18 credits total
Revised November 3, 2018

The interdisciplinary minor in Critical Intelligence Studies enables students to use a broad range of information to understand potential sources of risk and how to apply their understanding to enhance domestic and global security.  The minor consists of a basic element that provides students with essential knowledge related to the field of Intelligence Studies.  A second element emphasizes cybersecurity, policy analysis and implementation, language acquisition, or data control depending on the chosen track, each of which results in a greater understanding of different regions, cultures, and value systems that inform the effective collection and use of intelligence.   Course offerings in the first area present a mix of tools for intelligence gathering in a framework that offers a critical evaluation of the use and misuse of intelligence gathering and tensions between security and privacy.  Course offerings in the second area cover language expertise, cultural competencies, technical computer skills, and public policy formation. 

Learning Goals:

At the end of this program students will be able to:

  • explain the intelligence gathering process in various national and historical contexts;
  • write clearly, critically, and analytically about intelligence issues;
  • demonstrate intermediate- or higher-level language skills or cultural competency skills; and
  • make strong arguments that strike a defensible balance between security and privacy in the context of the American constitutional system.

The minor in Critical Intelligence Studies offers five tracks for completion.  Each of these has the same foundational courses: Introduction to Critical Intelligence Studies, Critical Thinking and Analytical Writing, and an experiential course focusing on an internship or an independent research program.  Beyond this, most of the tracks require the acquisition of cultural competency, while the technology track exposes the student to issues of artificial intelligence and data science.  

In order to declare a minor in Critical Intelligence Studies, students are required to have a minimum cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 and to have completed 01:790:292 with at least a C.  To fulfill the minor requirements, students must pass an additional five three-credit courses with a grade of C or higher.

Tracks

The tracks are as follows:

Cyber track

A. Three courses (9 credits) dealing with the theory and practice of Critical Intelligence Studies, including the following:

B: Cybersecurity (6 credits)

  • One course in foundational computer science
  • One course in computer security

C: Elective (3 credits)

  • One elective course (language or area studies, 3 credits) to promote awareness of the international context of intelligence work.

Policy track

A. Three courses (9 credits) dealing with the theory and practice of Critical Intelligence Studies, including the following:

B: Policy (6 credits)

  • Two upper level courses in American public policy pertaining to general policy making or national security including 01:790:325 National Security Policy

C: Elective (3 credits)

  • One elective course (language or area studies, 3 credits) to promote awareness of the international context of intelligence work.

Language track

A. Three courses (9 credits) dealing the theory and practice of Critical Intelligence Studies, including the following:

B: Language (6 credits)

  • Two language courses in the same language that would count for a major in that language.  AP credit can be applied to one of these courses but not both.

C: Policy (3 credits)

Engineering track

A. Three courses (9 credits) dealing the theory and practice of Critical Intelligence Studies, including the following:

B: Security (6 credits)

C: Elective (3 credits)

  • One elective course (language or area studies, 3 credits) to promote awareness of the international context of intelligence work.

Technology track

A. Three courses (9 credits) dealing with the theory and practice of Critical Intelligence Studies, including the following:

B: Critical Technology Studies (9 credits)

  • One course in artificial intelligence
  • One course in data science
  • One course in design and analysis of computer algorithms

Additional information

This program is administered jointly by the Department of Political Science and the Center for Critical Intelligence Studies.

Inquiries should be directed to Ava Majlesi, Associate Director of the Center for Critical Intelligence Studies, who also serves as an advisor for the minor.