Army Higher Education Pathway

The Army Higher Education Pathway (AHEP) provides junior officers in the British Army with the chance to continue academic study at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS). It offers them a unique opportunity to achieve either an undergraduate or master's degree in Leadership and Strategic Studies while they serve.

Delivered by the School of Philosophy, Politics and Economics in partnership with the Henley Business School, the AHEP is central to army recruitment and retention and developing an "intellectual edge" for the UK’s armed forces.

The AHEP is delivered entirely online and provides flexible, individualised learning to army officers wherever they are posted.

Drawing on our expertise in international relations and strategic studies, the AHEP gives junior army officers the knowledge and skills to navigate complexity and uncertainty, to engage in defence diplomacy, and to face the challenges of future conflict.

We provide a number of bespoke modules on this innovative pathway, including modules such as British Foreign and Defence Policy, and Contemporary Strategic Studies. We also offer a Negotiated Learning module that allows army officers to produce an individual research project under specialist supervision. We provide a number of modules in partnership with Henley Business School.

Officers start their degree during the Commissioning Course at RMAS, and continue during the early stages of their army career, linking their training, education and leadership experience together. 

Find out more about the Army Higher Education Pathway