BA in Security and Intelligence Studies
King University’s Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Security and Intelligence Studies degree offers a comprehensive education in topics including terrorism and counterterrorism, ethics, national security, and geopolitics. With a robust curriculum and expert faculty, the Security and Intelligence major examines the most pressing issues facing the US in the complex 21-century global security environment.
By completing the Security & Intelligence Studies bachelor’s degree, students gain substantive knowledge and critical thinking skills they need to succeed in relevant graduate studies or in positions with local, state, or federal government agencies.
Why Choose the Security & Intelligence Studies Major?
Study Security Challenges Facing the United States
Political instability, cycles of violence in the Middle East, terrorism, an antagonistic Russia, nuclear proliferation, and civil war are familiar to all of us. These concerns are pressing and unlikely to abate in the near term and will only be exacerbated by issues such as climate change and economic instability, which may pose challenges in their own right.
Employers are looking for college graduates who possess excellent written and oral communication skills and can demonstrate an understanding of contemporary security threats and challenges as well as US policy in regard to these issues.
Prepare for Relevant Careers
King University’s Bachelor of Arts in Security & Intelligence Studies degree integrates the principles and concepts of intelligence with real-world events to prepare students for professional careers in local, state, or national government agencies.
The Security and Intelligence Studies program also offers internship opportunities in the Tennessee area, Washington, DC, and across the country to help students refine their skills on the job and be ready to join the workforce upon graduation.
Research Opportunities
Security & Intelligence Studies majors are encouraged to conduct independent research with guidance from faculty members and may present their research at academic conferences. The final project also gives students the opportunity to showcase their knowledge and critical thinking skills, laying a solid foundation for graduate studies and career development.
Bachelor’s in Security and Intelligence Studies Program Curriculum
King University’s Bachelor of Arts in Security & Intelligence Studies program employs a 124-credit curriculum that holistically examines topics ranging from Intelligence Analysis, Cold War History and Politics, and Chinese History and Politics to American Foreign Policy and International Terrorism.
The program curriculum consists of 42 credits of core courses, 48 credits of Security & Intelligence Studies major requirements, and 34 credits of electives. At the end of the program, students are required to complete a Comprehensive Examination in which they develop relevant research on subjects such as States intelligence community, non-state militant groups, high-value countries, and intelligence history.
Security and Intelligence Studies Courses
This course serves as an introduction to the institutional
structure and evolving mission of the United States Intelligence Community and examines the complex political interface between intelligence policy and democratic citizenship in contemporary America – 4 s.h
Since the end of the Cold War, direct threats to America’s security have not come from Soviet-style conventional armies, but rather from underground transnational groups,
such as computer hackers, nuclear weapons smugglers, or militant Islamists. This course serves as an introduction to the constantly changing landscape of contemporary unconventional security threats, and examines the complex geopolitical identities of America’s non-state adversaries – 4 s.h
This introductory that trains students in the methodologies of analyzing intelligence for the purpose of informing policy decisions. Course participants are instructed to use techniques of crafting factual analyses, reducing ambiguity, avoiding cognitive traps and employing incremental analysis.
Students are evaluated in accordance to their dedication to the scientific method, objectivity, and display of intellectual precision – 4 s.h.
State-sanctioned covert actions are secret operations
that may become known to an adversary, or to the world at large, but the responsible parties cannot always be traced or conclusively proven. This midlevel course examines selected case studies of covert actions and assesses their strategic and political impact, as well as their value as a policy option for government – 4 s.h. Prerequisite: PSCI 2310 or 2330
This upper-level course requires participants to use the
technical knowledge they acquired in Introduction to
Intelligence Analysis in order to perfect their analytical tradecraft. Emphasis is given to analytical forecasting and analytical reasoning, exercised through group work and peer review – 4 s.h. Prerequisite: PSCI 2350
An introductory course that outlines the strategies, tactics and techniques that government agencies adopt in response to unconventional security threats in the post-9/11 period. Particular attention is given to tactical partnerships between
intelligence and security agencies, and multinational organizations, non-state actors, as well as the private sector, in order to advance counterterrorist objectives – 4 s.h.
