
Crisis and Risk Communication 10
Learning and Accountability 10

Electives (choose one)

Security Networks and Technology 5
Global Environmental Politics and Ethics 5
Policing Studies 5
Global Transformations and Governance Challenges 10
Countering Transnational Organized Crime 5
Intelligence in War and Conflict 5
Psychology of Online Behavior: Response to Violence and Crises 5
Countering (Violent) Extremism 5
Radicalisation: Advances in experimental research 5
Climate crisis politics: constraints and opportunities 5
Accountability for Atrocity Crimes 5
Humanitarian response to disasters and emergencies 5
Conflict and Disaster Politics 5

Intelligence and National Security

Vak EC Semester 1 Semester 2

Main courses

Security Challenges in a Globalizing World 4
Security: Actors, Institutions and Constellations 5
Security and the Rule of Law 5
Portfolio 1

Specialisation

Global Perspectives in Intelligence 10
Espionage and War in Cyberspace 10
Making Friends and Influencing People: International Cooperation and Covert Action 10
Intelligence and Policymaking 10

Electives (choose one)

Security Networks and Technology 5
Global Environmental Politics and Ethics 5
Policing Studies 5
Global Transformations and Governance Challenges 10
Countering Transnational Organized Crime 5
Intelligence in War and Conflict 5
Psychology of Online Behavior: Response to Violence and Crises 5
Countering (Violent) Extremism 5
Radicalisation: Advances in experimental research 5
Climate crisis politics: constraints and opportunities 5
Accountability for Atrocity Crimes 5
Humanitarian response to disasters and emergencies 5
Conflict and Disaster Politics 5

War and Peace Studies

Vak EC Semester 1 Semester 2

Main courses

Security Challenges in a Globalizing World 4
Security: Actors, Institutions and Constellations 5
Security and the Rule of Law 5
Portfolio 1

Specialisation

War Studies: History, Theories and Concepts 10
Applied Issues in War Studies 10
Peace Studies: History, Theories and Concepts 10
Applied Issues in Peace Studies 10

Electives (choose one)

Security Networks and Technology 5
Global Environmental Politics and Ethics 5
Policing Studies 5
Global Transformations and Governance Challenges 10
Countering Transnational Organized Crime 5
Intelligence in War and Conflict 5
Psychology of Online Behavior: Response to Violence and Crises 5
Countering (Violent) Extremism 5
Radicalisation: Advances in experimental research 5
Climate crisis politics: constraints and opportunities 5
Accountability for Atrocity Crimes 5
Humanitarian response to disasters and emergencies 5
Conflict and Disaster Politics 5

Governance of Violence

Vak EC Semester 1 Semester 2

Main courses

Security Challenges in a Globalizing World 4
Security: Actors, Institutions and Constellations 5
Security and the Rule of Law 5
Portfolio 1

Specialisation

The Anatomy of Violence 10
Gender-Based Violence 10
Violent Societies 10
Relational Proximities of Violence 10

Electives

Security Networks and Technology 5
Global Environmental Politics and Ethics 5
Policing Studies 5
Global Transformations and Governance Challenges 10
Countering Transnational Organized Crime 5
Intelligence in War and Conflict 5
Psychology of Online Behavior: Response to Violence and Crises 5
Countering (Violent) Extremism 5
Radicalisation: Advances in experimental research 5
Climate crisis politics: constraints and opportunities 5
Accountability for Atrocity Crimes 5
Humanitarian response to disasters and emergencies 5
Conflict and Disaster Politics 5

Transitional Arrangements

Cyber Security Governance
The course Digital Justice will not be offered in the academic year 2024-2025 following the restructuring of the cyber security governance specialisation. For those students who need this course to complete their programme the course Cyber Crisis Management and Resilience can be used as a substitute. Passed partial grade for Digital Justice are not valid for the course on Cyber Crisis Management and Resilience. Please note: Students who participated in Digital Justice in the academic year 2023-2024, but did not manage to pass the course can apply to the Board of Examiners to be allowed one final re-take for the course Digital Justice in the academic year 2024-2025, but only if this is the last course they need to pass in order to graduate.

Governance of Radicalism, Extremism and Terrorism
The course Extremism in a Global Context will not be offered in the academic year 2024-2025 following the restructuring of the Governance of Radicalism, Extremism and Terrorism specialisation. For those students who need this course to complete their programme the course Becoming Radicalized: Pathways into and out of Extremism can be used as a substitute. Passed partial grade for Extremism in a Global Context are not valid for the course on Becoming Radicalized: Pathways into and out of Extremism. Please note: Students who participated in Extremism in a Global Context in the academic year 2023-2024, but did not manage to pass the course can apply to the Board of Examiners to be allowed one final re-take for the course Extremism in a Global Context in the academic year 2024-2025, but only if this is the last course they need to pass in order to graduate.

Academic Excellence Programme

Students who have a strong wish to further develop their research skills - for instance, because they aspire an academic career or another research-led career - have the opportunity to join an Academic Excellence Programme.
This 15-ECTS trajectory is not part of the formal CSM-programme and cannot be used to obtain ECTS in order to graduate. The grade obtained will not be part of the diploma of CSM, however, it will be shown as extra-curricular achievement on the CSM diploma supplement.

As this is an extra-curricular trajectory, students have to fulfil certain conditions in order to enrol in the Academic Excellence Programme. Information on these conditions, the procedures and all other information related to the Academic Excellence Programme will be published in the Brightspace course ‘Master General Announcements MSc Crisis and Security Management’.

Vak EC Semester 1 Semester 2
Academic Excellence Programme 15

Career Preparation

Career orientation

Career preparation in master Crisis and Security Management

In addition to offering you a solid university education, Leiden University aims to prepare you as well as possible for the labour market, and in doing so contribute to the development of your employability. In this way, it will become easier for you to make the transition to the labour market, to remain employable in a dynamic labour market, in a (career) job that suits your own personal values, preferences and development. 'Employability' consists of the following aspects that you will develop within your study programme, among others:

1. Discipline-specific knowledge and skills
Knowledge and skills specific to your study programme.

2. Transferable skills
These are skills that are relevant to every student and that you can use in all kinds of jobs irrespective of your study programme, for example: researching, analysing, project-based working, generating solutions, digital skills, collaborating, oral communication, written communication, presenting, societal awareness, independent learning, resilience.

3. Self-reflection
This concerns self-reflection in the context of your (study) career, including reflecting on the choices you make as a student during your studies, what can you do with your knowledge and skills on the labour market?
In addition, reflecting on your own profile and your personal and professional development. Who are you, what can you do well, what do you find interesting, what suits you, what do you find important, what do you want to do?

4. Practical experience
Gaining practical experience through internships, work placements, projects, practical (social) assignments, which are integrated into an elective, minor or graduation assignment.

5. Labour market orientation
Gaining insight into the labour market, fields of work, jobs and career paths through, for example, guest speakers and alumni experiences from the work field, career events within the study programme, the use of the alumni mentor network, interviewing people from the work field, and shadowing/visiting companies in the context of a particular subject.

Employability in Master’s programme Crisis and Security Management

You will also find these employability elements in your study programme. Examples of subjects that pay attention to this are:

Discipline-specific knowledge and skills

Global, regardless of specialisation:

Body of knowledge (specific for specialisation)

Shared transferable skills

Research:

Analysis:

Self-reflection

Practical experience
CSM Electives (one to be chosen by students regardless of specialisation), including small-scale group work as well as guest lectures by field professionals.

Labour market orientation