The Master of Arts in National Security Studies provides executive-level education in national and international security policy with concentrations in homeland security, intelligence analysis, cyber security, terrorism studies, and regional security studies. Knowledge gained in this online master’s program is useful for careers in the defense industry, military, U.S. and foreign governments, and the private sector.
The program includes a solid foundation in agency operations and theory, and studies the complex problems found in today’s uncertain security environment. You will be taught by experienced faculty who remain active in the national security arena, helping to ensure relevancy in this continuously expanding field.
Graduates of the program are career professionals found across the national and international security community as civilian and military leaders, policymakers, action-officers, analysts, instructors, and consultants. This program also provides a strong academic stepping stone for our doctoral programs in global security and strategic intelligence.
Degree Program Objectives
In addition to the institutional and degree level learning objectives, graduates of this program are expected to achieve these learning outcomes:
- 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 at a Glance
| Code | Title | Semester Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | 18 | |
| Select one of the following concentrations: | 12 | |
| Elective Requirements | 3 | |
| Final Program Requirements | 3 | |
| Total Semester Hours | 36 | |
Degree Program Requirements
Core Requirements (18 semester hours)
| Code | Title | Semester Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NSEC503 | U.S. National Security 1 | 3 |
| SSGS500 | Research Design and Methods | 3 |
| NSEC501 | Institutions of National Security | 3 |
| NSEC504 | International Security | 3 |
| NSEC610 | National Security and Globalization | 3 |
| NSEC613 | Current and Emerging Threats to U.S. National Security | 3 |
| Total Semester Hours | 18 | |
| 1 | Required as the first course in this program. |
Students must choose a concentration for this degree program and may select from the General Concentration, Concentration in Cyber, Concentration in Homeland Security, Concentration in Regional Security Studies, Concentration in Security and Intelligence Analysis, or Concentration in Terrorism Studies.
General Concentration Requirements (12 semester hours)
This general concentration allows you to select from more than two dozen different concentration courses offered within this program, enabling you to create your own focused area of study.
| Code | Title | Semester Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select 4 courses from the following: | 12 | |
| Drug Cartels and the Narcotics Threat | ||
| Homeland Security and Defense | ||
| Security Risk Management | ||
| Weapons of Mass Destruction and the New Terrorism | ||
| Domestic Terrorism and Extremist Groups | ||
| Strategic Intelligence | ||
| Collection | ||
| Intelligence Operations | ||
| Intelligence Analysis | ||
| Intelligence and Homeland Security | ||
| Transnational Crime and Narcotics | ||
| Terrorism: Assessing the Past to Forecast the Future | ||
| Strategic Geography and Geopolitics | ||
| Politics and War | ||
| International Negotiation | ||
| Government and Security in Korea | ||
| Latin American Security Issues | ||
| Seminar in Middle East Politics and Security | ||
| Advanced Cybercrime Analysis | ||
| Cyber Ethics: Privacy and Intellectual Property | ||
| Law, Ethics and Cybersecurity | ||
| The Non-State Soldier | ||
| Cyber Policy and Practice in National Security | ||
| Regional Security Cooperation | ||
| Covert Action and National Security | ||
| National Security and Diplomacy | ||
| Political Psychology of Terror Groups | ||
| Internship Program | ||
| Total Semester Hours | 12 | |
Concentration in Cyber (12 semester hours)
Analyzes the cyber discipline from a multidisciplinary perspective. Topics include: current cyber policy and strategy for non-practitioners in a national security framework; laws related to intellectual property, civil litigation, criminal prosecutions, and cybersecurity; and the privacy, ethical, economic, and societal issues that face today’s information-entrenched society.
Objective
Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to analyze the cyber discipline from a multidisciplinary perspective.
