'No study is as relevant as Security Studies, you learn about everything that is going wrong in the world right now'
Four students who completed the Bachelor's in Security Studies share their experiences. What did they learn? Where did they end up after graduating? And do they still use the skills they acquired during their studies?
We spoke to Noah Baaren (graduated in 2022), Saskia Veldhuizen (graduated in 2020), Alessandra Mauri (graduated in 2023), Emma Rottier (graduated in 2022) about the programme.
How did you experience your Bachelor's?
Noah: 'I found the bachelor's degree a real breath of fresh air after high school. Why do you learn about things that are not applicable in everyday life, such as drawing the most difficult molecules in Chemistry? Why not learn about gases that make the news? You study security issues as they unfold in the real world, which is motivating. I was also deeply impressed when, during the pandemic, a course about corona was created at short notice. Professors and tutors are very committed to the students and are open to improvement and other opinions.’
Emma: ‘It was mainly a really enjoyable time in which I developed new interests, met new people, and got to know a new city.’
Alessandra: ‘I grew up near Lake Como and came to the Netherlands in 2020 specifically for this bachelor. I studied sociology in Milan with a specialization in criminology, but I wanted a university education that went much deeper into my interest in international security in all its facets, and BaSS was the answer! The broad, multidisciplinary approach showed me how strongly everything is connected. I especially found the practical side very valuable: the integrated projects, skills labs and the variety of assessment formats.’
Saskia: ‘The programme was very practical, which I found incredibly valuable. From the start, we were encouraged to apply theoretical knowledge to realistic situations, which helped to build a strong foundation. Thanks to this approach, I quickly gained confidence that I was developing relevant skills.’
What work do you do now, at which organisation, and what does your job involve?
Noah: ‘I’m currently doing the National IT Traineeship at the Dutch government, where I work on information issues at three different ministries over two years, and attend training days on cybersecurity and personal development. I’m currently on assignment for the Electoral Council and am supervised by the Chief Information and Security Officer (CISO) Fleur van Leusden. I’m researching the IT supply chain of the Electoral Council to make the organisation more independent.’
Emma: ‘I’m following a two-year traineeship programme at De Nederlandsche Bank. Over three placements of eight months each, I work in different parts of the bank. The work varies greatly per department. During my first placement, I was in a team that supervises banks and payment institutions on-site; next, I’ll move to a crisis management department. It’s great to see different parts of the bank before deciding where I want to start my ‘real’ career.’
Alessandra: ‘I recently started at Secura B.V. in Amsterdam as a junior information security consultant. So far, it mainly involves research and assessing our clients’ compliance with the latest cybersecurity regulations. We look at the NIS2 directive, DORA, CyFun, ISO 27k, and much more. It’s interesting, because where we previously studied these concepts academically, I now see them from a consultancy and certification perspective.’
Saskia: ‘I work at Healix International, from our Global Operations Security Centre in Vancouver. I’m an Associate Security Consultant, specialising in the Americas. In my role, I work closely with various clients to protect their employees during travel. This means I predict and mitigate potential threats, provide real-time intelligence, and support crisis situations across the region.’
Do you apply the skills you acquired during your bachelor’s in your current job?
Noah: ‘Yes, especially the research and analytical skills and the interdisciplinary approach help me now. I notice that in my work, besides the analytical skills I was taught, I also need to consider communication, human behaviour, and organisational culture to solve a problem properly. This was emphasised (and rightfully so) a lot during my bachelor’s degree. I notice that problems in the public sector also arise because not all disciplines are considered (or each discipline separately), while the complex world often requires an interdisciplinary approach.’
Emma: ‘Writing papers improved my English writing skills and taught me to express complex ideas in a structured way; skills I use daily. The skills labs also paid plenty of attention to this.’
Alessandra: ‘Yes, we do gap analyses, research, comparative legal assessments, SWOT analyses, case studies. The work aligns well with my academic experience.’
Saskia: ‘Absolutely, every day. I now use many of the analytical and communication skills. Skills labs stood out with practical experience in reporting, working together under pressure and making decisions - core aspects of my current work.’
What was your favourite course and why?
Noah: ‘My favourite course was Case Study Syria. I found it really interesting to finally truly understand how that conflict worked. In the eight o’clock news, conflicts are mentioned without any context. After we had unravelled that entire conflict in 8 weeks, I understood much more about recent developments, so I immediately benefited from the course in my daily life.'
Emma: ‘Economics of Safety and Security. It showed that safety is not a given, but the result of choices about resources, time and effort. The economic approach made that complexity clear.’
Alessandra: ‘Cyber Threats. It made me see how interesting cybersecurity actually is, and that it is not just about programming, but that there is a whole world of governance and policy around it. I also found the course on Fukushima very interesting. It is not every day that you are taught by a professor from TU Delft and do a fault-tree analysis of incidents in nuclear power plants.’
Saskia: ‘My favorite course was Terrorism and Counterterrorism. It combined history, policy and current affairs in a way that was both intellectually challenging and highly relevant. The course helped me understand how different actors perceive threats and how policy responses are developed and justified, insights that I now fall back on when I support clients in risk mitigation.’
Would you recommend Security Studies to prospective students?
Noah: 'I honestly can’t think of a reason not to choose this bachelor’s. Especially if you want to learn about the world around you. You learn about everything that’s currently going wrong in the world (wars, cyberattacks, natural disasters, elections, pandemics, terrorism, radicalism, etc.). I can assure you there’s no other programme as relevant as Security Studies right now. The students are also very diverse (international) and everyone is interested in the state of the world, so that connects.'
Emma: 'I recommend choosing a degree you enjoy! If you’re interested in security issues and want to learn how to analyse them from different disciplines, then Security Studies is a great choice. Once you start working, I believe enthusiasm and drive are often decisive.'
Alessandra: 'Definitely! If you’re interested in international relations, and specifically in international security, this is a unique programme. You explore different disciplines and learn to understand current events in their context. How did they arise and what will their impact be?'
Saskia: 'Yes, without a doubt. The programme combines academic depth with practical applicability. Whether you want to work in the public or private sector, the degree is the perfect preparation. You learn skills that are useful everywhere.'
About the BSc Security Studies
Security challenges, such as terrorism and cybercrime, are among the most pressing issues of our time. In the English-taught bachelor’s programme Security Studies at Leiden University in The Hague, students explore contemporary security and safety issues from multiple academic perspectives. The programme combines insights from political science, history, sociology, law and crisis management to understand complex threats and risks in today’s world.
Students learn to critically analyse real-world crises—ranging from pandemics to natural disasters and technological failures—and investigate how governments, international organisations and private actors respond to them. With a strong focus on both theory and practice, Security Studies prepares students to think strategically and act decisively in an increasingly uncertain world.