The Institute currently offers three Master’s degrees: M.A. in Statecraft and National Security Affairs, M.A. in Statecraft and World Politics, and M.A. in Strategic Intelligence Studies. 

These are professional degrees designed for students who intend to pursue a career in the intelligence, national security, or international affairs fields.  Students may be enrolled full-time (9 or more credit hours per semester) or part-time (less than 9 credit hours per semester), but must complete either degree in five calendar years or less.  For the M.A. in Strategic Intelligence Studies, 54 credit hours are required (i.e., 16 credit hours in the Core Curriculum, 22 credit hours in Intelligence and Statecraft, and 16 credit hours in a specialization).  For the other degrees, 52 credit hours are required (i.e., 36 credit hours in the Core Curriculum and 16 in a specialization).  After successful completion of all coursework, each student will be required to pass a one-hour oral examination and a three-hour written comprehensive examination.

The Institute's curriculum has six components:

1) The study of all of the elements of statecraft, including: national security strategy, the arts of war, peacemaking and diplomacy; public diplomacy and cultural diplomacy; psychological strategy and political action; economic strategy; intelligence and counterintelligence; and the exercise of intangible instruments of power such as moral leadership, will power, courage, rhetoric, etc.

2) The study of: diplomatic history; salient elements of comparative political culture, ideology and religion; the practices of foreign powers; and developments that affect the security interests of the United States. This component focuses on the often-neglected role and consequences of ideas in international politics. It also includes the study of unpleasant realities of international affairs, many of which are frequently ignored, such as: treaty violations; massive violations of human rights; terrorism; disinformation, strategic deception and psychological warfare; economic warfare; espionage; and other instruments employed by authoritarian regimes that the United States is likely to encounter in the world.

3) The review of fundamental principles of the American political culture, including a review of: democratic republicanism, limited government, individual rights, private property, the rule of law, and morally-ordered political and economic liberty.

(4) The study of Western moral tradition and the application of ethics to policy.

(5) The study of economics, including economic statecraft and salient elements of economic theory and history necessary for those working in the defense, intelligence, and foreign affairs communities.

(6) Character-building education that encourages those who pursue public service to cultivate those qualities necessary for statesmanship and moral leadership.

M.A. CORE CURRICULUM (for Statecraft and National Security Affairs and Statecraft and World Politics only)

Core Courses
Economics for Foreign Policy Makers (1) Required
Geography and Strategy (1,2) Required
International Relations and Statecraft (2) Required
Twentieth Century Politics and Diplomacy (1,3) Required
Western Moral Tradition and American Foreign Policy Required
Advanced Writing and Research Seminar (4)

Courses in Political Philosphy (One is required)
American Founding Principles and Foreign Policy
Ideas and Values in International Politics

Courses in Statecraft (Four are required)
Art of Diplomacy
Economic Statecraft and Conflict
Foreign Propaganda, Perceptions and Policy OR Public Diplomacy and Political Warfare
Intelligence and Policy
Military Strategy: The Theory and Art of War
National Security Policy Process
Peace, Strategy and Conflict Resolution

1. Students may test out of these courses.
2. Newly-admitted students must take one of these two courses during their first semester.
3. Students who test out of this course must replace it with an elective.
4. Native speakers of English may be required to take this seminar under certain conditions. Foreign students whose primary language is not English must take this seminar by their second semester of study. This seminar does not count toward the 52-credit requirement for the degree. Please read the course description for more details.