Strategic and Arms Control Studies
41.04.05 In English
Level of education Master
Type of instruction Full-time
Duration 2 years
The master's programme focuses on the study of issues associated with the use of military force in international relations: the military strategy of countries; armed conflicts; and the impact of scientific and technological progress on the development of military strategy. Special attention is paid to the analysis of international issues in arms control, such as: the functioning of international regimes; limitation, reduction, prohibition and non-proliferation of arms; and the activities of international organisations in this field. The academic programme is aimed at training non-military experts with the necessary knowledge to work in government agencies, international organisations, research centres and the media that are somehow related to the solution, study or coverage of military-political issues in present-day international relations. During training, special attention is therefore paid to the study of: the role and significance of military force in international relations and world politics; the forms and methods of its use by states and non-state actors to achieve various goals; the features and prospects of its development; and its influence on the development of society.
- Strategy and Politics in the 19th–21st Centuries
- General Principles and Methods of Strategic Analysis
- Nuclear Strategy and Arms Control
- Arms Control, Non-Proliferation and Disarmament
- Military Innovations and Strategy
It is the first and the only programme on strategic and arms control studies in the Russian Federation at the moment. The programme is unique in that it provides an in-depth study of current military-political issues. During training, master’s students acquire the knowledge and skills that are necessary for analytical and practical work in national and international organisations which work to find solutions to various military-political issues, namely:
- possession of the categorical apparatus necessary for research in the fields of military strategy, defence policy and international security policy
- basic project planning and implementation skills
- principles of strategic analysis
- strategic forecasting skills
- skills in information and analytical activities in the field of defence policy
- knowledge of the key issues in the spheres of defence and security policy
- basic knowledge of the technical aspects of modern weapon and military equipment development
- knowledge of basic national and international legislation in the sphere of non-proliferation, disarmament and arms control
- a sophisticated understanding of research and analyses in the field of military strategy
- knowledge of industry-specific terminology and minimum essential technical aspects of military-political issues
- the ability to apply acquired specific knowledge in different practical environments
The programme is internationally accredited by the Central Evaluation and Accreditation Agency Hannover (ZEvA), the Certificate dated 12 March 2018.
Master’s students have an opportunity to gain experience of exchange education at field-specific faculties of top universities in Europe, America and Asia within the framework of international academic exchange programmes at St Petersburg University, in particular:
- The Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg (Germany)
- The Technische Universität Dresden (Germany)
- Helmut Schmidt University of the Federal Armed Forces Hamburg (Germany)
- Leibniz University Hannover (Germany)
- Sciences Po (France)
- The École Normale Supérieure de Lyon (France)
- The Hague University of Applied Sciences (the Netherlands)
- The University of St. Gallen (Switzerland)
- The University of Bologna (Italy)
- The Prague University of Economics and Business (the Czech Republic)
- The University of Southern California (the USA)
- The Université de Montréal (Canada)
- The Universidad de Montevideo (Uruguay)
- Qingdao Binhai University (China)
- Peking University (China)
Professional activities:
- Analytical and research activities (in information and analysis centres, consulting companies and research institutions)
- Journalism
- Civil service