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Competitive Intelligence

Online Graduate Certificate in Competitive Intelligence

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$0 Application Fee
$0 Transfer Credit Evaluation1
0 Entrance Exams
No GRE/GMAT Required

About This Program

Elevate your knowledge of intelligence processes and procedures in the business world by enrolling in the graduate certificate in competitive intelligence at American Public University (APU).

With a focus on real-world themes of competitive intelligence, APU’s online certificate in competitive intelligence develops your understanding of intelligence analysis, counterintelligence, national security policy, corporate finance, and criminal intelligence. Coursework covers topics such as ethical challenges in intelligence and industrial espionage.

This certificate is well suited to students who want to expand their knowledge of competitive intelligence without committing to a full degree program.

NOTE: Completion of this program does not award any professional certifications, but may be helpful in preparing to earn such certifications.

What You Will Do

  1. Synthesize notable themes of competitive intelligence
  2. Assess how to apply intelligence studies processes and procedures to the commercial business environment
  3. Develop an original analysis of a competitive intelligence issue using current open source data and information

Program at a Glance

Number of Credits
18
Cost Per Credit
$425 | $250*
Courses Start Monthly
Online
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Program Requirements Printable Catalog Version

Must take all courses for this section.

Course ID: 3107

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This course examines issues of ethics, morality, and legal principles in the context of Intelligence through an in-depth critical analysis of the primary ethical philosophies and legal doctrines as they apply to contemporary U.S. Intelligence. Students will research the moral, psychological, and legal issues pertaining to a variety of topics. The course concludes with an evaluation of an issue within the intelligence community related ethical-moral and legal choices.
Registration Dates Course Dates Session Weeks
12/26/22 - 06/02/23 06/05/23 - 07/30/23 Spring 2023 Session D 8 Week session
01/30/23 - 06/30/23 07/03/23 - 08/27/23 Summer 2023 Session B 8 Week session
02/27/23 - 08/04/23 08/07/23 - 10/01/23 Summer 2023 Session I 8 Week session
03/27/23 - 09/01/23 09/04/23 - 10/29/23 Summer 2023 Session D 8 Week session
04/24/23 - 09/29/23 10/02/23 - 11/26/23 Fall 2023 Session B 8 Week session
05/29/23 - 11/03/23 11/06/23 - 12/31/23 Fall 2023 Session I 8 Week session

Course ID: 4490

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This course focuses on the ways that law, ethics and cybersecurity overlap and intersect. Besides laws related to cybersecurity, the course examines laws related to intellectual property, civil litigation, criminal prosecutions, and privacy. This examination will provide the means to identify and analyze the policies reflected in those laws. Those policies could guide the creation of policies on a business-level, using qualitative risk assessment and planning. An exploration of ethics and cybersecurity, as well as of workplace ethics, will involve the use of an ethical framework.
Registration Dates Course Dates Session Weeks
12/26/22 - 06/02/23 06/05/23 - 07/30/23 Spring 2023 Session D 8 Week session
01/30/23 - 06/30/23 07/03/23 - 08/27/23 Summer 2023 Session B 8 Week session
02/27/23 - 08/04/23 08/07/23 - 10/01/23 Summer 2023 Session I 8 Week session
03/27/23 - 09/01/23 09/04/23 - 10/29/23 Summer 2023 Session D 8 Week session
04/24/23 - 09/29/23 10/02/23 - 11/26/23 Fall 2023 Session B 8 Week session
05/29/23 - 11/03/23 11/06/23 - 12/31/23 Fall 2023 Session I 8 Week session

Course ID: 2596

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This course provides a framework for understanding and protecting against industrial espionage. It reviews the history of industrial espionage, current methods of information elicitation, and explores counterespionage options to defend organizations. Students will also learn how companies place their proprietary and protected information at risk as well as how to prevent unwanted information disclosure. Topics such as the Economic Espionage Act of 1996 and operational counterintelligence are covered. The purpose of the course is to teach how to recognize and neutralize serious threats to both business and government entities.
Registration Dates Course Dates Session Weeks
02/27/23 - 08/04/23 08/07/23 - 10/01/23 Summer 2023 Session I 8 Week session
05/29/23 - 11/03/23 11/06/23 - 12/31/23 Fall 2023 Session I 8 Week session

Choose 9 credit hours from this section.

