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Information for Prospective CISS Students

Prepare for careers in intelligence, security, policy, and public service.CISS equips students with the analytical and leadership tools demanded by today’s security environment.

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CISS Academic Programs

The Intelligence and Security Studies (ISS) minor prepares students for entry-level roles in the U.S. Intelligence Community and the broader national security sector. Through a selective admissions process each fall and spring, students who complete ISS 125 can join a focused cohort dedicated to professional growth. The program emphasizes practical skills such as writing and briefing for policymakers and working effectively in fast-paced, collaborative teams.

The Global Security Studies (GSS) minor equips students for entry-level careers in national security and defense by building a strong foundation in global threats and the interagency process. Students study how the National Security Council and departments such as Defense, State, and Homeland Security coordinate to address issues like nuclear proliferation and cybersecurity. Open to students who complete ISS 135, the GSS minor is offered both in person and online.

Launching soon Master of Arts in Global Security Leadership (MAGSL)

Scroll down for more information on both of our minors.

Don't Wait to Start Your Intelligence and Security Education

CISS integrates academic rigor with real-world application to tackle contemporary security challenges through interdisciplinary coursework, research, and practitioner-informed instruction.

UG

Intelligence and Security Studies, Minor

The Intelligence and Security Studies (ISS) minor is an 18-credit minor designed to prepare students for entry-level employment in the Intelligence Community (IC) and related careers.

  • Oxford

UG

Global Security Studies, Minor

A minor in global security studies (GSS) familiarizes students with the skills and background necessary for entry-level employment in the national security sector.

  • Oxford
  • Online

Apply to the ISS Minor

CISS uses a highly selective admission process to admit a small number of outstanding students into the Intelligence and Security Studies (ISS) minor each semester. No application is required for admittance into the Global Security Studies (GSS) minor.

To apply, students must have taken or currently be enrolled in ISS 125 and pass the course with at least a B average as well as have at least a 3.0 overall GPA. Applications are available Fall and Spring semesters. Once accepted to the minor, students must maintain at least a 3.0 GPA to remain in the cohort. Our students major in different programs, including critical languages (e.g., Arabic, Chinese), computer and physical science, international studies, accounting, and business. We encourage outstanding students from any academic discipline to apply.

 

  • Fall semester application window is from mid-September to mid-October.
  • Spring semester application window is from mid-February to mid-March.

 

For more information contact Susan Kelly, CISS Program Manager.

 

ISS Application

Student Opportunities

CISS provides students with a wide range of academic, professional, and experiential opportunities designed to prepare them for careers in intelligence, security, and global affairs.

Students engage in applied learning opportunities that emphasize real-world problem solving, including:

  • Scenario-based intelligence and security simulations

  • Case studies focused on contemporary national and global security challenges

  • Policy analysis and strategic briefings

 

Days of Intrigue is an annual weekend-long, immersive national security crisis simulation exercise.

  • Simulation Exercise: Students act as intelligence analysts and are assigned to teams representing different U.S. intelligence agencies, such as the CIA, DIA, FBI, NSA, and the State Department. They work together to analyze information, create assessments, and present briefings to simulated policy makers, including senior government officials who often participate.

CISS encourages student participation in faculty-led and independent research projects. Opportunities include:

  • Assisting faculty research on intelligence, terrorism, and global security

  • Developing capstone or thesis projects aligned with career interests

  • Presenting research at academic conferences or university-sponsored events

 

Student-led Center for Open Source Analysis (COSA)

CISS Students Publish Intelligence on Montenegro Debt Traps

CISS Students Win National Award for Open-Source Intelligence

Students gain career-focused skills and preparation through:

  • Writing and briefing emphasis 

  • Analytical methods and critical thinking development

  • Resume, interview, and federal hiring process guidance

 

CISS supports students pursuing internships and applied experiences with:

  • Federal, state, and local government agencies

  • Defense and intelligence-related organizations

  • Law enforcement and homeland security entities

  • Private-sector security and risk analysis firms

Students regularly interact with professionals through:

  • Guest lectures from intelligence, defense, and policy practitioners

  • Panels and speaker series addressing current security issues

  • Networking opportunities with alumni and professionals in the field

 

Notable guest speaking and networking events: City of Spies Meets City of Oxford, Days of Intrigue and the Director of National Intelligence 

Frequently Asked Questions

Have questions about the Intelligence and Security Studies program? Our FAQ covers everything from admissions and requirements to internships and the role of the U.S. Intelligence Community.

