Global Security Leadership, M.A.

Focus on national security strategy and major geopolitical regions including Russia, China, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Study intelligence theory, the intelligence cycle, counterintelligence, law enforcement intelligence, and emerging technologies in intelligence work.

Examine war and conflict, terrorism, environmental and economic security, and the strategic impact of new technologies.

Explore cyber threats, cybersecurity strategy, legal frameworks, and the role of cyber capabilities in national defense.

Students taking a full course load can finish in as little as one year.

The program is delivered fully online in accelerated 8-week course blocks, which allows students to balance graduate study with full-time employment, deployment, or family obligations.

An approved internship is strongly encouraged for graduate students pursuing IC careers.

As a legacy IC CAE institution, CISS students are recognized as IC CAE Scholars when applying for Intelligence Community student opportunities — a status that often confers hiring preference.

Plan ahead. Most IC summer internships require applications 9–12 months in advance. 

Since 2008, CISS students have interned at agencies including:

• Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
• Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)
• National Security Agency (NSA)
• National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)
• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
• Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI)
• U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR)
• Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and component agencies
• U.S. Senate and House committees with national-security jurisdiction

Yes. All coursework is delivered online, with no required campus residencies. This makes the program accessible to active-duty military, federal employees stationed away from Oxford, and working professionals nationwide.

MAGSL is designed for:

• Active-duty military, reservists, and veterans transitioning into civilian security roles.
• Federal civilian employees (DoD, DHS, IC) seeking leadership-track promotion.
• Local and state law-enforcement professionals working intelligence-led policing or fusion center roles.
• Recent graduates of CISS minors (ISS or GSS) ready to deepen their credentials.
• Private-sector analysts in risk, cybersecurity, or competitive intelligence

Applicants apply through the University Graduate School and must submit:

• A bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution
• Official transcripts from every institution attended
• A statement of purpose describing your professional goals
• Two or three letters of recommendation
• A current resume or CV
• The application fee is waived.

MAGSL has rolling admission with new cohorts multiple times per year:

• Fall,
• Spring, and
• Summer.

Apply at least 6–8 weeks before your intended start to allow for transcript review and admission processing.

You can find the handbook here.

MAGSL Graduate Handbook

Required Core

ISS 6010: The National Security Structure and Process

This core course introduces students to the essential elements of the U.S. national security framework, including its structure, key stakeholders, and the process of crafting national security strategy. It provides an in-depth overview of the U.S. national security system, emphasizing strategic planning, decision-making, and interagency collaboration. Students will examine national security policy through the lens of interests, tools, and processes, while also reviewing the diplomatic, military, informational, and intelligence capabilities employed to achieve these objectives within domestic and international contexts.

ISS 6090: Creative Organizational Leadership

This core course is designed to cultivate leadership skills, focusing on innovation, adaptability, and change management within the dynamic, high-stakes field of national security. It explores key aspects of strategic leadership, including organizational dynamics, ethical decision-making, team-building, and effective communication. Students will learn to develop strategic visions, formulate actionable strategies, and execute plans to drive organizational success in the context of intelligence and national security policymaking.

Concentration 1: Global and Regional Security

ISS 6100: National Security Strategy

This course explores the theory and practice of grand strategy, the comprehensive alignment of national power to achieve long-term objectives in complex and competitive environments. Focusing on the United States, students will examine both historical and contemporary approaches to strategy, including how leaders have defined interests, assessed threats, and employed diplomatic, military, economic, and informational tools of power. The course equips students with the tools to critically evaluate the role strategy plays in shaping the global security environment.

ISS 6110: Russia and Global Security

This course provides an overview of Russia’s evolving role in international security and its impact on global and regional stability. Students will explore the historical legacies, strategic culture, and policy choices that shape Russia’s behavior in the contemporary world. The course covers critical topics such as the modernization of Russia’s military, its nuclear deterrence strategy, and the employment of hybrid tactics, including cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns. The course equips students with the tools to critically assess the dynamics and implications of U.S.-Russian relations in the contemporary world.

ISS 6120: European Security

This course examines the complex and evolving security landscape of Europe in the 21st century. The course explores the interplay between NATO, the European Union, and national defense policies as the continent adjusts to evolving geopolitical realities. Students will analyze traditional and emerging security threats such as hybrid warfare, energy insecurity, migration flows, and political fragmentation with an emphasis on transatlantic relations. The course equips students with the tools to critically assess the dynamics and implications of U.S.-European relations in the contemporary world.

