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This course focuses on complex security-related challenges faced by law enforcement, governments and businesses, how these can be understood and how they can be mitigated to help keep people safe.
Year of entry
2025-26
Location
Coventry University (Coventry)
Study mode
Part-time
Duration
2 years part-time (UK only)
Course code
TPST001 - MSc TPST002 - PgDip TPST003 - PgCert
Start date
September 2025
January 2026
Protective security and resilience is an important and influential consideration in the counter terrorism, security and resilience disciplines, particularly in relation to public spaces, venues and critical infrastructure protection.
This course is designed to help you to:
Qualifications available:
The three qualifications are sequential: you start by completing the certificate level, then the diploma and finish by completing the full master's degree, with the option to stop, pause or continue at each stage.
We also provide the opportunity to study through our fast-track RP(E)L (Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning) route which allows you to gain credits for your prior experience and learning, including what you have achieved in your career so far. Please see the Entry Requirements section for more information.
This course covers key principles, cutting-edge research and practical insights in protective security. You'll gain specialist knowledge and tools for government roles, learning through a 'whole systems' approach to physical, cyber and personnel risks. The course integrates significant operational and academic expertise, offering innovative, research-led teaching. You will also have the opportunity to benefit from extensive peer learning, combining theory, concepts and practice to enhance your expertise in protective security and resilience.
We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.
You will be well supported throughout your studies with a range of support, services and guidance to help you get the most out of your programme.
Coursework feedback and support from the programme team will be provided. The Centre for Peace and Security (CPS) has a team of PGT (Postgraduate Teaching) Ambassadors who provide pastoral and academic skills support. For those writing a dissertation, a supervisor will be allocated who has appropriate knowledge, experience and expertise in your chosen topic of study.
For the full master’s course, you will study modules totalling 180 credits. A typical 10 credit module requires a total of 100 hours of study. Study hours are made up of teaching contact hours, guided and independent study.
Teaching hours:
Teaching hours may vary, depending on where you are in your studies, but on average you will have between 4 and 6 teaching hours each week. You will also have the opportunity to meet with staff for advice and feedback.
Guided and independent study:
Throughout your studies, you will be expected to spend time in guided and independent study to make up the required study hours per module. You will dig deeper into topics, review what you’ve learned and complete assignments. This can be completed around your personal commitments. As you progress to the end of your studies, you’ll spend more time on independent learning.
This course will be assessed using a variety of methods, which will vary depending upon the module, but will include essays and coursework projects.
The Coventry University Group assessment strategy aims to ensure that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes. Assessments may include individual assignments or group work elements.
Typical entry requirements:
For advice and guidance on tuition fees3 and student loans visit our Postgraduate Finance page and see the university's Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.
Student | Full-time | Part-time |
---|---|---|
UK | Not available | 2025/26 fees TBC 2024/25 fees - £10,600 (MSc) | £7,067 (PGDip) | £3,533 (PGCert) |
As learners on an online programme, there is no expectation of attendance on campus. You will, however, have access to all Coventry campus facilities such as the Lanchester Library and The Hub.
If you are already a practitioner, you will have the opportunity to broaden your professional network, which is very likely to be useful to you in the workplace, whilst also gaining a formal accredited postgraduate qualification, which may be required for further progression in your career.
If you are an individual with an interest in protecting crowded places, critical infrastructure and risk mitigation and resilience, this course can help equip you with the skills and knowledge necessary to enter into jobs within a broad spectrum of organisations. These could include law enforcement, government, private security organisations, international non-government organisations and also academia.
Graduates from this course will develop the skills and knowledge necessary to enter jobs within a broad spectrum of organisations, including law enforcement, government, private security organisations, architectural design and development companies, international non-government organisations and academia.