Graduate Catalog | Undergraduate Catalog | Certificates | Student Learning

The Bachelor of Arts in Intelligence Studies is designed for students who are currently employed or wish to pursue positions as military, civilian, or corporate intelligence specialists. Subjects covered in the curriculum are terrorism, espionage, national security, competitive intelligence, regional intelligence, the "war on drugs," and ethnic conflict. Students in this program study the issues that challenge intelligence professionals and learn how each issue fits into larger intelligence strategies.

Degree Program Objectives

Intelligence Community

• Identify the agencies and departments that are considered members of the U.S. intelligence community.
• Recognize the interaction between the intelligence community, Congress, and the Executive Branch and describe key event trends that impacted the relationships’ evolution.
• Know the key players in the U.S. IC and their commensurate roles, and how they interface with various customers, including the Congress.
• Recall the key aspects of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004.
• Discuss the role of intelligence in Joint operations.

Historical Perspective of Intelligence

• Recall the major intelligence events in history.
• Describe the “lessons learned” that have come out of intelligence successes and failures.

Intelligence Process

• Differentiate between data, information, and intelligence.
• Explain the intelligence cycle, as well as each element of the process and participants’ responsibilities.
• Identify the types, strengths, and weaknesses of intelligence collection methods.

Threats and Analysis

• Study the role of U.S. intelligence agencies in assessing and countering threats to U.S. and global security.
• Investigate the role of terrorism in the United States.
• Discuss covert action against threats from the Cold War through current politics.
• Examine U.S. covert and paramilitary actions against threats.
• Outline the origins and history of terrorism and describe the evolution of contemporary terrorism from guerrilla warfare.
• Differentiate between transnational, international and domestic terrorism, further discriminate between guerrilla warfare and terrorism, and understand their status according to the Geneva Conventions and other International Instruments.

Intelligence and Ethics

• Discuss the ethical challenges in conducting intelligence operations.
• Appraise the ethical environment in which intelligence activities may be viewed as inconsistent moral behavior.

Degree Program Requirements

RQ295 / COL 100 Foundations of Online Learning (fomerly Academic and Career Planning) (3 semester hours) - Required as the first course in all undergraduate programs.

General Education Requirements (34 semester hours)
English Composition - 6 semester hours
EN101 / ENG 101 - Proficiency in Writing (Required)
EN102 / ENG 102 - Effectiveness in Writing or
EN202 / ENG 200 - English Composition and Literature

Social Sciences - 6 semester hours
SS101 / ECO 101 - Microeconomics
SS102 / ECO 102 - Macroeconomics
SS111 / GEO 101 - Introduction to Geography
SS133 / SOC 111 - Introduction to Sociology
SS134 / PSY 101 - Introduction to Psychology 
SS190 / ANT 100 - Introduction to Anthropology
SS210 / CFD 220 - Human Sexuality  
SO220 / SOC 220 - American Popular Culture

Science - 4 semester hours including required 1 hour labs
SC100 / SCI 100 - Introduction to Biology
SC198 / SCI 100 L - Introduction to Biology Lab
SC101 / SCI 110 - Introduction to Chemistry
SC199 / SCI 110 L - Introduction to Chemistry Lab   
SC102 / SCI 102 - Introduction to Human Anatomy & Physiology 
SC122 / SCI 102 L - Introduction to Human Anatomy & Physiology Lab
SC103 / SCI 103 - Introduction to Physics 
SC123 / SCI 103 L - Introduction to Physics Lab
SC104 / SCI 104 - Introduction to Astronomy
SC124 / SCI 104 L - Introduction to Astronomy Lab
SC106 / SCI 106 - Introduction to Oceanography 
SC126 / SCI 106 L - Introduction to Oceanography Lab
SC107 / SCI 107 - Introduction to Meteorology
SC127 / SCI 107 L - Introduction to Meteorology Lab

Mathematics - 3 semester hours
MA110 / MA112 / MAT 110 - Introduction to College Algebra and Trigonometry / College Algebra, or
MA111 / MA113 / MAT 111 College Algebra and Trigonometry / College Trigonometry, or
MA125 / MAT 125 - Math for Liberal Arts Majors, or
MA225 / MAT 225 - Calculus

History - 6 semester hours
HS101 / HIS101 - American History to 1877
HS102 / HIS 102 - American History since 1877
HS111 / HIS 111 - World Civilization I
HS112 / HIS 112 - World Civilization II
HS121 / HIS 121 - Western Civilization Before The Thirty Years War
HS122 / HIS 122 - Western Civilization Since Thirty Years War
HS215 / HIS 223 - History of the American Indian
HS217 / HIS 221 - African-American History before 1877
HS218 / HIS 222 - African-American History since 1877

