Studying at a postgraduate level at CCCU has been a really rewarding experience. The opportunity to deep dive into counterterrorism and security subjects that are of interest to me has helped me understand challenges that counter terrorism practitioners base regularly. Taking on this course has benefited me in opening new doors within my career. I would highly recommend this degree to anyone embarking on a journey in counterterrorism or security, as well as those trying to deepen their knowledge.

Daniel Blanchfield
Sergeant at the Metropolitan Police

Key dates

Academic Calendar: Trimesters [15 Week]

View key dates for this Academic Calendar for 2025-26 including when teaching starts and finishes and when you break for holidays. 

Welcome and Induction

Your Welcome Week is an essential introduction to your course and the wider University, helping you to feel confident and prepared for your studies right from the very start.

It is important to check your Course Welcome Week for all the activities you are required to attend as part of your course induction. If any of your welcome activities are in groups, your course team will contact you before you arrive to let you know which group you will be in.

View your Course Welcome Week

In addition, check the Student Events Hub for a range of fun activities. including the Students’ Union Welcome Fair, to help you make friends and live your best CCCU student life.

Your teaching timetable 

UniTimetables provides an overview of all teaching activities for a course. If your course is taught in groups, it will display information for all groups, not just the group you will be assigned to.

Your individual student timetable will show you what modules and groups you are expected to attend via MyTimetable. This will be available for when your teaching starts.

Learn more about timetabling for new students including user guides and videos.

Welcome

Hello, and a very warm welcome to the Taught MSc Counter-Terrorism and Security. We are excited to welcome you to Canterbury Christ Church University and to take you on a journey through terrorism, political violence, security, state violence, counter-terrorism responses, human rights among other topics. All together, these topics paint the picture of a complex and inter-connected world with a wide variety of issues that need understanding and addressing. Your involvement in the course is a first step on your journey to understanding, analysing and engaging with these issues and will set you on a career path to contribute to their solutions. You will be taught by a variety of lecturers including practitioners and academics and we look forward to engaging with you over your time with us. A number of speaker events, critical incident simulations and other activities will also be available to you which will enable you to really become part of the conversation around these issues. If you have any further questions don't hesitate to reach out.

Getting started

The Student Union (CCSU) has a huge range of clubs and societies – all of which have unique social calendars of their own and offer endless opportunities to make lifelong friends and discover new hobbies. And you can always create your own society and cultivate your own community!

CCSU will be hosting their Welcome Fayre on Wednesday 17th September 2025. Make sure you keep checking the CCSU website for further details and how to get involved.

We understand that you may be nervous about your first few weeks on campus but rest assured - you'll be joining a nurturing and supportive environment where diversity, equality and individuality are part of everything we do.

You can find out more about our welcoming community and making friends.

If you are an International Student joining us then please see our International Student Support pages for further information and guidance.

 

Pre-course reading

English, R. (2009) Terrorism: How to Respond, Oxford: Oxford University Press;

LaFree, G. and Freilich, J.D. (eds) (2017) The Handbook of the Criminology of Terrorism, Wiley Blackwell, Malden, MA;

Jackson, R. (ed) (2018) Routledge Handbook of Critical Terrorism Studies. 1st Ed. London: Routledge;

Silke, A. (ed) (2019) Routledge Handbook of Terrorism and Counterterrorism. 1st Ed. London: Routledge (Handbook);

Schmid, A. (ed) Handbook of Terrorism Prevention and Preparedness, International Centre for Counter-Terrorism - The Hague. Available at: https://icct.nl/handbook-of-terrorism-prevention-and-preparedness/ (ebook)

International student success programme

International students: don't miss out! Make sure you register for our international student success programme which provides practical advice on preparing to live and study in the UK.

Contact details

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