Strategic and Security Studies (B.A.)

If your goal is to become an Army officer, join a multinational corporation with a focus on geopolitical risk analysis, or gain employment in a national security-related career, this program is for you!

It will give you the knowledge, experience, and resume you need to stand out among your peers. It will provide you with a foundation for strategic thinking and problem-solving - competencies that are absolutely indispensable to solving highly complex security and strategic issues.

Upon graduation, you will be prepared for continued education at the graduate level, or for contributing to the common defense of the United States of America:

• Public service in the departments of Defense, State, or Homeland Security.
• Public service in the intelligence community, such as CIA, DIA, or NSA.
• Policy centers and think tanks such as Center for New American Strategy, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Hoover Institute, or the Institute for Defense Analysis.
• Private sector jobs in defense industries such as Northrup Grumman, Lockheed-Martin, or multinational corporations doing cyber-security or performing risk assessments.

We offer the following co-curricular opportunities to build your resume and make you highly competitive:

• International internships
• Study abroad
• Federal service scholarships
• International security-related conferences

To make sure you plan for a successful path to earn your degree, you may want to visit with Academic Advising. You will find many resources there to help guide you such as:

• A course planning guide 
• A campus advisor specifically for Strategic and Security Studies
• Campus Resources

Go to the Strategic and Security Studies Academic Advising Tools page and create an appointment in your first year.

Requirements

21 hours

Required:

• CSCI 3050 - Information Security 
• CSCI 3250 - Computer Security 
• CSCI 3350 - Computer Forensics 
• CSCI 4650 - Network Security 

Choose 9 hours from:

• CSCI 3XXX­-4XXX
• MATH 3540 - Introduction to Cryptography
• CRJU 4325 - Homeland Security

Requirements

21 hours

Required

• POLS 3721 or CRJU 3721 - Introduction to Intelligence 
• POLS 3722 or CRJU 3722 - Fundamentals of Intelligence Analysis
• POLS 3723 or CRJU 3723 - The Intelligence of Cycle and Collection
• POLS 3724 or CRJU 3724 - U.S. Intelligence Community

Select three:

• POLS 4220 - Spies and Statecraft
• POLS 4310 - Political Leadership
• POLS 4722 or CRJU 4722 - Intelligence and Counter Terrorism
• POLS 4723 or CRJU 4723 - Intelligence Support for Homeland Security
• POLS 4724 or CRJU 4724 - Special Topics in Intelligence Studies

Requirements

21 hours

Select one:

• HIST 3160 - War and Society in America
• HIST 3180 - The Civil War & Reconstruction

Select one:

• HIST 3280 - History of Western Warfare
• HIST 3890 - International Relations and Conflict
• HIST 3891 - Counter Insurgency

Select one:

• HIST 4232 - Studies in World War I
• HIST 4860 - Studies in World War II

Select one:

• HIST 3205 - Ancient Greece
• HIST 3210 - The Roman Republic
• HIST 4212 - Fall of Rome, Birth of Europe

Select one:

• HIST 3450 - The Crusades
• HIST 3650 - The Mongol Conquests

Select one:

• HIST 3850 - Modern Revolutionary Movements
• HIST 4161 - Studies in American Revolution
• HIST 4850 - Studies in Modern World Revolutions

Select one:

• HIST 4631 - Expansionism and Imperialism in East Asia
• HIST 4880 - Comparative Empires

Requirements

21 hours

Required:

• POLS 4201 - Comparative Government
• POLS 4320 - International Relations Theory
• POLS 32xx-42xx
• POLS 32xx-42xx
• POLS 32xx-42xx

Select one:

• POLS 3204 - International Organization
• POLS 3205 - International Law

Select one:

• POLS 4204 - International Political Economy
• POLS 4210 - Politics of Development

Requirements

• LANG 3001 
• LANG 3002 
• LANG 3XXX-­4XXX (15 hours)

Requirements

Choose 9 hours from:

• MILS 3200 – Foundations of Military Theory 
• POLS 3020 – Comparative Military Systems 
• PHIL 3210 Ethics of Leadership 
• HIST 4160 – Studies in Military History 

Choose 12 hours from:

• MILS 3XXX-­4XXX