Concentration Requirements (12 semester hours)
| Code | Title | Semester Hours |
|---|---|---|
| LSTD517 | Law, Ethics and Cybersecurity | 3 |
| NSEC506 | Cyber Policy and Practice in National Security | 3 |
| ISSC630 | Advanced Cybercrime Analysis | 3 |
| ISSC631 | Cyber Ethics: Privacy and Intellectual Property | 3 |
| Total Semester Hours | 12 | |
Concentration in Homeland Security (12 semester hours)
Explores contemporary threats to the U.S. and the organizations, capabilities, and activities of America’s homeland defense community. Covers the efforts to prevent, prepare, and respond to the use of weapons of mass destruction, the role of risk management in the prevention of loss, and the development of drug cartels and their organization, production, and distribution networks.
Objective
Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to appraise the contemporary threats to the United States; and the organizations, capabilities, and activities of the national defense community.
Concentration Requirements (12 semester hours)
| Code | Title | Semester Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select 4 courses from the following: | 12 | |
| Drug Cartels and the Narcotics Threat | ||
| Homeland Security and Defense | ||
| Security Risk Management | ||
| Weapons of Mass Destruction and the New Terrorism | ||
| Domestic Terrorism and Extremist Groups | ||
| Intelligence and Homeland Security | ||
| Total Semester Hours | 12 | |
Concentration in Regional Security Studies (12 semester hours)
Examines the forces reshaping world politics and analyzes the institutions that are fostering new forms of global governance. Topics include the role of diplomacy in national security policy development and implementation, and the strategic, operational, and tactical elements required for conducting peace operations.
Concentration Requirements (12 semester hours)
| Code | Title | Semester Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NSEC608 | Regional Security Cooperation | 3 |
| Select 3 courses from the following: | 9 | |
| History of East Asia | ||
| History of the Middle East | ||
| History and Culture of Latin America | ||
| International Negotiation | ||
| Peacekeeping: Structure and Process | ||
| Government and Security in Korea | ||
| Latin American Security Issues | ||
| Seminar in Middle East Politics and Security | ||
| Middle Eastern Culture | ||
| Arab-Israeli Conflict: Contemporary Politics & Diplomacy | ||
| National Security and Diplomacy | ||
| Total Semester Hours | 12 | |
Concentration in Security and Intelligence Analysis (12 semester hours)
Covers advanced security and intelligence analysis methods used to convey issues critical to national and international security. Examines the forces reshaping world politics, analyzes the institutions that are fostering new forms of global governance, and discusses the current structure, function, capabilities, and contributions of individual U.S. national intelligence community members.
Objective
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 (12 semester hours)
| Code | Title | Semester Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select 4 courses from the following: | 12 | |
| Strategic Intelligence | ||
| Collection | ||
| Intelligence Operations | ||
| Intelligence Analysis | ||
| Strategic Geography and Geopolitics | ||
| Regional Security Cooperation | ||
| Total Semester Hours | 12 | |
Concentration in Terrorism Studies (12 semester hours)
Evaluates the causes of and threats from domestic and international terrorism, as well as the organizations, capabilities, and activities of the international security community in the global war on terrorism. Also analyzes U.S. and international policies for combating terrorism, terrorist tactics worldwide, and the scope of terrorism.
Objective
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 (12 semester hours)
| Code | Title | Semester Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select 4 courses from the following: | 12 | |
| Weapons of Mass Destruction and the New Terrorism | ||
| Domestic Terrorism and Extremist Groups | ||
| Counterterrorism | ||
| Terrorism: Assessing the Past to Forecast the Future | ||
| The Non-State Soldier | ||
| Political Psychology of Terror Groups | ||
| Total Semester Hours | 12 | |
Elective Requirements (3 semester hours)
Select from other graduate courses not taken to meet core or concentration requirements.
Final Program Requirement (3 semester hours)
| Code | Title | Semester Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NSEC699 | National Security Studies Capstone 1 | 3 |
| Total Semester Hours | 3 | |
| 1 | Taken once all other requirements have been met. The Capstone Seminar will satisfy 3 semester hours of an elective requirement. |