Humanities - 3 semester hours
HM101 / SPA 100 - Spanish I 
HM102 / SPA 101 - Spanish II (Prerequisite: HM101) - or other foreign language
HM200 / MUS 200 - Music Appreciation
HM230 / REL 201 - Introduction to World Religions  
HM240 / ART 200 - Art Appreciation  
HM277 / PHI 200 - Introduction to Ethics
PH101 / PHI 101 - Introduction to Philosophy

Literature - 3 semester hours
HM201 / LIT 220 - American Literature before the Civil War
HM202 / LIT 221 - American Literature from Civil War to Present
HM221 / LIT 210 - English Literature: Beowulf to 18th Century
HM222 / LIT 211 - English Literature: 18th Century to Present
HM211 / LIT 201 - World Lit through the Renaissance
HM212 / LIT 202 - World Lit since the Renaissance

Political Science - 3 semester hours
SS121 / POL 210 - American Government I
SS131 / INR 210 - International Relations
 

Core Requirements (21 semester hours)
IS389 / INT 311 - History of U.S. Intelligence
RQ300 / COL 300 - Research, Analysis, and Writing 
RQ307 / INT 310 - Introduction to Intelligence
RQ310 / INT 313 - Tactical Intelligence
RQ312 / INT 312 - The U.S. Intelligence Community
RQ313 / INT 315 - Foreign Intelligence Organizations
RQ350 / INT 314 - Contemporary Intelligence Issues

Major Courses (24 semester hours)
A student enrolled in Intelligence Studies must take eight (8) major courses. A student enrolled in General Program option must take all eight (8) major courses from the “General Program Course” list below. A student enrolled in a concentration must take four (4) of their major courses from his/her concentration area and four  (4) courses from the “General Program Course” list below, not including those from their concentration.
General Program Courses
IS303 / INT 432 - Criminal Intelligence Analysis
IS304 / INT 443 - Geographic Intelligence
IS305 / INT 412 - Signals Intelligence and Security
IS307 / INT 413 - Counterintelligence
IS308 / INT 414 - Open Source Collection
IS309 / INT 350 - Introduction to the War on Drugs
IS310 / INT 433 - Threat Analysis
IS312 / INT 461 - Terrorism and Counterterrorism
IS313 / INT 441 - International Criminal Organizations
IS315 / INT 415 - Human Intelligence
IS316 / INT 416 - Espionage/Counterespionage
IS323 / NSS 412 - Terrorism and U.S. National Security
IS325 / INT 442 - Interrogation
IS332 / INT 330 - China Country Analysis
IS346 / INT 333 - Korea Country Analysis
IS348 / INT 462 - Forecasting Terrorism
IS386 / INT 423 - Cyber Warfare
IS390 / INT 490 - Independent Study - Intelligence Studies
IS410 / INT 431 - Introduction to Analysis
IS420 / INT 463 - Intelligence and Assassination
IS430 / INT 434 - Spycraft

Concentration in Information Operations 
CS305 / ISS 362 - IT Security: Attack & Defense
IS306 / ISS 340 - Information Security
IS326 / MIL 440 - Information Operations
IS386 / INT 423 - Cyber Warfare

Concentration in Intelligence Analysis
IS303 / INT 432 - Criminal Intelligence Analysis
IS310 / INT 433 - Threat Analysis
IS348 / INT 462 - Forecasting Terrorism
IS410 / INT 431 - Introduction to Analysis (required in this concentration)
IS430 / INT 434 - Spycraft

Concentration in Law Enforcement Intelligence
CJ320 / CRJ 320 - Law Enforcement Intelligence Applications
IS303 / INT 432 - Criminal Intelligence Analysis
IS313 / INT 441 - International Criminal Organizations
IS325 / INT 442 - Interrogation

Concentration in Special Operations/Low Intensity Conflict
MH402 / MIL 382 - Low Intensity Conflict
MH411 / NSS 411 - Introduction to National Security
MH412 / MIL 410 - Unconventional Warfare
MH450 / MLH 289 - History of Special Operations
MH451 / MIL 381 - Special Operations Strategy and Tactics

Concentration in Terrorism Studies
IS312 / INT 461 - Terrorism and Counterterrorism
IS323 / NSS 412 - Terrorism and U.S. National Security
IS348 / INT 462 - Forecasting Terrorism
IS420 / INT 463 - Intelligence and Assassination

Electives (39 semester hours)
Select any courses that have not been used to fulfill core or major requirements. Credits applied toward a minor or certificate in an unrelated field may be used to fulfill elective credit for the major.

Total = 121 semester credits

AMU is a member institution of the American Public University System (APUS), which is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association and nationally accredited by the Accrediting Commission, Distance Education and Training Council.
© 2008 American Military University | 111 W. Congress Street, Charles Town, WV 25414 | Toll Free: 1-877-755-2787
News | Alumni | Investor Relations | Campus Store | Privacy Policy | Employment | Contact Us | APUS Home