Master analytical methods to provide economic and political leaders with the strategic insights necessary for well-informed decision-making.
Presentation
emlyon business school’s MSc in Strategic Intelligence & Global Risks equips tomorrow’s leaders to turn uncertainty into competitive awareness for competitive advantage.
Operating at the crossroads of geopolitics, risk management, collective intelligence and corporate strategy, the program trains future professionals to implement an intelligence strategy to collect, analyze and disseminate insights and trends analyses that shape high‑stakes decisions.
Rooted in emlyon’s makers’ spirit and powered by experiential learning, the curriculum blends rigorous analytical frameworks with hands‑on projects through real-life situations with companies and organizations.
Based in Paris, this Master of Science spans three study periods over two semesters and includes an international field experience in Europe, immersing students in diverse risk environments and decision-making cultures.
Key points
- A European-focused perspective tailored to the needs of students who want to understand strategic warfare
- Define and implement strategic intelligence practices aligned with companies’ strategies
- Identify and anticipate key events and risks in the socio-political, economic, environmental and cyber domains at both global and local levels, while assessing their impact on strategy
- Master digital tools to collect and analyze HUMINT and OSINT information, fostering an information-driven culture
Program
The Master of Science (MSc) in Strategic Intelligence & Global Risks, offered by emlyon business school, is accessible to students after completing a Bachelor's degree (valid diplomas include bac +4 or bac +3).
Strategic intelligence: a methodology between geo economics and political science
🎓September to December - Paris
Develop proficiency in strategic intelligence techniques, global risk control and power dynamics to optimize organizations’ decision-making processes
Missions and challenges of Strategic Intelligences
- Inform, protect, influence
- Strategic competitive intelligence for business
- Typolohie of IS models, economic warfare
Strategic intelligence and knowledge management
- Systemic and complex thinking, knowledge management
- Methodology for and efficient monitoring
Mastering Global Risks
- Developing your geopoloticial intelligence
- Understansting cyber risks
- Evaluate environmental risks
Implementing a global risk culture within the company
- Anthropological knowledge of societies
- Impact of sovereignty policies
- Changes and organisation culture
Understanding competitive financial challenges
- Financial techniques
- Financial communication & strategic anticipation
Using international rights
- Information, law, legal intelligence
Fostering trust and credibility with stakeholders
Learning trip
Forecasting for future changes in the competitive environment: offensive and defensive practices
🎓January to March - Paris
Develop the ability to gather and analyze information to support strategic decision-making and drive business performance, in standard and crisis
Influencing social & geopolitical actors
- Corporate Geopolitical Risks & Responsability
- North/South non market strategy, lobbying
- Working with or for think tanks
Advanced collective intelligence & distributed cognition
- Cognition Activity , information & disinformation, bounded rationality vs sense making
- Business case disinformation
Practicing Offensive Strategic Intelligence
- HUMINT (Human intel)
- OSINT (Open Source intel)
Expertise in Strategic intelligence
- Internal Influence, networks, intelligence operations planning
- Financial activism, counter activism & ESG
Performing organisational crisis
- Advanced management in crisis situations
Bridging Strategy, Market Intelligence, and Data Sociology for Competitive Advantage
- New strategic practices: coping with paradoxes in organisation
- Transforming Market Data into Competitive Advantage
- Sociology of data : mental models from available data to uncertainty
Becoming professional in strategic intelligence and risk intelligence
🎓 April to June - Paris
Rapidly professionalizing experts in strategic intelligence and risk management, equipping them with practical skills to analyze, anticipate, and advise in high-stakes environments. Through hands-on training and real-world case studies, future managers develop operational expertise in crisis management, cybersecurity, and influence strategies.
Risks anticipation methods
- Scriptwriting workshop for operational risk management
- Data visualization, War Room, Cartography, Matrix Game
Cyber strategy & Cyber protection
- Cybersecurity, cyberdefense, Info Warfare
Practice of influence – internal & external consulting
- Consulting int/ext
- Information warfare Digital & network techniques to influence stakeholders
Professional Thesis & Internship
🎓July to December - Anywhere in the world
PROFESSIONAL THESIS
To conclude your graduate studies, you will have to write a professional thesis. The topic will be chosen in coordination with your academic supervisor and in line with your missions during your internship or first job.
INTERNSHIP
The professional mission will last from 4 to 6 months and can be an internship, a VIE (international volunteering mission), a fixed-term contract or a permanent contract. This is a great opportunity to put your academic knowledge to the test and acquire tangible experience within the industry. The school will give you all the support and tools you need to find the right job for you.
Assessment methods
Career
Job placement statistics
Data not available for this program, first intake in September 2026.
About our Career Center
The Career Center provides continual support in identifying career goals and developing action plans.
- Personalized career support: Includes 1-to-1 coaching, workshops and self-assessment tools to help define goals and plan next steps.
