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MJRU-SCSTR

Security and Strategic Studies

Undergraduate major

Learn the art of strategy and leadership, and understand present and future threats.

Course outline
  • Qualification
    Security and Strategic Studies Major (BA)
  • Credit

    Credit

    200
Course outline

Select your preferred degree

This course belongs to multiple degrees. Select the single degree or double degree below to see the application deadlines.

Course outline

Overview

Overview

National security and defence has become one of the most critical factors of everyday life.

Security and Strategic Studies is a timely, in-demand and highly relevant field that investigates and explains security challenges associated with:

  • traditional threats (military, security)
  • asymmetric threats (terrorism and insurgency, and organised crime)
  • other risk factors such as energy security and climate change.

In this course, you’ll become a strategic thinker and leader, who understands major dilemmas that profoundly impact national and international sustainability, prosperity and sovereignty. You’ll study an exciting curriculum where you’ll learn contemporary strategic and defence thinking and planning, intelligence analysis, strategic leadership, ethics, policy planning and decision-making.

Topics may include the human security impact of nuclear tests conducted on the land and sea of traditional owners; and the impact and legacy of Australia’s frontier wars.

You will also acquire skills in intelligence and critical analysis, crisis management and problem-solving, written and oral communications – all of which underpin successful careers in policy, strategy, leadership and management.

This course gives you industry-ready, practical skills. It is ideal if you are looking for a career in defence, intelligence, analysis and strategic policy or law enforcement. It is also useful for careers in business, particularly the security industry, critical infrastructure and resource sectors.

What jobs can the Security and Strategic Studies course lead to?

Careers

  • Intelligence officer
  • Business analyst
  • National security analyst
  • Logistics specialist
  • Cryptologist.

Industries

  • Defence
  • Government
  • Law
  • Resources
  • Business
  • Finance
  • Transport.

What you'll learn

  • demonstrate a good understanding of the major conceptual frameworks of security, strategic and defence studies, GC1
  • demonstrate the ability to think and analyse critically, creatively and reflectively within security and strategic studies and across disciplinary boundaries, GC1,GC2,GC3
  • demonstrate the ability to locate relevant evidence from a wide range of sources and to make informed decisions about the significance of this information in the development of a security, strategic and defence analysis of social and political life, GC2,GC6
  • demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively through a variety of written, oral and other formats to diverse audiences in ways appropriate in security and strategic studies, GC3,GC6
  • demonstrate the ability to use a variety of technologies and the ability to decide on their applications appropriately, GC3,GC6
  • show sustained intellectual curiosity by taking responsibility for one's own learning and intellectual development through the recognition of a range of learning strategies, GC1,GC2,GC3
  • demonstrate the capacity to understand socio-economic and political life in a range of local and global contexts through the recognition of international practices in political and international affairs, GC1,GC5
  • embrace the importance of cultural diversity and of human rights in the making of knowledge in the social and political sciences, GC4,GC5
  • provide both accountable and ethical prescriptions/solutions to the major issues and challenges involved in national, regional and world affairs. Learn and practice effective team and leadership skills, GC3,GC6

Why study Security and Strategic Studies at Curtin?

Get the Curtin edge

We engage in research that address defence and security challenges, including emerging military technologies, cyber power, defence studies and violent and non-violent extremist beliefs.

Cutting-edge

Our degree will build your understanding of established and emerging security challenges associated with military, terrorism, organised crime, energy security and climate change.

Specialist pathways

In your final year, you’ll undertake a strategic analysis on your choice of topic and get the opportunity to develop an intelligence product, including a tactical assessment or subject profile.

Admission criteria

What you need in order to get into this course. There are different pathway options depending on your level of work and education experience.

Select an option that best suits you:

You’re considered a high school leaver if you:

  • Completed year 12 in Australia or overseas in the past two years, or
  • Completed TAFE or VET studies in the past two years.

ATAR pathway

  • Essential WACE subjects (prerequisites)

    Essential WACE subjects (prerequisites)

    English ATAR, Literature ATAR or English as an Additional Language/Dialect ATAR.

  • Desirable WACE subjects

    Desirable WACE subjects

    There are no desirable WACE subjects for this course.

Please see our correlation comparability for previous TEE subjects, WACE courses and WACE ATAR courses.

StepUp Entry

StepUp Entry

Successful StepUp Entry and StepUp Equity Adjustment Admission Pathway (StepUp Bonus) applicants will be eligible to be considered for admission into this course.

