Undergraduate Certificate in Intelligence Analysis

RECOMMENDED AS FIRST PROGRAM COURSE. REQUIRED AS ONE OF FIRST THREE PROGRAM COURSES. Explores basic deductive research procedures required in the conduct of qualitative case studies. Topics covered include development of research questions, literature reviews, research designs, and data collection methods. Qualitative case study analysis methods are also taught. This is a writing intensive course that requires a sound understanding of written communications. Students enrolling in this course should already be familiar with proper citations and documentation, grammar and syntax, and organizing their writing.

Provides instruction in critical thinking and analysis skills meant to overcome cultural and psychological biases that can impact the objectivity of intelligence analysis and decision-making. Human information processing and problem solving are discussed from a psychological perspective, as well as psychological factors influencing the information processing of the individual analyst. Then critical thinking and analysis skills are covered, to include analysis of competing hypotheses, matrix analyses, decision/event trees, weighted rankings, and utility analysis, which are designed to improve the objectivity of intelligence analysis and decision making. (Prerequisite: INTL300).

Pre Reqs: Research Methods in Intelligence Studies(INTL300),Research, Analysis, and Writing(COLL300)

This course covers a selection of advanced qualitative analysis and modeling techniques for real world problems. Students begin with a review of analytical research skills and the process of Analysis of Competing Hypotheses (ACH). They will also learn to apply basic trend analysis techniques and forecasting methods such aggregate data analysis, content analysis, Rational Choice Theory, the Delphi technique, and the Lockwood Analytical Method for Prediction (LAMP). The course ends with a review of the NIE and analyst - policy maker relationships. (Prerequisite: INTL300).

Pre Reqs: Research Methods in Intelligence Studies(INTL300),Research, Analysis, and Writing(COLL300)

Intelligence data forms the foundation of all intelligence analytic processes and products. The course explores the use of data-driven structured intelligence analysis techniques including statistical analysis, the appropriate use of data in analysis, the role of hypotheses, and non-statistical data analysis methods. This course develops competencies in understanding, applying, and effectively using data collected for intelligence analysis purposes and as such forms an essential component of becoming an effective intelligence analyst Students must have access to MS Excel.(Prerequisite: INTL300).

Pre Reqs: Research Methods in Intelligence Studies(INTL300),Research, Analysis, and Writing(COLL300)

The rapid increase in multinational analysis and transnational organized crime, corporate drug trafficking organizations, and the impact of crime on national and international policy has created a critical need for law enforcement intelligence experts in the relatively new field of criminal intelligence. The course provides the student with an introduction to the methods and techniques of criminal intelligence analysis and strategic organized crime. It will demonstrate how to predict trends, weaknesses, capabilities, intentions, changes, and warnings needed to dismantle criminal organizations. Law enforcement professionals at the federal, state, and local level, criminal intelligence analysts working in private industry, and military intelligence personnel making a transition from a military to a law enforcement career will benefit from this course. Students will be introduced to techniques such as association and link analysis, visual investigative analysis (VIA), telephone toll analysis, matrix analysis, reporting and application to violent crime, and organized crime to include drug, white collar, and money laundering. This course emphasizes criminal intelligence as opposed to criminal investigation.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) contain a powerful set of tools for data acquisition, management, query and display. This course will provide students first with a substantial foundation in the history of cartography and mapmaking. The second major emphasis of this course will merge both theoretical and historical information with hands-on practical training utilizing the basic tools provided with the GIS software. Students will become familiar with the importance of metadata, editing and updating metadata and how this is important to the success or failure of the dataset as a whole.(Prerequisite: INTL300).

Pre Reqs: Research Methods in Intelligence Studies(INTL300)

Using the ArcGIS software, students will be taught how to manipulate datasets based on complex queries in several advanced platforms within the GIS environment including geospatial analyses, creating basic models, interpolation among multiple data points, and advanced data table editing and creation. Students will learn methodologies for determining the presence or absence of patterns and identify associations among different data layers. Additionally, students will be taught to examine cases where GIS could have been used but was not, and postulate how this system could have improved analysis within each case. This course will focus on vector data analysis techniques only. (Prerequisite: IS418 Geographic Information Systems I. (Prerequisite: INTL432).

Pre Reqs: Geographic Information Systems I(INTL432)

With states as the level of analysis, this course examines their political, economic, and social condition which allows an understanding of threats to the state and their vulnerabilities. Analytic procedures to assess a state’s military capabilities, strengths and weaknesses of their political and economic systems, and challenges presented by their social systems are included. This course is a prerequisite to any of the intelligence studies country analysis courses.

This course examines the processes involved in forecasting terrorism. The syllabus examines the theoretical underpinnings of the phenomenon of terrorism, actual and planned cases of chemical and biological weapons use, and the modern threat of improvised weapons of mass destruction. It continues by differentiating the varying magnitudes of threat and effect of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high yield explosive (CBRNE) weapons and analyzes terrorist precedent, strategy, and psychology from which terrorism forecasts and counter-terrorism activities are generated. It moves on to examine traditional and newer methods of forecasting terrorism: intuition-based, profiling, conflict vulnerability analysis and prognosis (early warning), Atypical Signal Analysis & Processing (ASAP), and the Khalsa systematic Indications and Warning (I&W) methodologies. It concludes with a brief overview of the state of the terrorist threat almost a decade after 9/11