How is BA Peace and Conflict Studies different from IR?

International relations focuses on state behaviour and the international system. BA Peace and Conflict Studies is practitioner-focused — conflict analysis, mediation, peace-process design, transitional justice. The framing is operational rather than diplomatic.

Does BA Peace and Conflict Studies include fieldwork in conflict-affected settings?

No. BA Peace and Conflict Studies does not place students in conflict-affected settings. Field-based experience is something graduates build later through structured INGO programmes with appropriate safety training. The degree prepares you for that, not in place of it.

Is BA Peace and Conflict Studies recognised by international employers?

BA Peace and Conflict Studies is a UK honours degree built around the frameworks and competencies international peacebuilding and humanitarian organisations recruit for. As with most humanities and social-science degrees, your capstone and voluntary experience carry weight alongside the credential.

Can I study BA Peace and Conflict Studies online?

Yes. The degree runs on-campus in central London, fully online with cohort seminars, and as distance learning. The 10,000-word capstone research project is the same across all three modes.

What fees and scholarships are available?

Fees for BA Peace and Conflict Studies vary by mode, intake and student status. LSJHML offers instalment plans, an early-application discount and a small humanitarian-sector scholarship pool. Contact admissions for the current schedule.

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

Course Overview

The BA Peace and Conflict Studies at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a three-year UK honours degree for students who want serious, evidence-based training in conflict analysis, peacebuilding practice and transitional justice. You will study the major theoretical traditions, work through detailed case material from contemporary peace processes, and graduate with a capstone research project on a conflict or peace dynamic of your choice.

The degree is built in dialogue with the International Crisis Group, the United Nations Association and Amnesty International. It treats peacebuilding as a discipline with method, evidence and accountability — not a value statement.

Key Features

UK honours degree — three years full-time, with online and distance routes available.
Conflict analysis module covering early-warning frameworks, fragility indices and structured analytical methods.
Peacebuilding practice module — mediation, dialogue facilitation, peace-process design.
Transitional justice module covering truth commissions, ICC prosecutions, reparations and memorialisation.
International humanitarian law module grounded in the Geneva Conventions and customary IHL.
Capstone research project of 10,000 words on a conflict or peace dynamic of your choice.

What You Will Learn

The BA Peace and Conflict Studies is structured around the working practice of a peace and conflict analyst — read the situation, frame the analysis, design the response, account for the outcome. You finish able to analyse a conflict using established frameworks, evaluate a peace process critically, and write a sustained research piece grounded in evidence.

Theories of conflict — structural, identity-based, resource-based, contemporary hybrid theories.
Conflict analysis frameworks — Galtung, Lederach, the Fund for Peace, conflict-mapping methods.
Peacebuilding practice — mediation, dialogue facilitation, peace-process design.
Transitional justice — truth commissions, prosecutions, reparations, memorialisation.
International humanitarian law — Geneva Conventions, customary IHL, ICRC standards.
Reconciliation and reintegration — DDR, community-based reconciliation, dealing with the past.
Gender and conflict — Women, Peace and Security agenda, sexual violence in conflict.
Research methods — mixed methods, conflict-sensitive ethics, GDPR for research with vulnerable populations.

Who This Course Is For

School leavers planning a career in peacebuilding, international development or conflict-affected programme work.
International students seeking a UK degree in peace and conflict studies taught in London.
Career-changers from teaching, military, civil service or NGO work moving into peacebuilding.
Diaspora students drawing on lived conflict experience and ready for a formal degree credential.

Career Pathways

BA Peace and Conflict Studies graduates compete for junior roles across UK and international NGOs, multilateral bodies and conflict-research organisations. Typical first roles include:

Human Rights Researcher (Amnesty, HRW, regional human-rights NGO — entry roles)
Peacebuilding Programme Officer (international NGO, conflict-prevention agency)
International Development Adviser (consultancy, programme operator in conflict-affected settings)
Policy Advocate (UK or international advocacy organisation focused on peace and security)
Humanitarian Programme Manager (entry-track role in conflict-affected settings)
Conflict Analyst (think tank, INGO, multilateral early-warning unit)

Graduates progress to a Master's in Peace Studies, International Relations, Human Rights or a regional specialism.

Entry Requirements

Three A-Levels at BBC or above (or international equivalent — IB 28 points, BTEC DMM, or accepted national qualification).
GCSE English Language at grade 5 or equivalent English proficiency test.
IELTS 6.0 overall (no band below 5.5) for non-native English speakers.
A short personal statement; interview invited for some applicants.
Mature applicants (21+) without standard qualifications may apply with a portfolio of voluntary or professional experience and a short interview.

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.