You can apply for the two-year MSc programme in Security Risk Management for the final time in 2027.
The programme will then be changed as part of the new Master’s degree opportunities at the University of Copenhagen, becoming a focused one-year MSc programme.
We will update this page when more information about the new programme becomes available.
Cyberattacks on critical infrastructure. Humanitarianism dismantled. Hybrid warfare at Europe’s borders. AI-powered disinformation reshaping elections. Climate collapse. international conflict, war.
The threats, risks, and crises facing governments and organisations today are faster, more complex, and more interconnected than ever before. The MSc in Security Risk Management trains you to understand them, anticipate them, and act – theoretically, methodologically, and empirically.
You will graduate with both the analytical sharpness to cut through complexity and the practical tools to make organisations genuinely safer, whether in a government ministry, a global corporation, or an international institution.
To apply for admission to the master's programme, you must be enrolled in or have completed either a qualifying bachelor's programme or another relevant Danish or foreign degree programme which the admission board asess fulfil the adacemic requirements.
You apply for admission through the application portal.
Below you can read more about the admission requirements for the programme including which documents you must upload along with your application.
You must meet a number of admission requirements, to apply for the master’s programme. We do not offer pre-assessment of your educational background.
You can read about the various admission requirements below:
If you have completed one of the following bachelor’s degrees and meet the language requirements – English B – you automatically fulfil all the academic admission requirements.
From the University of Copenhagen
From Copenhagen Business School:
From Roskilde University:
From the University of Southern Denmark:
From Aarhus University:
From Aalborg University:
If you hold a bachelor’s degree, a professional bachelor’s degree or an equivalent qualification from a Danish or international university not listed above, you are eligible for admission if you hold a qualifying bachelor degree. The qualifying bachelor’s degree must comprise a minimum of 90 ECTS credits in social science courses within one or more of the following subject areas:
The qualifying bachelor degree must contain a minimum of 15 ECTS in qualitative and/or quantitative research methods within the social sciences. The programme has a limited number of seats. If there are more qualified applicants than seats the selection of admitted applicants is based on the following:
Relevant courses are defined as courses that fall within the general field of security risk management, either theoretically, methodologically and/or empirically.
You must also meet the language requirements for English B.
If your study programme automatically meets the admission requirements, you must upload the following documents with your application:
If your have another Danish or international degree, you must upload the following documents with your application:
Application deadline for Danish applicants and applicants from within the EU, EEA and Switzerland.
Open for applications from 16 January. You will receive a reply by 15 May.
Application deadline for applicants from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland.
Open for applications from 15 November. You will receive a reply by 13 March.
Find information about available places on the study programme, as well as the distribution of students admitted last year.
| Admission statistics Security Risk Management 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Available study places | 53 |
| Admission statistics Security Risk Management 2025 | |
|---|---|
| Admitted (of which have start in February) | 46 (0) |
| Admission distribution (legal right/other) | 0% / 100% |
| Applicants | 322 |
| Age average | 24 |
| Nationality (dk/international) | 41% / 59% |
If the number of qualified applicants exceeds the number of available places, applicants will be prioritised according to the following criteria:
Relevant courses are defined as courses that fall within the general field of security risk management, either theoretically, methodologically and/or empirically.
The documentation requirements depend on your applicant category. Select the category below that applies to you and find out what documents you need and how to apply for admission.
Starting in 2028, you can apply for focused 1-year master’s degrees, 2-year master’s degrees, and several new types of degrees for working professionals, combining study and relevant work.
The new master’s opportunities are relevant for you if you wish to apply for a master’s degree from 2028.
Your bachelor’s degree is the basis for assessing if you meet the admission requirements for the master’s degree.
In the curriculum you can see how many ECTS credits from other courses can be included in addition to your bachelor’s degree. These courses must be completed before you complete the bachelor’s degree. Courses completed between your bachelor’s and master’s degree cannot be included in the assessment.
If you are a citizen of a country outside the EU, EEA, or Switzerland, you must pay the application deposit and tuition fee.
If you want to apply for admission to a master’s degree or to apply for re-admission, study change, transfer, or re-enrolment at the University of Copenhagen, you must apply through the application portal.
Once you have submitted your application, you can follow the application in the application portal.
See the guide to the application portal
Read more about applying for re-admission, study change, transfer, and re-enrolment
The MSc programme in Security Risk Management is a full-time, two-year degree (120 ECTS), taught entirely in English and completed with an independent master’s thesis on a topic of your choosing. It is designed to take you from rigorous foundations to advanced specialisation.
Year one builds your analytical core through six compulsory courses and two electives. Year two is where you specialise: elective courses let you tailor the degree to your ambitions, culminating in a master’s thesis that positions you as an expert in your chosen area.
Sustained engagement with practitioners through coursework or an internship puts your skills into practice immediately. You will be taught by internationally recognised researchers who are at the forefront of security and risk studies. These are scholar-practitioners whose work shapes policy debates, informs security strategies, and is cited in boardrooms and government briefings alike.