Course ID: 4522

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This course introduces students to risk management components including plans and strategies to mitigate risk. Students in this course will examine the role of risk management at the strategic and enterprise levels in the prevention of loss and mitigation of consequences through risk identification and control. This course will allow students to develop and apply risk management techniques to include selection of risk management measures and implementation of those measures.
Registration Dates Course Dates Session Weeks
12/26/22 - 06/02/23 06/05/23 - 07/30/23 Spring 2023 Session D 8 Week session
01/30/23 - 06/30/23 07/03/23 - 08/27/23 Summer 2023 Session B 8 Week session
02/27/23 - 08/04/23 08/07/23 - 10/01/23 Summer 2023 Session I 8 Week session
03/27/23 - 09/01/23 09/04/23 - 10/29/23 Summer 2023 Session D 8 Week session
04/24/23 - 09/29/23 10/02/23 - 11/26/23 Fall 2023 Session B 8 Week session
05/29/23 - 11/03/23 11/06/23 - 12/31/23 Fall 2023 Session I 8 Week session

Course ID: 4824

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This course focuses on intelligence analysis including the analysis of international threats to security. The course will provide students with a foundation of human cognition in an effort to help understand why we think the way we do, how we come to formulate biases, and the many analytical, perceptional, and cognitive errors we frequently make in conducting analyses. Students will be provided with a foundation from which to understand and conduct critical analysis. This course affords an opportunity to look at a variety of case studies related to both US and foreign threat analysis and action, including the evolution of responses to threats, perspectives on threat action, principles of threat analysis and response, and assessments of successes and failures of such actions. Students will develop a comprehensive knowledge of intelligence analysis, how intelligence agencies assess and counter international threats in order to guard global security interests, and how various threats affect national security policy and decision-making. (Prerequisite: SSGS500)
Registration Dates Course Dates Session Weeks
12/26/22 - 06/02/23 06/05/23 - 07/30/23 Spring 2023 Session D 8 Week session
01/30/23 - 06/30/23 07/03/23 - 08/27/23 Summer 2023 Session B 8 Week session
02/27/23 - 08/04/23 08/07/23 - 10/01/23 Summer 2023 Session I 8 Week session
03/27/23 - 09/01/23 09/04/23 - 10/29/23 Summer 2023 Session D 8 Week session
04/24/23 - 09/29/23 10/02/23 - 11/26/23 Fall 2023 Session B 8 Week session
05/29/23 - 11/03/23 11/06/23 - 12/31/23 Fall 2023 Session I 8 Week session

Course ID: 3118

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This course provides the student with an introduction to the methods and techniques of criminal intelligence analysis and strategic organized crime. 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 shows how to use criminal intelligence analysis to predict trends, weaknesses, capabilities, intentions, changes, and warnings needed to dismantle criminal organizations. This course provides knowledge needed by law enforcement professionals at the federal, state, and local level, by criminal intelligence analysts working in private industry, and by military intelligence personnel making a transition from a military to a law enforcement career. The course provides a background of the use of intelligence to dismantle criminal organizations and businesses. This course emphasizes criminal/law enforcement intelligence, as opposed to criminal investigation.
Registration Dates Course Dates Session Weeks
12/26/22 - 06/02/23 06/05/23 - 07/30/23 Spring 2023 Session D 8 Week session
03/27/23 - 09/01/23 09/04/23 - 10/29/23 Summer 2023 Session D 8 Week session