The application period is open for a two-week period toward the end of each semester. All applicants must have taken, or be enrolled in, ISS-125. Please check back for the dates of the next application period.

The ISS minor has several requirements that you must meet in order to apply. You must either be enrolled in ISS 125 or have completed the class previously with a grade of “B”. In addition, students must have at least an overall GPA of 3.0 or better to be considered for the program.

Applicants also must be American citizens, given the program’s emphasis on placing students into sensitive internships and jobs that require a Secret or Top Secret security clearance. The CISS currently is able to admit approximately 25 students each semester.

Yes! You may apply for the ISS minor as a junior.

Immediately! It is never too soon to start searching for an internship. This is especially true if you plan to complete an internship with a federal agency. Most summer internships with IC agencies require applications to be turned in at least 9 months prior to the desired start date. For example, the deadline for summer internships with the DIA normally falls on October 15.

The U.S. Intelligence Community is a federation of executive branch agencies and organizations that work separately and together to conduct intelligence activities necessary for the conduct of foreign relations and the protection of the national security of the United States. The IC remains focused on the missions of cyber intelligence, counterterrorism, counterproliferation, counterintelligence, and on the threats posed by state and non-state actors challenging U.S. national security and interests worldwide.

The Center for Intelligence and Security Studies is located at 620 All American Drive, in the Former Athletics Building (next to the Turner Center).

Campus Map

Susan Kelly

Need help?

If you have questions about CISS, the minor programs, or the application process, please don't hesitate to reach out for assistance.

Susan Kelly

Program Manager

CISS Courses

Our courses are designed to give you both the big picture of national security and the hands-on skills used in the intelligence field. You’ll start with core classes that build a strong foundation, then move into advanced training, real-world simulations, and a capstone experience to put it all together.

ISS-125 introduces students to the history, structure, and current focus areas of the IC; the strengths and weaknesses of the various collection disciplines; the challenges associated with covert action; the tradecraft practiced by all-source analysts; and issues related to Congressional oversight and reform of the IC.

ISS-135 provides a broad overview of national security institutions, institutional players, decision-making processes, policies, ethics, and laws. It examines the U.S. National Security Strategy as well as perennial and emerging threats to global security

ISS-301 surveys the key issues and ideas associated with U.S. national security policy from the Cold War to the present. The course is designed to enhance students’ capacity to evaluate competing theories and arguments surrounding debates about U.S. national security policy.

ISS-351 introduces analytic methods and techniques used for effectively informing decision-making. Students will apply analytic concepts to a real-world national security topic, examine cognitive biases that impede good analysis, and develop an intelligence product that addresses the needs of policymakers. Students will gain practical skills in writing and briefing national security policymakers.

ISS-352 introduces students to additional SATs used in the IC and examines historical case studies of both intelligence failures and successes. The course also introduces research methodologies used outside of the IC and provides additional opportunities for students to hone their analytic tradecraft in written and oral products on subjects of their choosing.

ISS-360 provides an overview of cybersecurity with a focus on its relationship to broad national and global security issues. The course examines cybersecurity institutions, strategies, policies, and laws. The course also explores the concepts of cyber espionage, cyberattack, and cyberwarfare.

ISS-398 provides 3 credit hours for students in an approved study abroad program centered on the study of intelligence and security studies.

ISS-399 provides 3 credit hours for students working towards a research project of extensive reading or engagement in field research under the direction of a full-time intelligence and security studies faculty member.

ISS-420 introduces students to special topics related to intelligence or national security.

ISS-480 examines contemporary global security topics and issues challenging national security policymakers such as great power competition, regional security threats, transnational threats, and climate change.

ISS-490 provides 3 credit hours for students completing an approved intelligence or national security-related internship. Students admitted into the ISS minor must complete an internship that involves intelligence/national security issues and that provides opportunities to practice the critical thinking and analytic skills that are the core of the ISS curriculum. CISS faculty will work with students to identify internship opportunities that are appropriate for their academic circumstances. Students are encouraged to consider internships at IC agencies, as these frequently lead to full-time employment after graduation. A limited number of scholarships and stipends may be available for internships at select IC agencies. ISS-490 is an elective option for students in the GSS minor.

ISS-499 is the capstone course to the ISS minor. The capstone project gives students in the ISS minor an opportunity to develop collaborative analytic skills by requiring them to work as members of an “intelligence team” that is tasked with producing an original analysis of a pressing national security challenge. Analysis in the IC increasingly is a collaborative endeavor between units within and across agencies, requiring analysts to overcome bureaucratic hurdles, maximize diverse organizational resources, and function as a team.