ISS 6130: Middle Eastern & African Security

This course examines the complex security challenges shaping the Middle East and Africa, two of the world’s most turbulent regions. The course explores the intersection of political, social, and economic dynamics that drive state fragility, terrorism, insurgency, and proxy conflicts, while also analyzing the influence of great power competition and regional rivalries. The course equips students with the tools to critically assess the obstacles and opportunities for peace-building, governance reform, and regional cooperation in the Middle East and Africa.

ISS 6140: China and Global Security

This course explores China’s ascent as a global power, with a focus on its military advancements, regional strategies in the Indo-Pacific, and global ambitions. Students will examine the strategic rivalry between the U.S. and China, analyzing key areas of competition, including trade, security, technology, and global influence. The course equips students with the tools to critically assess the dynamics and implications of U.S.-China relations in the contemporary world.

Concentration 2: Intelligence Operations

ISS 6300: Intelligence and Global Security

This course examines the fundamental and evolving role of intelligence in shaping national and international security. Particular emphasis is placed on the impact of leadership, institutional culture, and interagency dynamics on intelligence performance. The course also examines the complex relationship between intelligence and democratic governance, exploring issues of oversight, secrecy, and accountability. Students will develop the skills to critically assess intelligence successes, failures, and future challenges in an era of rapid technological and geopolitical change.

ISS 6310: Intelligence in the 21st Century

This course examines the application of intelligence in response to emerging 21st century global challenges, including non-state actors, terrorism, cyber warfare, and intensifying great power competition. Students will explore how these forces reshape the priorities, strategies, and operations of the intelligence community. Students will develop analytical tools to evaluate current intelligence practices, anticipate emerging trends, and assess their implications for national and global security.

ISS 6320: Technology and Intelligence

This course explores the transformative effects of emerging technologies—such as artificial intelligence, big data analytics, and advanced surveillance systems—on intelligence collection, analysis, and operations. Students will examine innovative tools and methods used in data gathering, threat evaluation, and strategic planning, while critically assessing how innovation enhances intelligence capabilities and raises ethical challenges. The course equips students with skills to evaluate how technology is integrated into intelligence operations, preparing them to shape the future of intelligence in a rapidly changing global environment.

ISS 6330: Law Enforcement Intelligence

This course examines the role of intelligence in law enforcement and public safety, with emphasis on its evolution, purpose, and legal foundations. Students explore the challenges of interagency collaboration within the U.S. federal system, assess organizational and technological factors shaping intelligence practices, and analyze ethical considerations in collection and dissemination. The course equips students with skills to develop informed, policy-oriented solutions that balance security needs with civil liberties and community trust.

ISS 6340: Counterintelligence

This course examines the strategies, methods, and challenges involved in counterintelligence—protecting national security against espionage, insider threats, and foreign intelligence operations. Students study historical and contemporary cases to understand how counterintelligence has evolved and explore techniques for detecting vulnerabilities, neutralizing threats, and safeguarding sensitive information. Students will develop analytical tools to evaluate current counterintelligence practices, anticipate emerging threats, and assess their implications for organizational and national security.

Concentration 3: Strategy Development

ISS 6500: War, Conflict, and Global Security

This course examines the causes, conduct, and consequences of armed conflict in the contemporary international system, with a focus on how states and non-state actors employ military force to achieve strategic objectives. Students will analyze the relationship between war and political outcomes, the evolution of modern warfare, and key theoretical frameworks for understanding conflict. The course equips students with the tools to critically assess the dynamics and implications of armed conflict for global and regional security.

ISS 6510: Emerging Technology and the Future of War

This course examines how emerging technologies—including artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, hypersonic weapons, and directed-energy weapons—are reshaping the character and conduct of armed conflict. Students will analyze how these innovations alter military doctrine, force structure, and the balance of power, while exploring the ethical and legal challenges they present. The course equips students to critically assess the strategic implications of technological change for the future of warfare and national security policy.

