The Double Degree in International Relations, Security, and Development with the University of Sussex offers an innovative educational program that combines the analysis of international security dynamics with the study of global transformations and development challenges. The program equips students with multidisciplinary skills to understand and address major global policy issues, ranging from environmental and humanitarian crises to conflicts and emerging threats to international security.
The University of Sussex (Brighton, UK) is internationally recognized for its excellent programs in this field, ranking first globally for Development Studies in the 2025 QS rankings.
The program is structured as follows:

• The first year is spent at Luiss University (Rome)
• The second year is spent at the University of Sussex (Brighton, UK)

During the second year at the University of Sussex, students will engage with one of only four dedicated International Relations departments in the UK, which is world-renowned for its critical perspectives on security and development. The MA in Conflict, Security, and Development focuses on the complex relationships between (in)security and global development through issues such as war and armed intervention, global health and poverty, and environmental degradation. Students will learn theories and critical perspectives that will help them understand crises in innovative ways and address them across the power relations between the Global North and the Global South.
Graduates of this program emerge with a comprehensive understanding of the political, economic, security, and ecological dimensions of global development, enabling them to navigate complex global systems and advocate for sustainable and equitable solutions. Both programs foster analytical rigor, cross-cultural competence, and a nuanced understanding of the challenges shaping today’s interconnected world. They equip graduates with a dual qualification and a comprehensive skill set tailored for careers in international organizations, NGOs, government agencies, think tanks, and policy institutions.

Interested students must send an application via email to the International Degree Programs Office by March 16, including:

• Personal statement
• An English language certificate (if available) 
• CV
• ID/Passport
• Transcript of academic records

If you have any questions about which documents to upload or need more information about the required documents, please contact the International Degree Programs Office before the application deadline.
 

A selection committee composed of members from Luiss and Sussex will evaluate the applications and may conduct selection interviews with candidates during the week beginning April 6. 
Students will be notified of their selection via email on April 10. 

Selection will be contingent upon the following:

• enrolling at Luiss in accordance with the applicable admission procedure
• obtaining the Bachelor’s Degree by August 2026
• submitting a valid English language certificate by August 2027 from among those listed in the Requirements paragraph. The certificate must not have been obtained before September 2025.

Students who fail to meet these conditions by the specified deadlines will be excluded from the program and will remain enrolled in the Luiss Master's Degree in International Relations.
 

• Students pay applicable tuition and administrative/university fees only to the institution where they are studying in any given academic year.
• The applicable tuition fees for the second year at the University of Sussex are as follows:
  • £11,250 (Home/UK)
  • £23,500 (Overseas/non-UK)
• A student’s fee status at Sussex is determined in accordance with UK government regulations. Please visit the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) website for more details.
   

• Selected students will be enrolled at Luiss for the first year and at both Luiss and the University of Sussex for the second year. 
• Participation in this program will add additional points to the final grade of the master’s degree, as per Luiss rules.
• Luiss students will only be able to participate if they have no pending administrative issues with Luiss.
• Exams passed at the University of Sussex will be transferred to the Luiss career according to the study plan. It is not possible to request an official waiver of grade registration.
• If students meet the rules and conditions of both universities regarding credits, attendance, deadlines, and academic integrity, they will receive two degrees, which will be issued according to each university’s procedures.