Teaching at Security Risk Management goes far beyond the lecture hall. Alongside research-based seminars, you will stress-test your skills through crisis communication simulations, policy assessment exercises, and real-world case studies drawn from current events. The kinds of scenarios professionals face when a cyberattack hits a hospital, a geopolitical crisis disrupts supply chains, or a government scrambles to respond to hybrid threats.
Practitioners from government, security agencies, and the private sector join us as guest lecturers, giving you direct insight into how risk decisions are made under pressure.
Elective courses allow you to shape the programme around your interests and develop specialised competences within the areas of security and risk that matter most to you.
You can study abroad as part of your MSc in Security Risk Management and gain new academic, professional, and personal perspectives.
As a student on the programme, you may transfer up to 30 ECTS credits from another educational institution in Denmark or abroad. The courses must correspond to courses in the MSc programme and can only replace elective courses.
Studying abroad can help you broaden your academic knowledge, strengthen your international network, and gain insight into different study methods and perspectives. You will also develop intercultural understanding and build experience that can benefit you both professionally and personally.
When planning a study abroad period, it is a good idea to seek advice from lecturers and student advisors. They can help you explore where to go, how to structure your academic programme, and how to choose courses that fit your degree.
Your lecturers may also be able to provide academic input, international contacts, or references that can support your plans.
As part of your MSc in Security Risk Management, you can replace elective elements with an academic internship corresponding to 15 or 30 ECTS.
An internship allows you to experience security risk management in practice. You become part of a professional workplace, contribute to relevant tasks, and learn how to apply your theoretical knowledge to real security and risk challenges.
You can do your internship in a wide range of organisations, including government agencies, private companies, NGOs, and other organisations working with security-related issues.
You complete the internship with an academic paper, assessed by a supervisor from the department.
If you are more interested in the academic content, regulations, and examination requirements, you should consult the curriculum, which serves as the legal foundation for the programme.
There is both a curriculum specific to each degree programme and a general curriculum that applies across the faculty.
Please note that curricula are often revised annually. Any new versions will be published no later than during the spring semester.
Upon graduation, you will hold the title Master of Science in Social Sciences in Security Risk Management: a credential that signals both analytical depth and real-world readiness to employers across sectors.
The demand for security and risk expertise has never been greater.
The World Economic Forum has found that nearly two-thirds of organisations now identify geopolitical threats as their primary risk challenge, and 80% of senior risk decision-makers say early threat detection is a competitive advantage. Graduates of this programme are positioned to deliver exactly that.
Our graduates work in:
government ministries
intelligence agencies
international organisations
consultancies
NGOs
leading private-sector firms
or wherever else consequential decisions about security and risk are made.
They do so both within Denmark but also internationally – from New York through Paris and Addis Adaba towards Singapore.
As you progress in your studies, you will also be able to shape your own future. The MSc is designed to allow progressive specialization across your studies – through assignments, case-studies, internships, regular practitioner contact, and your final thesis.
You leave the MSc in Security Risk Managment with:
a strong command of risk methodologies,
deep knowledge of international security politics, and
the strategic judgement to advise organisations navigating an era of persistent uncertainty
The success of our recent graduates reflects this – virtually zero unemployment, and very high starting salaries.
In short, the MSc in Security Risk Management equips you with a distinctive professional profile: rigorous risk analysis methodology combined with a sharp understanding of the international political realities shaping organisations and governments today. In a world where the threats keep evolving, so will you.
The MSc in Security Risk Management is part of the Department of Political Science. The department is a world-leading academic environment and founder of the Copenhagen School of Security Studies. It has a deep legacy of converting critical academic theories of security into real-world impact.
We host thousands of students who explore the full gamut of topics of relevance to politics, international relations, and security today. Students at Security Risk Management form a core part of this vibrant academic environment and regularly participate – beyond the classroom – in the wider activities of the Department.
The Department of Political Science is situated right in the heart of Copenhagen only a few steps from the city centre. The old buildings of what used to be a hospital set the frame for a vibrant student life with student cafés, a very popular weekly Friday bar, various student associations and many other social events.
Students at Security Risk Management occupy a special place in this ecosystem. Given the highly international and interdisciplinary nature of the student body, our cohorts and alumni develop a tight identity and bond. The SRM student associations host their own social events, career fairs, and other activities, and often forge relationships that continue for years after their studies are completed.
For many international students, student life is also about finding your way in a new city and discovering what makes Copenhagen feel like home.
Meet Gus, an American master's student at UCPH. In this video, he shares his thoughts on what it's like to live in Denmark's capital - from first impressions to bike culture and his favorite parts of Copenhagen.
What is student life like across the rest of the University of Copenhagen?
Find out where you can live, get more information about student grants (SU), student jobs, student discounts, and all the many other things that are part of student life.
Teaching takes place at City Campus - located between the lakes and the Botanical Garden, close to Nørreport Station.
At City Campus, you will find degree programmes within social sciences, health sciences, and natural sciences.
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You can find answers to questions most often asked by potential students in the FAQ. Read the FAQ
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