Bachelor of Arts in Intelligence Studies

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The Bachelor of Arts in Intelligence Studies provides instruction in the multidisciplinary field of intelligence studies.  The program is designed for students who are currently employed or wish to pursue positions as military, civilian, or corporate intelligence specialists. The program's core courses impart substantive knowledge and analytic skills required by all professionals in the intelligence community.  Students may also pursue concentrated study in several functional areas or intelligence sub-fields.  Student learning is greatly enhanced by the diversity of program professors with strong professional and academic backgrounds in intelligence studies, many who currently work in the US National Intelligence Community.  

Degree Program Objectives
In addition to the institutional and general education level learning objectives, the Bachelor of Arts in Intelligence Studies also seeks the following specific learning outcomes of its graduates. With reference to each of the respective areas of intelligence studies, graduates in this degree program will be able to:

  • Describe the evolution, structures, functions, capabilities, and activities of the US national intelligence community
  • Detail the structures, functions, capabilities, and contributions of national intelligence consumers to include the national command authority, executive departments, Congress, military services, joint/unified commands, and law enforcement agencies
  • Specify the intelligence cycle, including intelligence planning, data collection, data exploitation, analysis, production, and dissemination phases
  • Differentiate among the fundamental capabilities and limitations and means of tasking human, geographic/imagery, signals, measurement and technical and open intelligence data sources
  • Detail the current permissions and restrictions on US national intelligence community activities as prescribed by federal law, executive and agency directives, and the intelligence oversight system
  • Conduct basic research and compose professional and academic analyses on issues critical to intelligence consumers
Degree Program Requirements
Required Course - 3 semester hours

General Education Requirements (34 semester hours)
English - 6 semester hours
Social Sciences - 6 semester hours
Science - 4 semester hours including the required 1 hour labs
Mathematics - 3 semester hours
History - 6 semester hours
Humanities - 3 semester hours
Literature - 3 semester hours
All literature courses require successful completion of ENGL101 - Proficiency in Writing
Political Science - 3 semester hours
Core Requirements (24 semester hours)

A student enrolled in Intelligence Studies must take eight (8) major courses. A student enrolled in the 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

Concentration in Criminal Intelligence

Objectives

  • Explain intelligence processes and procedures in the criminal justice community
  • Analyze the differences between crime, war, and terrorism
  • Evaluate the various techniques and methodologies utilized within the Criminal Justice community to understand the different aspects of violence and accomplish their goals

Concentration Requirements

Concentration in Intelligence Analysis

Objectives

  • Examine advanced intelligence analysis methods in composing professional and academic analyses on issues critical to intelligence community consumers
  • Evaluate and interpret information generated from a variety of different organizations and sources into a highly cogent and professional intelligence product
  • Employ a broad, subtle, and nuanced understanding of existing knowledge to find meaning behind what is not immediately apparent, to forecast events or consequences, and draw conclusions with a high degree of reliability and precision

Concentration Requirements

Concentration in Intelligence Collection

Objectives

  • Analyze advanced intelligence data collection methods in supporting analyses on issues critical to intelligence community consumers
  • Examine the full spectrum of the intelligence collection cycle, and articulate effectively intelligence needs in future collection planning
  • Assess the range of collection methods being used to fill intelligence gaps, as well as the potential impact of future collection systems and capabilities, and their ability to satisfy customers' intelligence requirements

Concentration Requirements

Concentration in Intelligence Operations

Objectives

  • Employ intelligence management skills required by planning and management positions in the intelligence community
  • Identify ways to facilitate cooperation with other individuals and organizations across the IC to advance projects and corporate goals
  • Examine the nature and challenges to military planning of combined operations and operations other than war; including peacekeeping operations, low intensity conflicts, and humanitarian relief operations

Concentration Requirements

Concentration in Terrorism Studies

Objectives

  • Appraise the causes of and threats from US domestic and international terrorism
  • Analyze the limits of information sharing under the guidelines of both the US PATRIOT Act, and the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act
  • Identify the leading terrorist organizations, understand their agendas, and develop the critical thinking skills and methodological techniques to defeat them

Concentration Requirements

Final Program Requirements (3 semester hours)
Electives (33 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


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