What do you need to know about national security studies?

Young people on the verge of their adult life often long for a possibility to make a real difference in the world. This should lead them to meaningful choices in way of the career path, where they can acquire the skills and experience necessary for high-impact job positions. National security studies may serve as an excellent example of such a meaningful choice.

The structure and program of the national security studies

National security studies may be found among the educational offering from many Polish universities and colleges. They usually encompass bachelor’s and master’s degree programs, spanning together 5 years of studies. Such a structure enables the participants to concentrate their learning efforts on the area of security and defense, while retaining enough flexibility to appeal also to persons wanting to continue their education after getting bachelor’s degree on different fields.

Students of both degrees are in the process of immersing themselves in the vast area of national security, usually concentrating on the internal aspects relevant for the state, at the same time not neglecting also global security dynamics. National security studies often are subdivided into several specialties, such as Data Protection, Crisis Management and Disaster Response, or Supply Chain Security and Logistics. Some schools allow for a specialty to be chosen at an undergraduate level, while others reserve this option for further education, with bachelor’s degree as a prerequisite.

Who can apply and what will be expected of them?

The possibilities of applying for a place in the national security studies program require certain accomplishments of the candidate. In the case of undergraduate studies offered by the state universities, the candidates need to be able to produce a high school diploma, as well as the satisfying scores in the school leaving exams, expecially in geography, social studies, mathematics and chosen foreign language.

For the graduate studies, a bachelor’s degree in the similar area might be needed, in addition to the specific finishing scores from various subjects of the undergraduate program. During the course of both programs, the students will gradually gain comprehensive understanding of security issues in all of their diverse manifestations. These will include military defense, terrorism and cybersecurity, food security issues, the problems of the ecological and natural crises, as well as the disaster and emergency response.

Who will the national security studies be ideal for? The first group of candidates that may find there the answer to their calling will be socially engaged people, with a desire to work in the government or NGO structures. The program of the studies can certainly be characterized as an accessible, but still demanding, requiring an investment of time and dedication, which will enable students to make difficult decisions wisely in the future. The issues of national and global security are intertwined with each other, and because of that such programs may be also an effective way to acquire an intersectional understanding of topics needed in a job in the EU structures.