The Handa Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence (CSTPV) at the University of St Andrews is pleased to offer both an MLitt in Terrorism and Political Violence for full-time residential study and an online MLitt in Terrorism, Extremism and Political Violence.
Our ground-breaking programmes seek to develop in their students an understanding of the latest thinking in the field. The MLitt offers students the opportunity to take research-led taught modules and to develop a piece of systematic research in a dissertation focusing on a selected area of terrorism, extremism and political violence.
Taught by acknowledged experts in the field, the postgraduate programmes are available for full and part-time study. Our digital programme enables students to study on a part-time basis for between 2 – 5 years whilst our full-time programme is completed in 12 months.
Applications to start in September 2026 are now open.
Information
Residential MLitt in Terrorism and Political Violence
Full time students must complete four taught modules of the programme in 9 months with the MLitt dissertation taking a further 3 months. The programme starts in September and is delivered via mixed mode teaching. This innovative method of teaching allows flexibility for students and access to a wider range of teaching facilities.
Learning outcomes
The programme will seek to develop in its students:
- a critical understanding of the concept of terrorism and political violence within the context of a multidisciplinary approach to security studies
- knowledge and understanding of the principal social and psychological factors that influence the emergence, development, and abandonment of terrorism as a method of waging conflict
- an understanding and critical evaluation of the political context to contemporary terrorism
- a capacity to critically assess terrorist incidents around the world, examine selected approaches to counter-terrorism, and the development of new responses
- skills of literature search, the use of open source material, and an introduction to basic and principal elements of intelligence analysis
- skills in research design and analysis using qualitative and quantitative techniques
Digital MLitt/PGDip/PGCert in Terrorism, Extremism and Political Violence
The Handa Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence has long been at the forefront of online learning, and in September 2026 we will introduce our refreshed MLitt/PGDip/PGCert in Terrorism, Extremism and Political Violence.
Students on the programme study how terrorism and extremism emerged and changed over time, how networked society creates opportunities for extremist actors to communicate and coordinate, and why the responses employed to prevent further violence can vary widely.
Modules are delivered through a mix of pre-recorded lectures, peer-to-peer learning, and digital resources such as interviews and podcasts at a pace that suits the learner. Our flexible approach to learning and online learning technologies mean that students can take the online programme on a distance-learning basis in 2 – 5 years.
Students complete two compulsory core modules (Explaining Terrorism: History, Ideology and Tactics in Political Violence and Researching Terrorism and Extremism) and choose from a range of optional research-led modules to tailor their studies to their areas of interest or professional development.
- Students studying towards an MLitt take two core modules, six optional modules and complete an MLitt dissertation.
- Those studying towards a PGDip will complete the full taught component of the MLitt, but will not undertake the dissertation.
- Students studying towards a PGCert take two core modules and two optional modules.
Applications to begin studying in September 2026 are now open.
Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme (CSSS)
You can apply for the CSSS for our residential MLitt in Terrorism and Political Violence.
The Commonwealth Shared Scholarships are a joint initiative between the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (with funding from FCDO) and UK universities, to support scholarships for students from least developed and lower middle income Commonwealth countries who would not otherwise be able to study in the UK. The Commonwealth Shared Scholarships are offered on an annual basis for postgraduate Masters study only.
The scheme includes tuition fees, inward and homeward airfares, monthly stipend, arrival allowance, thesis grant and a study travel grant.
Find out more here
Differences from the Short Course in Terrorism and International Security
The MLitt programmes are postgraduate in character. That means that as well as dealing with complex conceptual issues, students are expected to engage in individual reading and research outside and beyond the course material, using the library and other resources available. The dissertation element of the programme undertaken for the MLitt is “a substantial paper that is typically based on original research and that gives evidence of the candidate’s mastery both of her own subject and of scholarly method.” The dissertation will show that the writer knows the subject, the key facts and different points of view in it and also advances a point of view resulting from original research.
In contrast the Short Course in Terrorism and International Security is a highly structured and largely self contained introductory set of modules, which whilst it does address complex conceptual issues, does not require the level of analysis and understanding, nor the degree of independent work, expected in a post graduate programme.
Options for Studying After the MLitt
Although CSTPV does not offer a PhD programme it may be possible for you to apply to undertake a research degree with a supervisor from CSTPV.
Full information on a PhD in International Relations can be found here.