The Master of Arts in National Security Studies provides professional, graduate-level academic education in national and international security issues. In the program's required and core courses, students obtain substantive knowledge and analytic skills required by all professionals in the security community. Through the general program or specialized concentrations, students can focus on contemporary transtate and regional security issues and in further developing their analytic skills. Student learning is greatly enhanced by the diversity of program professors with strong professional and academic backgrounds in security studies and through opportunities to interact in the online classroom with military and civilian students from across the national and international security community. The Master of Arts in National Security Studies prepares students for mid and senior level positions in national and international security policy, security and intelligence analysis, and related fields. Graduates of the program can be found across the national and international security community as civilian and military policy-makers, action-officers, analysts, instructors, and consultants. The program is an excellent substitute for military or civilian personnel unable to attend a staff or war college, but who require a strong background in the substantive knowledge and analytic skills required of security specialists. The program is also excellent preparation for those who will eventually attend a staff or war college as it incorporates instruction in advanced security analysis not normally taught in senior military schools. Degree Program Objectives
In addition to the institutional and degree level outcome objectives, the Master of Arts in National Security Studies seeks the following specific learning outcomes of its graduates. Graduates in this degree program will be able to: - Appraise classic and contemporary theories, strategies, doctrines, and procedures related to the causes, conduct, and termination of armed conflict and the maintenance of peace.
- Assess and predict traditional and non-traditional threats to national and international security.
- Compare the structures, functions, capabilities, and activities of national and international security community members.
- Conduct advanced research and compose professional and academic analyses on issues critical to national and international security.
Degree Program Requirements
Core Courses (18 semester hours)
RC503 / RC508 / NSS 500 - Research Methods in National Security / Research Methods in National Security and Intelligence Studies
NS503 / NSS 501 - Institutions of National Security
NS505 / NSS 502 - Concepts of National Security
NS500 / NSS 503 U.S. National Security
NS504 / NSS 504 - International Security
NS508 / NSS 505 - Foreign Policy and Security Analysis
Major Courses (9 semester hours)
All National Security Studies students must complete three courses within the major. Students enrolled in a general program must take three courses from the General Program list. Students enrolled in a concentration must choose three courses from within the concentration list. General Program - for students who do not wish to seek a concentration.
CR506 / CRJ 506 - International Crime
LC524 / CRJ 526 - Drug Cartels and the Narcotics Threat
LW574 / MIL 595 - Joint Warfare Theory and Practice
LW620 / MIL 596 - Joint Warfare Planning and Implementation
LC514 / INT 660 - Roots of Terrorism
NS510 / HLS 501 - Homeland Defense
NS525 / NSS 611 - Covert Action and National Security
NS610 / NSS 612 - Interagency Operations
OC503 / NSS 601 - Security and Intelligence Data Analysis
NS690 / NSS 690 - Independent Study in National Security Studies Concentration in Asian Studies
Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to appraise the contemporary threats to Asian security; and the organizations, capabilities, and activities of regional and international security organizations in Asia. Concentration Requirements
LC517 / MIL 695 - Counterinsurgency in Asia
NS541 / INR 530 - History and Culture of Southeast Asia
NS546 / INR 631 - Government and Security in Korea
GE531 / REL 531 - Buddhism
GE534 / REL 532 - Hinduism
Concentration in Homeland Defense
Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to appraise the contemporary threats to the US Homeland; and the organizations, capabilities, and activities of the US homeland defense community. Concentration Requirements
NS510 / HLS 501 - Homeland Defense (required in this concentration)
LC535 / HLS 522 - Weapons of Mass Destruction and the New Terrorism
LC522 / HLS 523 - Domestic Terrorism and Extremist Groups
IN544 / INT 647 - Intelligence and Weapons of Mass Destruction
LC537 / INT 661- Forecasting Terrorism
IN547 / INT 663 - Intelligence and Homeland Security
NS610 / NSS 612 - Interagency Operations
DM645 / TLM 608 - Port Security
Concentration in Middle Eastern Studies
Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to appraise the contemporary threats to Middle Eastern security; and the organizations, capabilities, and activities of regional and international security organizations in the Middle East. Concentration Requirements
NS551 / INR 662 - Middle Eastern Culture
NS552 / INR 663 - Islam
NS553 / INR 661 - Politics and Security in the Persian Gulf
IN512 / INT 650 - Middle East Intelligence Issues
MS670 / MIL 692 - Arab-Israeli Conflict: Contemporary Politics/Diplomacy Concentration in Security and Intelligence Analysis
Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to apply advanced security and intelligence analysis methods in composing professional and academic analyses on issues critical to national and international security. Concentration Requirements
OC503 / NSS 601 - Security and Intelligence Data Analysis (required in this concentration)
IN520 / INT 502 - Analytic Methods (required in this concentration)
IN517 / INT 620 - Threat Analysis
IN528 / INT 622 - Intelligence Profiling
LC537 / INT 661 - Forecasting Terrorism
IN529 / INT 670 - Regional Threat Analysis
Concentration in Terrorism Studies
Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to appraise the causes of and threats from domestic and international terrorism; and the organizations, capabilities, and activities of the international security community in the Global War on Terrorism.
Concentration Requirements
LC535 / HLS 522 - Weapons of Mass Destruction and the New Terrorism
LC522 / HLS 523 - Domestic Terrorism and Extremist Groups
IN585 / INT 643 - Assassination: History, Theory, and Practice
LC514 / INT 660 - Roots of Terrorism
LC537 / INT 661 - Forecasting Terrorism
IN525 / INT 662 - Counterterrorism Graduate Electives
(Select 9 semester hours) From courses not taken to fulfill the core and major requirements of the National Security Studies program.
End of Program Requirement - Taken once all other degree requirements have been met.
NS700 / NSS 790 - Separate Comprehensive Examination
OR
NS701 / NSS 791 - Master’s Capstone Seminar in Security - The Master’s Capstone Seminar option includes a thesis, or a major research project or paper in lieu of the final comprehensive examination, which has no credit hours. Those who elect this option may reduce their electives by three semester hours to accommodate the seminar option credit. This option is desirable for those students who wish to apply their advanced research skills to a topic of US or international security interest or who would plan to continue their education at a higher level.
Total Hours: 36 semester hours
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