Security risk management tackled at new Master's programme

From terrorism, financial crises, to environmental disasters, the modern world requires a whole new way of managing a crisis. Sounds like an interesting challenge? This new program could make you a real world problem solver.

Security Risk Management, a new Master’s programme, is open to all bachelor graduates with a background in Social Sciences. A maximum of 50 students will be selected to start their studies in September 2014.

”We want to attract the right crowd with this programme. A good mix of national backgrounds, and the best from a variety of disciplines,” says Karen Lund Petersen, head of study at Security Risk Management.

Global actors

The programme takes its point of departure from Political Science, but has a broader understanding of ‘political risk’, inspired by economics and sociology. Students will learn to understand the concept and assess the risks most relevant for a specific organization.

”Globally active actors – companies, state agencies, international organizations and NGOs – face risks such as political unrest, a confrontation with terrorism and organized crime, and are exposed to financial market and environmental risks as well,” explains Karen.

Students will be taught in a number of fields related to risk and security analysis, management, and communication. They will be able to find employment within global companies that are expanding into foreign markets, with foreign, defense, and intelligence departments, or in international organizations or NGO’s.

”Real world” teachers

Security Risk Management wants to encourage close engagement between students and the world outside university. ”We want to draw on practitioners’ experience in our everyday teaching,” says Karen.

A number of cooperations between private companies and public actors have been created for that purpose. Examples include Novo Nordisk, Carlsberg, SAS, and the Defense Ministry. “Together with our partners, we will create cases from their previous experiences in the field,” Karen elaborates.

During the first semester, students will engage with a number of cases which will be tackled from the perspective of each course. As the program continues, students will keep working with these cases and simulation exercises that draw on practitioners’ expert knowledge.

You can learn more from the program’s website, here .

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