This graduate degree is designed for students currently in the national security community or for those who wish to enter this career field. It provides a comprehensive study of the theory and practice of national security policy, process, and implementation, both in historical and contemporary perspectives. Significant attention is directed toward vital current policy issues as well as understanding foreign cultures and the practices of foreign powers.
The new structure for this master’s degree will take effect in the fall of 2026. Until then, students should rely on the old structure, which can be found in the 2025-2026 Student Handbook.
I chose IWP because it offered what no other school did – an education in all the tools of statecraft. What I did not realize at the time was how well it would prepare me for my career in the FBI.
—John Russo (’06), Recipient of the “Director’s Award for Excellence” from the FBI
Program Requirements (52 Credits)
All courses are four credits unless noted otherwise.
Core Requirements (20 Credits)
All of the following courses are required.
- IWP 606 Ideas and Values in International Politics (2 credits)
- IWP 608 Sources of American Political Thought (2 credits)
- IWP 615 Western Moral and Political Thought (2 credits)
- IWP 620 Contemporary Politics and Diplomacy
- IWP 627 International Relations, Statecraft and Integrated Strategy
- IWP 634 Geography and Strategy (2 credits)
- IWP 642 Economics for Foreign Policy Makers (2 credits)
- IWP 799 Capstone Course (2 credits)
Statecraft Requirements (16 Credits)
4 of the following courses are required.
- IWP 601 National Security Policy Process (REQUIRED)
- IWP 605 Intelligence and Policy
- IWP 609 Economic Statecraft and Conflict
- IWP 625 Peace, Strategy and Conflict Resolution
- IWP 628 Military Strategy: Theory and Practice
- IWP 631 Foreign Propaganda, Perceptions and Policy OR IWP 637 Public Diplomacy
- IWP 635 History of American Foreign Policy
- IWP 636 The Art of Diplomacy
Concentration Requirements (16 Credits)
1. Complete 8-10 credits from the list of restricted electives (listed below) for your chosen concentration. Those classes marked with a (*) are considered more fundamental. Those students with little to no background in the concentration are strongly encouraged to take those courses first. Any course that is taken as a statecraft elective must be replaced with another restricted elective.
2. Complete 6-8 credits of general electives that best meet the student’s professional needs. Students without a strong background in their chosen concentration are strongly encouraged to take additional courses from the restricted electives. Students should also consult with academic advisors, faculty, and syllabi to ensure that their electives are a good fit for their concentration.
Corporate Statecraft
- IWP 665 Statecraft, National Security, and the Corporate Sector (2 Credits)*
- IWP 667 Forecasting and Political Risk Analysis*
- IWP 688 Energy Security and Energy Diplomacy*
- IWP 609 Economic Statecraft and Conflict
- IWP 663 Cyber Statecraft
- IWP 679 Defense Strategy, Planning, and Budgeting
Counterintelligence
- IWP 605 Intelligence and Policy*
- IWP 610 Counterintelligence in a Democratic Society*
- IWP 622 Comparative Intelligence Systems: Foreign Intelligence and Security Cultures
- IWP 647 The Operations and Cases of U.S. Counterintelligence
- IWP 654 The Evolution of the CI Community
Counterterrorism
- IWP 610 Counterintelligence in a Democratic Society
- IWP 659 Enemy Threat Doctrine of Global Jihadism
- IWP 669 Counterterrorism and the Democracies*
- IWP 670 Counter-Terror through Full Spectrum Cultural Engagement*
- IWP 686 Terrorist Advocacy and Propaganda (2 credits)
Defense and National Security
- IWP 601 National Security Policy Process*
- IWP 616 U.S. National Security Strategy and Emerging Threats
- IWP 628 Military Strategy: Theory and Practice
- IWP 678 Covert Action and National Security
- IWP 679 Defense Strategy, Planning and Budgeting*
Intelligence
- IWP 605 Intelligence and Policy*
- IWP 610 Counterintelligence in a Democratic Society
- IWP 631 Foreign Propaganda, Perceptions, and Policy
- IWP 652 Estimative Intelligence Analysis and Epistemology*
- IWP 656 Intelligence Collection
Irregular Warfare
- IWP 616 U.S. National Security Strategy and Emerging Threats*
- IWP 628 Military Strategy: Theory and Practice
- IWP 641 Political Warfare: Past, Present and Future
- IWP 657 U.S. Approaches to Irregular Warfare* (2 Credits)
- IWP 678 Covert Action and National Security
Public Diplomacy and Strategic Influence
- IWP 631 Foreign Propaganda, Perceptions and Policy*
- IWP 636 The Art of Diplomacy
- IWP 637 Public Diplomacy*
- IWP 641 Political Warfare: Past, Present, and Future
- IWP 670 Counter-Terror through Full Spectrum Cultural Engagement
Additional Requirements
Candidates for this graduate degree are not required to pass a language proficiency examination, but may elect to do so in order to add an important skill to their academic credentials and marketability. Students are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the same language training opportunities made available to candidates in the Statecraft and International Affairs degree program.