This multidisciplinary course explores the normative aspects that inform both clandestine operations and intelligence
collection. Students are prompted to examine a variety of real-life case studies that illustrate the theoretical, empirical, or historical aspects of intelligence ethics. Known intelligence controversies serve as the basis for a series of broader discussions on the beliefs and values that inform American
national security – 4 s.h.
This course is designed to familiarize the student with American Foreign Policy (AFP), with an emphasis on contemporary issues. The primary goal is to equip students with the conceptual and analytical tools to understand and interrupt connections between contemporary U.S. foreign policies and international relations theory. The course examines the role of power and specific foreign policy issues in the international system. We begin with an overview
international relations theory that underlies U.S. foreign policy, move on to investigate the influence of domestic politics, and ultimately students will utilize the knowledge gained to critically analyze a major foreign policy area – 4 s.h.
Advanced readings and research for Juniors and Seniors majoring in Security and Intelligence Studies – 2-4 s.h.
An upper-level course that analyzes the worldwide interplay between geographical settings, security perspectives, and political processes. The focus is on the manner in which these varied parameters influence the international behavior of state actors, and their significance for American national security. Case studies examined in the course change to reflect current events – 4 s.h. Prerequisite: PSCI 2330 or HIST 2710, or PSCI 3310 or HIST 3710
This course focuses on pressing security issues facing the United States. Multiple challenges will be addressed, with attention given to the history, context, and implications of these issues. Particular attention will be devoted to the relationships and strategies required to address these challenges, as well as what success and failure might look like. The role of the intelligence community will be specifically discussed – 4 s.h.
Undergraduate level. All candidates for a degree from King are required to demonstrate competency in their major field. Students with more than one major must demonstrate competency in each of their major fields. For a B.A. in Security and Intelligence Studies, degree candidates will be required to submit the conclusions of a research project in their area of specialization in the form of a publishable academic paper to an appropriate journal, or present the topic of their research to a panel of experts – 0 s.h.
Security and Intelligence Studies Career Outlook
The Security and Intelligence Studies degree at King University can prepare students for exciting careers in government, including but not limited to military, diplomacy, or intelligence. The US intelligence community consists of 17 agencies such as the FBI, CIA, and NSA, all of which are seeking qualified individuals.
The Bachelor of Arts in Security and Intelligence Studies degree is also beneficial to those who are interested in a career in law, especially international or national security law.
Potential careers for Security and Intelligence Studies graduates include:
- Security Analyst
- Criminal Investigator
- Intelligence Officer
- Special Agent
- Military Analyst
- Foreign Language Analysis
- Access Analyst
Security & Intelligence Studies Minor
The Security & Intelligence Studies minor can complement degrees in Political Science, History, and Business—particularly in the areas of Accounting, Finance, Economics, Management, or Administration. Business graduates who can document awareness of security issues and international affairs will stand out when applying for positions in management, investing, consulting, and financial intelligence.
The Security & Intelligence Studies minor also enhances majors in the physical and social sciences such as Neuroscience, Forensic Science, Physics, Mathematics, and Psychology, particularly if students intend to work in classified or unclassified government-funded research.
Security & Intelligence Studies Degree Admission Requirements
Want to earn a bachelor’s degree in Security & Intelligence Studies? Submit the application to King University with the following materials:
- Official high school transcript or official Home School transcript, or official results from the General Equivalency Diploma
- SAT or ACT scores (optional)
Review King University’s undergraduate admission requirements.
Laptop Requirement
The Security and Intelligence Studies program requires a laptop with Microsoft Office 2010 or later, and wireless and webcam capability.
Apply to the Bachelor of Arts in Security & Intelligence Studies Degree
Apply to King University’s Bachelor of Arts in Security & Intelligence Studies Degree program to study the emerging national and global security issues. Pursue meaningful careers in intelligence analysis, collection, law enforcement, and other relevant jobs in government agencies.
Want more information about the Security & Intelligence Studies degree? Contact our faculty!