- Career development resources: Access to tools like Jobteaser, company databases, and sector-specific job/internship listings
- Networking and events: 100+ annual events, visits and conferences connect students with a wide range of companies and professionals.
- Strong company links: Over 250 companies visit campuses each year, offering continuous access to the business community.
For more information, visit the Career Center page by clicking here.
Jobs after this MSc
- Knowledge manager
- Lobbyist
- Analyst
- Auditor
- Information manager
- International IES consultant
Alumni network
As a future graduate, you will hold lifelong membership of emlyon business school alumni network, a network of near to 48,000 alumni covering more than 130 countries.
You will benefit from all services it offers, including the online assessment modules. Its members will help you further develop your career regardless of which stage you are at, by providing you with career development information, exchange business information with you and share their experience for you to build on.
Learn more about the alumni network by visiting the dedicated page here.
Admission
Are you eligible ?
Students holding at minimum one of the following degrees can apply to the MSc in Strategic Intelligence & Global Risks.
- Admission in Year 1: 3-year Bachelor's degree
You can apply while being enrolled in the last year of the degree that makes you eligible for this program.
Admission Process
Next intake in September 2026
Create an account or go to your dashboard to start your application file to join this MSc in Strategic Intelligence & Global Risks
Applications for the 2026-2027 academic year are open from October 1, 2025 (subject to availability).
Application deadline: emlyon business school may close applications earlier than July 2026, if all the seats in the class are filled, as it happens every year for many of our Master of Science programs. Consequently, we do advise students to apply as early as possible to ensure they secure a seat in the program and maximize their chances!
Mandatory documents - all the documents provided need to be in English or French (except passport and identity card)
- A resume / CV in English
- A copy of an official and valid identity card or passport
- A certified copy of all degrees obtained in a higher education institution (in English or French)
- A proof of enrolment certificate for applicants currently enrolled in higher education
- A certified copy of your transcripts from the first year of your undergraduate education until now
Optional documents
- An official management aptitude test score: GMAT, GMAT online, GRE, TAGE MAGE, CAT
- An English proficiency test: TOEFL iBT, TOEIC, IELTS, Cambridge, Duolingo test
- Recommendation letters
We kindly remind you that :
GMAT and GRE tests are valid for 5 years
TAGE MAGE tests are valid for 2 years
CAT tests are valid for 1 year
English tests are valid for 2 years
Expected english level
A good level of English is paramount to succeed in the program.
We recommend that students apply only if they have a level of English equivalent to the C1 level. A C1 level is an experienced speaker. This means that you can understand long, demanding texts and grasp implicit meanings. Express yourself spontaneously and fluently without much searching for words.
Application fee
The application fee for the 2026 intake is set at €120, payable directly by credit card through the online application system.
- Students with a French CROUS grant are exempted from paying the application fee if they provide the final notice of allocation of this grant for the current academic year.
- High Level Athletes are also exempted from paying the application fee if they provide a sport resume validated by the director of the Sports department at emlyon business school. If this is your case, please contact Mr Mickaël ROMEZY: romezy@em-lyon.com.
emlyon business school uses a selection process which is in line with today's digital landscape and the practices of major international companies in their search for new talents.
Once your online application file is completed, you will be asked to go through the digital tests. Some key information:
- 1:30 hour long test
- To be done on a computer with a working webcam and a stable wifi connection
- Test includes cognitive exercises, motivation questions and professional role-play in a company setting
- Take the test alone in a quiet environment
- Test can only be taken once
The admissions board will review your application and your digital tests. You will receive an email as soon as possible to inform you that your results are available on your makersboard.
To complete your enrollment and secure your place in the program, you will have 10 calendar days after your admission results to sign the enrollment form on your makersboard and pay the non-refundable tuition deposit of €4,500.
Admission Statistics
The global acceptance rate for Masters of Science and Specialized Programs for the 2024 intake was 48.31% (admitted students on applicants rate).
CGE Accreditation: a mark of excellence
The Master of Science programs at emlyon business school are accredited by the Conférence des Grandes Écoles (CGE), a prestigious French association that recognizes academic excellence, rigorous admissions standards, and strong professional integration. This label guarantees that the MSc programs meet the highest national and international standards, offering students a high-quality education that is both academically rigorous and closely aligned with the expectations of the global job market. Being CGE-accredited also enhances the value of the degree, providing graduates with strong recognition among employers and institutions worldwide.
Financing
Tuition fees to be confirmed
The tuition and fee charges are in effect for the 2025-2026 academic year are subject to change for future years
All indicated fees include:
- Tuition
- Enrollment fees
- Career Center services during your program and for 3 years after graduation
- Several hours of individual career coaching during your program
- Lifelong membership of emlyon business school alumni network
Tuition fees do not include:
- Additional fees not payable to the institution, such as CVEC, student social security, sports club enrollment fees, the purchase of personal computer hardware or software, or the purchase of books other than course materials
- Optional courses or certifications
- Accommodation and travel expenses related to the program or work placement
How to finance your program?
