Program Overview

M.S. Intelligence Studies

The M.S. in Intelligence Studies at the University of South Florida is a "next generation" intelligence studies degree. This master's program is an online, STEM-based, applied graduate degree program designed to train analytic, information, and intelligence professionals for work in the public and private sectors. The curriculum emphasizes analytic competencies, grounded in the disciplines of information science and informatics, rather than focusing primarily on international relations or traditional security studies.

Program Objectives

Graduates with the M.S. in Intelligence Studies will be able to:

• Develop and evaluate new knowledge
• Generate and analyze courses of action
• Express clearly reasoned opinions
• Communicate effectively in writing, oral presentation, and visual display They will know how to use information and apply knowledge to support complex decision-making.

Major Research Areas

The program covers the following major research areas:

• Strategic Intelligence
• Cyber Intelligence
• Intelligence Analysis
• Information Studies
• Information Analytics
• Cybersecurity
• National Security

Concentrations

The program offers two concentrations:

• Strategic Intelligence: This concentration focuses on the specific form of analysis required for the formulation of policy and plans at agency, corporate, national, or international levels.
• Cyber Intelligence: This concentration involves learning and applying data acquisition techniques, information analysis skills, and intelligence production to identify, track, and predict cyber threat actor capabilities, intentions, and activities that offer courses of action to enhance decision-making. For the Cyber Intelligence concentration, students are recommended to have:
  • Programming skills (e.g., Python, Java, C++)
  • Knowledge of major operating systems and how they function

Admissions Requirements

Information about admissions to the Intelligence Studies program can be found in the USF Graduate Catalog.

Degree Requirements

The M.S. in Intelligence Studies is a 33-credit program, consisting of eight required core courses that correspond to the program's five core knowledge areas:

• Analytic strategy
• Analytic methods
• Applied informatics
• Project management
• Analytic communication More information on the degree requirements can be found in the current year USF Graduate Catalog.

Financial Resources

Students can find various scholarship opportunities at USF and within the School of Information.