Requirements

Three intelligence courses are required.

All Certificate students must take the foundational course, POL 260:  Introduction to American Intelligence, usually in their sophomore year, no later than fall of junior year.

Students must then take two of the following:  

  • POL 435:  Cyber Intelligence and US Policy (spring)
  • POL 462:  Moral Foundations of Intelligence (spring)
  • POL 462A:  Comparative Foreign Intelligence Services (fall; requires POL 260)
  • POL 468 (SOC 468): US Counterintelligence: Operations and Controversies (fall)
  • POL 340:  Intelligence Analysis and Estimation (spring)
  • POL 471A: Leaders and Their Spies (spring)

In addition, the Certificate requires three electives, one of which must be from outside the Politics Department.  Students are encouraged to choose one or two electives from the list of intelligence courses above and may also select from the following intelligence-related courses.  The program director will modify this list as needed.   

  • POL 337A:  Cybersecurity (summer)
  • PSY 251:  Psychology of Terrorism (fall) 
  • SOC 320: Terrorism & Counterterrorism (spring)¹
  • LSC 324/524:  Actionable Intelligence – Information Analysis and Communication (fall)
  • LSC 327/527:  Introduction to Data Science (fall)
  • LSC 433/633:  Information Retrieval & Analysis Strategies (spring)
  • MGT 351:  Introduction to Business Intelligence
  • POL 412A: Homeland Security (fall)
  • POL 472:  National Security Processes (a fall course when offered)
  • XCSI 500S:  Cambridge Security Initiative – Intelligence & Security (summer abroad)

1The U. of Haifa summer course “Terrorism and Response” can fulfill this elective option.

Requirement for Non-Politics Majors

Additional Requirement for non-Politics majors.  Students who are not Politics majors must choose ONE of the following courses as an additional requirement for completing the Certificate (this may be completed as a distribution requirement or a general elective): POL 111 (Introduction to American Government); POL 112 (Introduction to Comparative Politics); POL 212 (Introduction to International Relations)

Finally, one may not pursue the Intelligence Studies Certificate and a minor in Politics.

All students interested in intelligence, whether enrolled in the Certificate in Intelligence Studies or not, are encouraged to participate in the activities of the Catholic University Intelligence Club, which hosts intelligence professionals as speakers and conducts field trips to intelligence agencies and museums.