- Individual Scholarship
Open to all admitted candidates, regardless of their financial background. This scholarship considers a combination of factors such as academic excellence, diversity, and motivation. Applicants must submit the scholarship request form as part of their application file.
- Excellence Scholarship
Merit-based awarded for strong academic profiles:
10% scholarship for GMAT 700+ / GMAT Focus 645+ / GRE or Tage Mage equivalent
5% scholarship for GMAT 650+ / GMAT Focus 595+ / GRE or Tage Mage equivalent
Test scores can be submitted after admission, within a set deadline.
- Early Bird Scholarship
A 10% tuition reduction for candidates who apply during the first application session.
To find out more about the specifics of our scholarship policy and how to benefit from it, we invite you to contact your program advisor. To download the Scholarship Policy information, create or log onto your emlyon business school account.
emlyon business school and its partners are committed to investing in tomorrow’s entrepreneurial leaders by helping qualified students to further their education:
- Campus France: discover some scholarship options available depending on your country of residence and your eligibility by clicking here.
- Banking Partners: You may obtain a bank loan through emlyon business school financial partners only if you have a fiscal warrantor in France. If not, we advise you to obtain a loan in your country of origin before your arrival.
- Prodigy Finance loan opportunity: Applicants for the MSc in Leading Sustainable Transformations are eligible to apply for a student loan with Prodigy Finance. Learn more on how to apply for a Prodigy Finance loan by clicking here (please scroll down the page to read about the benefits and conditions). This opportunity is opened to Non-French students only.
- Lendwise loan opportunity: Lendwise is a student loan provider offering funding to international students at competitive interest rates. Learn more on how to apply for a Lendwise loan by clicking here. This opportunity is opened to Non-French students only.
Please note: Master of Science programs at emlyon business school, including the MSc in Leading Sustainable Transformations, aren’t eligible for either the CROUS scholarships or the following financing schemes: FAFSA, FONGECIF, DIF, CPF or other funding from Pôle Emploi. For further information regarding potential state scholarships, we recommend you contact your region or your department, as some of them have specific scholarships available for students going to another department in France to study.
emlyon business school is committed to investing in tomorrow’s entrepreneurial leaders by helping qualified students to further their education. Reductions in tuition fees can be offered through needs-based scholarships and may, in certain cases, be granted in addition to guaranteed scholarships.
Student life
Discover what it means to study in Paris through two key aspects: a dynamic campus in the heart of the city, and an exceptional student experience shaped by one of the world’s most vibrant capitals.
The Paris Campus
Our campus is located in the heart of Paris, in the lively 12th arrondissement, right across from Gare de Lyon. With its central location, students enjoy quick access to top companies, cultural hotspots, and everything the city has to offer. It’s a vibrant place to learn, network, and live Paris to the fullest.
Student Life in Paris
Paris offers much more than academic excellence, it provides a dynamic, multicultural environment that enriches every aspect of student life.
- An International Business Capital: home to the headquarters of major global corporations and a thriving ecosystem of startups, making it a prime location for internships, networking, and launching an international career.
- Cultural Richness at Every Corner
From world-famous museums and historic landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame Cathedral, and the Louvre Museum, the city offers endless opportunities to explore, learn, and be inspired.
- A Well-Connected City
With its excellent public transport and international rail and air links, Paris makes it easy to travel within France and across Europe.
Meet us during dedicated events
emlyon's Program Advisors are hitting the road to connect with you and discuss your career aspirations. Don't miss the opportunity to meet them at international student fairs for guidance in shaping your future career. You can also stay tuned for information about our campus open days!
Contact our student ambassadors
Want to find out more about student life, program content, campus life or the emlyon business school experience? Connect with our student ambassadors to get a first glimpse of what awaits you. You can ask them all your questions via our dedicated platform.
Disability device
You will find the welcome guide and all the information on how we welcome and support our students and participants with disabilities here.
FAQ
Frenquently asked questions
A master’s in strategic intelligence is a graduate program designed to train students in collecting, analyzing, and interpreting information to support high-level decision-making in business, security, or government. A Master of Science of Strategic Intelligence emphasizes analytical skills, risk assessment, and strategic planning, preparing graduates for roles where informed, data-driven decisions are critical.
To work in strategic intelligence, key skills include critical thinking in intelligence to evaluate complex information, strong intelligence analysis skills to interpret data accurately, effective communication to present findings, and problem-solving abilities to support strategic decision-making.
With a master’s in strategic intelligence, graduates can explore a variety of career opportunities in intelligence, including lobbyist, knowledge manager, strategic advisors and positions in government agencies, defense, or private-sector intelligence firms.
The benefits of an intelligence degree include developing critical analytical skills, enhancing decision-making abilities, and gaining expertise in risk assessment and strategic planning. It demonstrates the worth of a master's in intelligence by opening doors to a rewarding career in intelligence studies.