MS in Intelligence and National Security Studies - 39 hours total

Core Courses (Required) - 12 hours

INSS 5302 - Seminar in Intelligence (3)

INSS 5304 - US Intelligence and National Security Policy, Structure, and Process (3)

INSS 5305 - Introduction to Intelligence Analysis (3)

INSS 5306 - Contemporary Security Studies (3)

Quantitative Methods (Required) - 6 hours

Introduction to Research Methods – PAD 5300 or comparable graduate-level course (with advisor approval) from any university department (3)

PAD 5351 - Applied Statistics or equivalent course (3)

Free Elective Courses - 18 hours (Non-thesis Option), 15 hours (Thesis Option)

INSS 5301 - Historical Development of the Intelligence Community (3)

INSS 5303 - Legal Issues in Intelligence and National Security (3)

INSS 5310 - Intelligence and Counterterrorism (3)

INSS 5315 - Intelligence and Counterproliferation (3)

INSS 5320 - Counterintelligence and Security (3)

INSS 5325 - Political Economy of Terrorism (3)

INSS 5330 - Conflict Analysis (3)

INSS 5335 - Transnational Criminal Organizations (3)

INSS 5351 - Professional Skills (3)

INSS 5380 - Selected Problems in Intelligence and National Security (3)

INSS 5366 - Security Studies Internship (3)

COM 5335 - Intercultural/International Communication (3)

PAD 5340 - Seminar in Homeland Security (3)

PAD 5342 - Risk Analysis (3)

PAD 5350 - Organizational Theory and Behavior (3)

PAD 5363 - Intergovernmental Relations (3)

POLS 5330 - Seminar in International Politics (3)

POLS 5347 - International Security (3)

Students may also take appropriate graduate courses with the graduate advisor’s approval from any university department or program (i.e. – anthropology, business administration, history, linguistics, political science, women’s studies, etc.) and apply these courses toward the free elective requirement.  Students may also develop, in consultation with their graduate advisor, 9 hours toward a concentration within a single academic discipline such as economics, public administration, or geographic information systems or develop a multidisciplinary concentration such as homeland security, international security, or area/regional studies.  These are just a few examples of possible student concentrations.  Up to 6 hours of approved cultural studies coursework (travel/study abroad) may be applied to the free elective requirement.  Likewise, students can apply up to 6 hours of an approved security studies internship toward their degree.      

Capstone (Non-thesis Option) - 3 hours

INSS 5390 - Capstone Course (3)

Thesis Option - 6 hours

INSS 5398 – Thesis (3)

INSS 5399 – Thesis (3)

Graduate Certificate in Intelligence and National Security Studies - 15 hours total

Core Courses (Required) - 6 hours

INSS 5302 - Seminar in Intelligence (3)

INSS 5390 - Capstone Course (3)

Free Elective Courses – 9 hours  

Students may choose any three courses from the above list of free electives or from graduate courses in another university department with the consent of the graduate advisor.

Academic Standards

The academic performance of all students will be routinely evaluated.  Those students failing to maintain good academic standards will be dropped from the graduate program.

Masters of Science- Students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better in order to earn the MS degree.  MS students must also earn a “B” grade or better in all their core courses and in their thesis or capstone course to be eligible for graduation.  Students will be given only one opportunity to retake a failed course that earned a “C” grade or lower as specified above. Students with a cumulative GPA below 3.0 will be placed on academic probation.  Students will have only one semester to return to “good” academic standing with a GPA of 3.0 or better.  Those students failing to return to good academic standing after one semester will be asked to leave the graduate program.