Students in this program 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 the degree in five calendar years or less. 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.
Alumni at Work
Below is a selection of organizations where graduates of this program have worked:
- Amazon Web Services
- BAE Systems
- Booz Allen Hamilton
- Central Intelligence Agency
- Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- General Dynamics
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
- Lockheed Martin Corporation
- Morgan Stanley
- National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
- National Intelligence University
- Naval Criminal Investigative Service
- Northrop Grumman
- Office of Naval Intelligence
- Office of the Director of National Intelligence
- Office of the Secretary of Defense for Policy
- SAIC
- Stimson Center
- The Joint Staff
- Thomson Reuters Special Services
- U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency
- U.S. Department of Defense
- U.S. Department of State
- U.S. Department of the Treasury
- U.S. House of Representatives
- U.S. Secret Service
- U.S. Senate
- United States Naval Academy
Alumni Testimonials
“I walked out of IWP with a very solid foundation of things that would make me successful as an analyst.”
Thomas DeGraba (’22)
Space Analyst for the U.S. Government
“IWP opened my eyes to details that are often overlooked within the national security community and encouraged me to constantly challenge my own perceptions as I gathered more data.”
Hannah Wilk (’22)
CyberTipline Analyst at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
“I was able to utilize lessons learned in IWP classes in multiple job interviews for highly technical positions. When asked what value my degree from IWP would hold in a scientific- and engineering-heavy field, I was able to reply with examples from Professor Santoli’s classes (as well as many others at IWP). This type of out-of-the-box thinking resulted in multiple career offers over more technically skilled candidates.”
Shawn Taylor (’21)
Scientific Applications Specialist, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
“My only regret is not finding IWP sooner.”
Kelly Zug (’19)
“Geopolitical risk and cyber are directly related. Understanding our adversaries gives background and meaning to my work.”
Shawn Arnold (’17)
Cybersecurity Engineer contracting for the U.S. Navy
“All of the classes I took at IWP help with my work.”
Karissa Brauer, (’13)
Intelligence Analyst with the U.S. Air Force
“Dr. Streusand’s Geography and Strategy and General Jajko’s Military Strategy courses both provided an opportunity to explore the Marine Corps’ operational and even strategic role as force projector throughout the world.”
Major Jeff Brewer, (’14)
USMC Intelligence Officer
Please note: These are Jeff’s personal views and do not constitute endorsement by the U.S. Department of Defense or U.S. Marine Corps.
“I’m proud of my time at IWP. I could have gone elsewhere, and I’m glad I didn’t. IWP has helped me immensely in my career.”
Michael Urena (’05)
Professional Staff Member, Senate Armed Services Committee
Program Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge of basic terms, concepts, history, theories, and geography related to national security policy, process, and implementation.
- Integrate the various instruments of statecraft, with special consideration of geopolitical and economic factors, as they apply to U.S. national strategy.
- Make an informed assessment of the statecraft of foreign powers as well as the main geopolitical and ideological currents that contribute to the political and military struggles of the modern era and their impact on U.S. and foreign behavior.
- Appreciate the principles of the American founding and the Western moral tradition as applied to national security and foreign policy.
- Exhibit detailed knowledge on a U.S. national security specialization or on a specific region of the world and, where relevant, on its dominant power.