ISS 6520: Terrorism, Insurgency, and Global Security

This course examines the origins, dynamics, and strategic implications of terrorism and insurgency in the contemporary world. Students will explore the ideological, political, and socioeconomic factors that drive political violence, as well as the strategies and tactics employed by non-state armed groups. The course also analyzes state and international responses to terrorism and insurgency, including counterterrorism policy, counterinsurgency doctrine, and multilateral cooperation. The course equips students with tools to critically assess the threats posed by terrorism and insurgency to global security.

ISS 6530: Economic, Environmental, & Health Security

This course examines non-traditional threats to national and global security, including economic instability, environmental degradation, and global health crises. Students will explore how these challenges intersect with traditional security concerns and analyze how governments and international organizations develop policies to address them. The course equips students with the tools to critically assess the security implications of economic vulnerability, climate change, resource competition, and pandemic threats.

ISS 6540: Climate Security

This course examines the national and international security implications of climate change, including its role as a threat multiplier that intensifies existing vulnerabilities such as resource scarcity, state fragility, and forced migration. Students will analyze how governments, militaries, and international organizations are integrating climate considerations into security policy and strategic planning. The course equips students with the tools to critically assess the relationship between environmental change and conflict, and to develop policy responses that address climate-related security risks.

Concentration 4: Cyber Security Policy and Planning

ISS 6700: Overview of Cyber Policy

This course explores the evolving field of national cyber policy and its role in shaping security, governance, and international relations in the digital age. Students will examine how governments develop strategies to address cyber threats, protect critical infrastructure, and balance competing priorities such as privacy, economic growth, and national defense. The course covers foundations of cyber policy, U.S. and international approaches to cybersecurity, the role of public–private partnerships, legal and ethical considerations, and emerging cyber challenges. Students will develop analytical tools to evaluate current cyber policy, anticipate emerging cyber threats, and assess their implications for organizational and national security.

ISS 6710: Cyber Threats and Trends

This course examines the evolving landscape of cyber threats and the key actors shaping today’s digital security environment. Students will explore current and emerging cyber risks while analyzing the tactics, techniques, and motivations of various malicious cyber actors. Through case studies and threat intelligence frameworks, participants will gain insights into the global cyber threat ecosystem, identify major trends driving future risks, and develop a deeper understanding of how technological innovation and geopolitical dynamics influence the cyber domain. Students will develop analytical tools to evaluate threats to the digital security environment and assess their implications for organizational and national security.

ISS 6720: Developing a Cyber Strategy

This course examines the principles, frameworks, and practices involved in designing national-level cyber defense strategies and risk mitigation plans. Students will explore how nations develop and implement cybersecurity policies to protect critical infrastructure, safeguard national interests, and counter evolving cyber threats from state and non-state actors. The course integrates concepts from international relations, cybersecurity governance, intelligence analysis, and risk management to provide a multidisciplinary approach to strategic cyber defense. Students will develop the skills to create effective organizational cyber defense strategies and risk mitigation plans, equipping them to address the dynamic and evolving challenges of the cyber domain.

ISS 6730: Cyber and the Military Element of Power

This course examines the role of cyberspace operations within the military element of national power, focusing on how cyber capabilities shape modern conflict, deterrence, and defense strategy. Students will explore the integration of cyber tools into joint military operations, the challenges of defending critical infrastructure, and the strategic implications of offensive and defensive cyber operations. Students will develop analytical tools to evaluate how militaries leverage cyberspace as a domain of warfare alongside land, sea, air, and space.

ISS 6740: Cyber Law and National Security

This course explores the complex interplay of law, ethics, and national security within the rapidly evolving cyber domain. Students will explore the legal frameworks, policies, and ethical dilemmas that shape how states and organizations conduct cyber operations, employ surveillance technologies, and defend national interests in cyberspace. Students will develop analytical tools to evaluate how governments legally and ethically balance security imperatives with democratic values, human rights, and international norms.

Culminating Experience

ISS 6900: Capstone Policy Proposal

The Global Security Leadership Capstone serves as the culminating experience for the degree program, challenging students to integrate learning across the program. In this course, students will research, analyze, and evaluate a real-world security problem, policy, or program—developing a comprehensive policy proposal to address the topic. Students will identify a targeted issue to investigate, gather and evaluate research evidence, develop a project proposal, and complete a capstone paper.