Does the Advanced Diploma in Peace and Conflict Studies involve fieldwork in conflict zones?

No. The Advanced Diploma in Peace and Conflict Studies is taught from London with desk-based case-study work and structured engagement with practitioners. Fieldwork in fragile contexts requires additional safety training and is typically taken on at Master's or doctoral level.

Is the Advanced Diploma in Peace and Conflict Studies recognised by international NGOs?

The course is structured around current ICG, Amnesty and UN Association practice. Many graduates move directly into research and programme roles at international NGOs and UN agencies — though, as in any field, your experience and references carry equal weight with the credential.

Do I need a background in international relations to enrol in the Advanced Diploma in Peace and Conflict Studies?

Not specifically. Applicants with a Diploma in a related field — international relations, politics, law, sociology, human rights — are well placed, but a strong personal statement and relevant experience are equally considered.

Advanced Diploma in Peace and Conflict Studies | LSJHML | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The Advanced Diploma in Peace and Conflict Studies at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a twelve-to-fifteen-month UK qualification for practitioners and graduates working at the edges of peacebuilding, human rights and international development. You will learn how conflicts begin, escalate and end, the frameworks the UN and major NGOs use to intervene, and the research methods a serious practitioner needs to document harm and design a response.

The course is built around current International Crisis Group analytical practice, Amnesty International documentation standards, and UN Association peacebuilding guidance. By the end you will be able to write a conflict analysis a programme officer can act on and an intervention design a donor can fund.

Key Features

Conflict-analysis laboratory — apply current frameworks to live UK and international cases.
Human-rights documentation training aligned with major NGO field practice.
Peacebuilding programme-design module — logframe, theory of change, donor reporting.
Comparative case-study seminars across Europe, the MENA region, South Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America.
Industry-led masterclasses from peacebuilding practitioners, human-rights researchers and humanitarian programme managers.
Direct top-up into the final year of a UK BA in Peace Studies, International Relations or a related discipline.

What You Will Learn

The Advanced Diploma in Peace and Conflict Studies is structured around the working practice of a peacebuilding or human-rights practitioner — analysis, documentation, design, response. You graduate able to write a conflict analysis, document a human-rights case to professional standards, and design a small peacebuilding intervention that a donor would consider funding.

Theories of conflict — root causes, escalation dynamics, ripeness for resolution.
Peacebuilding frameworks — Lederach, Galtung, UN sustaining peace agenda.
Human-rights law fundamentals — the UDHR, the major covenants, regional instruments.
Conflict analysis methods — actor mapping, dividers and connectors, scenario planning.
Field documentation — interview methods, evidence handling, source protection.
Programme design — theory of change, logframe, monitoring and evaluation.
Track-two diplomacy and dialogue facilitation basics.
Researcher safety and the ethics of working in fragile contexts.

Who This Advanced Diploma Is For

Diploma-level graduates in international relations, peace studies or human rights moving into senior practitioner work.
Working NGO staff at peacebuilding, human-rights and humanitarian organisations seeking a recognised credential.
Civil servants and diplomatic-service staff moving into stabilisation or conflict-prevention roles.
Career-changers from journalism, law or social work moving into the peacebuilding sector.

Career Pathways

Graduates of the Advanced Diploma in Peace and Conflict Studies move into research, programme and advocacy roles across the international peacebuilding and human-rights sector. Typical roles include:

Human Rights Researcher (Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, regional NGO)
Peacebuilding Programme Officer (international NGO, UN agency)
International Development Adviser (FCDO, bilateral donor, consultancy)
Policy Advocate (UN Association, think tank)
Humanitarian Programme Manager (international NGO, Red Cross movement)
Conflict Analyst (International Crisis Group, think tank, consultancy)

The Advanced Diploma articulates directly into the final year of a UK Bachelor's degree in Peace Studies, International Relations or a related field, or supports application to an MA in Conflict Resolution or Human Rights.

Entry Requirements

A UK Diploma (Level 4) or equivalent in a related subject, OR completion of secondary school plus one year of relevant work experience.
IELTS 5.5 overall (no band below 5.5) for non-native English speakers.
Personal statement and CV.
Mature applicants (21+) without standard qualifications may apply with three years of relevant work experience.

Why Study at LSJHML

The London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages is a specialist higher-education provider based in central London. Our programmes are designed in dialogue with working professionals — journalists, translators, civil servants, academics, broadcasters, editors, publishers and policy researchers — so what you learn in seminar on Monday is what your future employer is using on Tuesday. We deliberately keep cohorts small, give every student named tutor support, and treat employability as a structural part of every programme rather than an optional add-on.

London is the work — politics, courts, capital markets, theatre, broadcasting, publishing, public service, the global press. Your studies are taught in the same square mile where the stories you read about happen. Whether you join us on-campus, online or by distance learning, the city is your classroom and our industry network is your launchpad.