Master of Arts in Strategic Intelligence Studies

This degree is designed for students who seek careers in the intelligence field, as well as professionals whose agencies or clientele are charged with the acquisition and interpretation of intelligence. It features courses in fundamental intelligence disciplines, such as analysis and epistemology, intelligence collection, and deception. The program equips the student with all of the requisite tools and knowledge, required and anticipated, that are necessary for professional success in the field.

Candidates for this degree are required to complete a minimum of 52 credit hours of coursework: 16 hours of Core Courses, 20 hours of Courses in Intelligence and Statecraft, and 16 in intelligence specializations. A majority of the Core Courses should be completed prior to other courses.

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Core Courses

• IWP 642 Economics for Foreign Policy Makers  (Two credits)
• IWP 634 Geography and Strategy  (Two credits)
• IWP 608 American Founding Principles and Foreign Policy  
• IWP 627 International Relations, Statecraft and Integrated Strategy 
• IWP 615 Western Moral Tradition and American Foreign Policy

Courses in Intelligence and Statecraft

• IWP 605 Intelligence and Policy
• IWP 656 Intelligence Collection OR IWP 632 U.S. Intelligence in the Cold War and Beyond
• IWP 652 Estimative Intelligence Analysis and Epistemology
• IWP 610 Counterintelligence in a Democratic Society
• IWP 631 Foreign Propaganda, Perceptions and Policy OR IWP 641 Political Warfare: Past, Present, and Future OR IWP 637 Public Diplomacy and Political Warfare

Note: For the following two specializations, students must take a total of four courses, including at least one course in each specialization.

The Art of Intelligence

• IWP 612 American Intelligence and Protective Security: An Advanced Seminar 
• IWP 640 Cultural Intelligence for Strategy and Analysis 
• Intelligence Warning and Forecasting (Under development)
• IWP 648 Military Intelligence in Modern Warfare
• IWP 607 Nuclear Weapons Proliferation 
• IWP 655 Technology, Intelligence, Security, and Statecraft

Counterintelligence and Foreign Intelligence

• IWP 659 Enemy Threat Doctrine 
• IWP 646 American Counterintelligence and Security for the 21st Century 
• IWP 647 Case Studies in Counterintelligence Operations
• IWP 622 Comparative Intelligence Systems: Foreign Intelligence and Security Cultures
• IWP 654 History of FBI Counterintelligence
• Homeland Security and Intelligence (Under development)
• IWP 644 Spies, Subversion, Terrorism, and Influence Operations
• IWP 633 Terrorism and Counterterrorism

Learning Outcomes, M.A. in Strategic Intelligence Studies

Skills:

1. Students must demonstrate knowledge of the various aspects of intelligence (military strategy; intelligence; counterintelligence; defense against foreign propaganda; deception; influence operations; psychological strategy; and terrorism), and the role of protective security in our democracy.

2. Students must demonstrate the ability to address intelligence, counterintelligence, protective security, and influence operations by integrating these into a coherent whole.

3. Students must demonstrate the ability to think strategically and integrate tactical work with strategic goals.

Knowledge:

1. Students must demonstrate knowledge of basic terms, concepts, historic facts, theories, economics, and geography related to the strategic intelligence field.

2. Student must demonstrate knowledge of the chosen field of specialization (national security, intelligence, statecraft, counterintelligence, etc.)

3. Students must demonstrate knowledge of the role of intelligence to the other instruments of statecraft of foreign powers.

4. Students must demonstrate knowledge of the main ideological currents of the modern era and the role of ideas and values in strategic intelligence.

5. Students must demonstrate knowledge of the principles of the American founding and the American political economy and their relevance to U.S. foreign policy.

Values and Principles:

1. Students must demonstrate a knowledge and appreciation of the Western moral tradition (particularly the natural law and the dialog between reason and revelation) and its application to foreign policy and strategy.

2. Students must demonstrate knowledge of the building blocks of statesmanship and moral leadership, including various personal and civic virtues as: honesty; integrity; the ability to see the truth and tell it to power; courage; perseverance' independence of thought and the capacity to resist peer pressure and the "conventional wisdom"; respect for the rule of law; prudence; justice; discernment of the national interest; respect of the dignity of the individual human person regardless of their background or condition.

3. Students must demonstrate knowledge of the relationship between policy and how American constitutional and cultural values affect the role of intelligence and protective security in American statecraft.