Minor in Critical Intelligence Studies

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 two basic elements, one designed to provide students with essential knowledge related to the field of intelligence studies and the other designed to enhance their understanding of different regions, cultures, and value systems that inform the effective 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 and cultural competencies. 

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-level language skills or cultural competence skills; and
  
• make strong arguments that strike a defensible balance between security and privacy in the context of the American constitutional system. 

In order to declare a minor in critical intelligence studies, students are required to have a minimum cumulative grade-point average 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 3-credit courses with a grade of C or better distributed as follows:

A. Three courses dealing with the theory and practice of critical intelligence studies, including the following:

01:790:292  Introduction to Critical Intelligence Studies

01:790:483  Seminar: Critical Thinking and Analytic Writing for the Intelligence Community

01:790:484  Intelligence Studies Internship, OR

01:790:485  Research in Intelligence Studies

B.  Two courses to enhance understanding of cybersecurity issues:

One course from the following:

01:198:111  Introduction to Computer Science

01:198:170  Computer Applications for Business

14:440:127  Introduction to Computers for Engineers

04:547:201  Introduction to Computer Concepts  

AND 

One course from the following: 

01:198:419  Computer Security

04:547:432  Information Security

C. One elective course to promote awareness of the international context of intelligence work:

There is a broad choice of courses that may be used to fulfill this requirement.

Departments and faculty offering courses they believe are well suited to this requirement may request that their course be reviewed for addition to these lists by contacting the undergraduate chair in the Department of Political Science who is serving as the academic adviser for this minor.

Students may request approval to substitute a course not on this list by contacting the undergraduate chair in the Department of Political Science who is serving as the academic adviser for this minor before registering for the course. 

Please include the course information, as well as a copy of the course description and syllabus.

The elective requirement can be fulfilled in ONE of the following ways:

--one foreign language course at the intermediate or higher level

OR  

one 3-credit area studies course at the 300 or 400 level offered by or approved  for the following programs: European Studies (01:360); Latin American Studies (01:590); Middle Eastern Studies (01:685); South Asian Studies (01:925). Students may use departmental courses (e.g., history or political science) that are cross-listed as area studies courses to fulfill this requirement. Students should consult with the program adviser to determine which courses can fulfill this requirement. 

   OR

one 3-credit course from the following departments with a comprehensive global orientation: African, Middle Eastern, and South Asian Languages and Literature (01:013); Asian Languages and Cultures (only courses in Asian Studies track [01:098]); History (01:508 or 01:510); Political Science (01:790).

This program is administered jointly by the Department of Political Science and the Institute of Emergency Preparedness and Homeland Security. Inquiries should be directed to Ava Majlesi, Associate Director of the Institute for Emergency Preparedness and Homeland Security and the Rutgers IC CAE Program, who also serves as an adviser for the critical intelligence studies minor.