Alternative pathways

  • Indigenous applicant

    If you’re an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander applicant who hasn’t met Curtin’s minimum admissions criteria, the Centre for Aboriginal Studies offers bridging courses that are tailored to help you gain entry into this course.

  • STAT entry

    Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT)

    Written English and either verbal or quantitative

Find your pathway to Curtin

Think you don’t have the marks or qualifications to study at Curtin? We have several pathways to help you meet admission. Use our pathway finder to find your best way to studying with us.

Pathway finder tool

How others gained admission

View the ATAR breakdown to see the low, median and high ATAR scores of students who started studying this course recently.

To see the other pathways students have taken, see the pathway breakdown.

You’re considered someone with work and life experience if:

You have left secondary education more than two years ago (i.e. who are not classified as recent secondary education applicants) and have not undertaken vocational education training (VET) or higher education study since then.

How we define ‘experience’

‘Experience’ includes a combination of factors sufficient to demonstrate readiness for higher education such as mature-age entry, professional experience whether completion of the Skills for Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) is required or not, community involvement or work experience. Applicants may have undertaken non-formal programs that have helped prepare them for tertiary education or are relevant to the proposed higher education field of study.

Pathways

  • STAT entry

    Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT)

    Written English and either verbal or quantitative

Find your pathway to Curtin

Think you don’t have the marks or qualifications to study at Curtin? We have several pathways to help you meet admission. Use our pathway finder to find your best way to studying with us.

Pathway finder tool

You’re considered someone who studied at TAFE or have done an apprenticeship if:

Applicants with vocational education and training (VET) study are those whose highest level of study since leaving secondary education is a VET course. This includes study at a public TAFE or other VET provider, whether a qualification was completed or not. Applicants with VET study may have other qualifications such as a Year 10 or Year 12 secondary school certificate.

Pathways

  • TAFE entry

    • AQF Certificate IV - Separate evidence of English language proficiency is required; or
    • AQF Diploma; or
    • AQF Advanced Diploma.

  • STAT entry

    Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT)

    Written English and either verbal or quantitative

Find your pathway to Curtin

Think you don’t have the marks or qualifications to study at Curtin? We have several pathways to help you meet admission. Use our pathway finder to find your best way to studying with us.

Pathway finder tool

You’re considered someone who has recently left university if:

Applicants with higher education are those whose highest level of study since leaving secondary education is a higher education course, such as a university degree. This may include applicants who are currently studying a higher education course at another education provider and want to transfer to Curtin University, or applicants who are currently studying at Curtin but want to switch to a different course. It may also include applicants who have completed past study with university and non-university higher education providers.

Curtin course switcher criteria

Our admission criteria for minimum entry apply to Curtin course switchers. For information on how to meet Curtin's minimum entry requirements, please see our admission criteria web page.

Higher education course switcher criteria

Our admission criteria for minimum entry apply to other higher education course switchers. For information on how to meet Curtin's minimum entry requirements, please see our admission criteria web page.

Find your pathway to Curtin

Think you don’t have the marks or qualifications to study at Curtin? We have several pathways to help you meet admission. Use our pathway finder to find your best way to studying with us.

Pathway finder tool

Unsure what option suits you?

We’re here to help you navigate the complexities of university admission. Choose the support you need from the options below.

Find your pathway to Curtin

Think you don’t have the marks or qualifications to study at Curtin? We have several pathways to help you meet admission. Use our pathway finder to find your best way to studying with us.

Pathway finder tool
Credit for recognised learning (CRL)

Use your experience to get credit towards your degree

Finish your course sooner with credit for your previous study or work experience.

Fees and scholarships

Please view the Bachelor of Arts degree for indicative fees.

Looking for more detail on the course structure?

View course structure

How to apply

Please review information on how to apply for the campus of your choice

Apply now
  • The offering information on this website applies only to future students. Current students should refer to faculty handbooks for current or past course information.

    The information on this page may be subject to change. In particular, Curtin University may change the content, method or location of delivery or tuition fees of courses.

    While Curtin uses reasonable efforts to ensure that the information provided on this page is accurate and up to date, errors and omissions sometimes occur. Curtin makes no warranty, representation or undertaking (expressed or implied) nor does it assume any legal liability (direct or indirect) for the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any information.

    View courses information disclaimer.

  • Curtin course code: MJRU-SCSTR
  • Last updated on: 20 December 2024

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