Program Overview

M.S. in Intelligence and National Security Studies

The Master of Science in Intelligence and National Security Studies provides a highly rigorous interdisciplinary graduate program intended for students seeking employment or career advancement in the United States Intelligence Community (IC). The program is also suitable for students interested in security-related jobs in the private sector, such as applied research institutions (think tanks), and is ideal preparation for advanced graduate study at the doctoral level in international relations, political science, public administration, public policy, history, or other closely related fields.

Admission Requirements

• Completion and submission of a graduate admissions application.
• Submission of official transcripts in accordance with the requirements of the Graduate School.
• A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
• A brief statement of purpose (1-2 pages) that addresses educational and career goals and reasons for pursuing the MS degree.
• Three academic letters of recommendation from instructors who can evaluate the ability to succeed in a rigorous graduate program. A minimum of two letters of recommendation are required for students who have been out of school for two or more years. Letters of recommendation from employers or work supervisors are acceptable for applicants who have been out of school for five years or more.
• Applicants whose degrees are from non-English speaking institutions are required to demonstrate English proficiency.

Free Elective Requirement for the MS Degree

Students may take appropriate graduate courses with the graduate advisor's approval from any university department or program and apply these courses toward the free elective requirement. Students may also develop, in consultation with their graduate advisor, a concentration within a single academic discipline or a multidisciplinary concentration. Up to six hours of approved cultural studies coursework (travel/study abroad) may be applied to the free elective requirement, and up to six hours of an approved security studies internship may be applied toward the degree.

Academic Standards

• Students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better to earn the MS degree.
• MS students must earn a grade of B or better in all required courses and in the thesis or capstone course(s) to be eligible for graduation.
• Students must earn at least a "C" in all courses and at least a "B" in all required courses.
• Students will be given only one opportunity to retake a failed course that earned a "D" grade or lower (or a "C" grade or lower in a Required Course).
• Students with a semester GPA below 3.0 will be placed on academic probation and must return to "good" academic standing with a GPA of 3.0 or better within nine credit hours.

Degree Plan

Required Credits: 36

Required Courses

• INSS 5300: Research Methods in Intelligence and Criminal Justice (3 hours)
• INSS 5304: Intelligence and National Security Policy and Procedures (3 hours)
• INSS 5305: Introduction to Intelligence Analysis (3 hours)
• INSS 5306: Contemporary Security Studies (3 hours)
• INSS 5361: Statistics in Intelligence and Criminal Justice (3 hours)

Free Electives

Select five courses from the list below (15 hours):

• INSS 5301: Historical Development of the Intelligence Community
• INSS 5303: Legal Issues in Intelligence and National Security
• INSS 5307: Open Source Intelligence Analysis
• INSS 5308: Propaganda and Influence Operations
• INSS 5309: Technical Intelligence
• INSS 5310: Intelligence and Counterterrorism
• INSS 5311: Intelligence and Information
• INSS 5312: Commercial Imagery
• INSS 5313: Social Media Intelligence
• INSS 5315: Intelligence and Counterproliferation
• INSS 5320: Counterintelligence and Security
• INSS 5323: Investigative Interviewing and Interrogation
• INSS 5325: Political Economy of Terrorism
• INSS 5328: Decision Making in Intelligence and Criminal Justice
• INSS 5335: Transnational Criminal Organizations
• INSS 5340: Pro-Seminar in Homeland Security
• INSS 5343: Crime and Border Security
• INSS 5351: Professional Skills
• INSS 5355: Geospatial Intelligence
• INSS 5366: Security Studies Internship
• INSS 5380: Selected Problems in Intelligence
• PAD 5363: Intergovernmental Relations
• POLS 5330: Seminar in International Politics
• POLS 5332: Seminar in Foreign Policy Decision Making
• POLS 5347: Seminar in International Security
• POLS 5368: Seminar in Conflict Analysis

Thesis/Project Option

Select one of the options (6 hours):

Thesis Option

• INSS 5398 and INSS 5399: Thesis (6 hours)

Non-Thesis Option

• INSS 5390: Capstone (3 hours)
• Select one additional free elective from the list above (3 hours)