Course ID: 3967

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This course provides an overview of deceptive techniques –how they work and how they can be defeated. It begins by building an understanding of fundamental psychological principles and practices and then taking a look at key information practices. From there, it will look at how some of these practices developed from WWI to the present. Throughout the course, students will be exposed to and will analyze the use of deception and other persuasion techniques in various contexts. These deceptive techniques are illustrated with a series of historical and current case studies, scenarios, and interactive simulations.
Registration Dates Course Dates Session Weeks
12/26/22 - 06/02/23 06/05/23 - 07/30/23 Spring 2023 Session D 8 Week session
02/27/23 - 08/04/23 08/07/23 - 10/01/23 Summer 2023 Session I 8 Week session
04/24/23 - 09/29/23 10/02/23 - 11/26/23 Fall 2023 Session B 8 Week session

Course ID: 3872

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This course examines the tenets of Intrusion Detection, Intrusion Prevention, and Incident Handling. Intrusion Detection focuses on the methods to detect attempts (attacks or intrusions) to compromise the confidentiality, integrity or availability of an information system. Also included is an analysis of the principles and practices of intrusion detection, intrusion prevention, and incident handling; network-based, host-based, and hybrid intrusion detection; identifying attack patterns; deployment of resources and responses to handle the incident, surveillance, damage assessment, risk assessment, data forensics, data mining, attack tracing, system recovery, and continuity of operation.
Registration Dates Course Dates Session Weeks
12/26/22 - 06/02/23 06/05/23 - 07/30/23 Spring 2023 Session D 8 Week session
01/30/23 - 06/30/23 07/03/23 - 08/27/23 Summer 2023 Session B 8 Week session
02/27/23 - 08/04/23 08/07/23 - 10/01/23 Summer 2023 Session I 8 Week session
03/27/23 - 09/01/23 09/04/23 - 10/29/23 Summer 2023 Session D 8 Week session
04/24/23 - 09/29/23 10/02/23 - 11/26/23 Fall 2023 Session B 8 Week session
05/29/23 - 11/03/23 11/06/23 - 12/31/23 Fall 2023 Session I 8 Week session

Course ID: 3873

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The course analyzes computer and systems security measures by examining a model for information assurance; it also examines the components of a comprehensive Information Assurance plan. Topics included are: asset identification, human factors, compliance with regulations, personnel security, risk assessment and ethical considerations, IA policy, as well as computer and network security tools.
Registration Dates Course Dates Session Weeks
12/26/22 - 06/02/23 06/05/23 - 07/30/23 Spring 2023 Session D 8 Week session
01/30/23 - 06/30/23 07/03/23 - 08/27/23 Summer 2023 Session B 8 Week session
02/27/23 - 08/04/23 08/07/23 - 10/01/23 Summer 2023 Session I 8 Week session
03/27/23 - 09/01/23 09/04/23 - 10/29/23 Summer 2023 Session D 8 Week session
04/24/23 - 09/29/23 10/02/23 - 11/26/23 Fall 2023 Session B 8 Week session
05/29/23 - 11/03/23 11/06/23 - 12/31/23 Fall 2023 Session I 8 Week session

Courses Start Monthly

Next Courses Start Jun 5
Register by Jun 2

Admission Requirements

  • All APU master's degree/graduate certificate programs require a bachelor’s degree (or higher) from an institution whose accreditation is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA®).
  • Please read all graduate admission requirements before applying to this program and be prepared to submit the required documentation.
  • There is no fee to complete the APU admission application. View steps to apply.

CHEA® is a registered trademark of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. 

Materials Cost

Technology fee: $85 per course | $0 for active-duty military, National Guard members, and Reservists.

Need Help?

Selecting the right program to meet your educational goals is a key step in ensuring a successful outcome. If you are unsure of which program to choose, or need more information, please contact an APU admissions representative at 877-755-2787 or info@apus.edu.

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Consumer Information

*Cost Per Credit Hour

U.S. active-duty servicemembers, National Guard members, Reservists, and military families, including parents, spouses, legal partners, siblings, and dependents, receive a tuition grant that caps undergraduate, master's degree, and graduate certificate tuition at $250/credit hour. 
See all military student benefits.