National Security and Intelligence Analysis

The Bachelor of Arts in national security and intelligence analysis (NSIA) degree from the University of Mount Union is an interdisciplinary program that is geared towards preparing you for a career in the national security and foreign intelligence fields. Our national security major is geared toward helping you develop the critical skills that will prepare you to identify, analyze, and deal with current and emerging threats facing the United States.

To prepare you to work in the field of national security, Mount Union’s NSIA major pulls from a variety of disciplines. In this program, you will take courses ranging from foreign policy, intelligence analysis and terrorism to cyberwar, economic warfare and market/business intelligence, among others. In addition to focusing on two critical world regions, you will also be required to minor in a foreign language and complete a national security-related internship.

National Security and Intelligence Analysis Quick Facts

The NSIA degree requires a total of 52 credit hours, along with the 32 credit hours required to fulfill the Integrative Core. Mount Union’s national security and foreign intelligence analysis major requirements are designed to be interdisciplinary. The program offers an applied approach to the study of national security while also providing a broad education in intelligence analysis, U.S. foreign policy, cyber security, world languages and global politics. The degree also emphasizes practical experiences as well as opportunities for hands-on learning to prepare you for a rewarding career, including:

Attending both local and national conferences and seminars in the fields of foreign intelligence and national security
Opportunities to participate in travel seminars with faculty and students and study abroad, which allows students to meet with international investors and business executives from around the world
Internships with local or regional organizations such as the Cleveland Council on Foreign Affairs and with government organizations in Washington, DC

Department Page

Curriculum

In order to prepare you to work in this field, the University of Mount Union’s National Security and Intelligence major program pulls from a variety of disciplines. You will begin your education with foundations courses in government, politics and economics. Through this program, you will study topics ranging from foreign policy to national security to intelligence gathering. In addition, you will be required to complete a minor in one of the following areas: foreign language or computer and network security, as well as participate in a foreign policy internship. Through this program, you will also develop writing, leadership and organizational skills, which are essential for the field.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Upon completion of the national security and foreign intelligence analysis degree program, students will be able to...

describe the intelligence gathering, analysis and dissemination processes
list the main agencies and their role in the national security/foreign policy structures of the United States
identify current and prospective threats to U.S. national security from a regional, global and domestic perspective
identify the linkages between foreign intelligence analysis and policy-making
write clear and concise intelligence and security analysis reports

Experiential Learning

Over the past three years, several NSIA students have participated in the annual “Dynamic World Cities” travel seminars. Not NSIA-specific, but rather open to the full student body, these trips offer an extracurricular opportunity to meet and interact with high-level business/industry leaders, investors and government officials as well as receive briefings/tours of government agencies and cutting-edge research institutes. Launched in Spring 2015, these trips have taken students to Singapore (2015), Hong Kong (2016) and Dubai/Abu Dhabi (2017).

From an NSIA perspective, however, students had the opportunity in previous trips to glean insights into the transferability of intelligence analysis skills to the business world. Students have had the chance to interact with a former Australian Office of National Assessments officer currently leading the Singapore operations of an Asia-focused consulting firm, as well as former intelligence analysts currently serving as the Head of Asia-Pacific Geopolitical Risk for the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC).

Careers

Since the events of September 11, 2001, the national security and intelligence industry has engaged in an aggressive capacity build-up, translating in a rising demand in both the public and private sectors for qualified individuals. Intelligence and national security analysts are employed by local, state and federal agencies as well as private corporations, helping to secure our homeland, its people and infrastructure. The National Security and Intelligence Analysis major offers an applied approach to the study of national security while providing a broad education in intelligence analysis, U.S. foreign policy, cyber security, foreign languages and global politics. The program emphasizes practical experiences with specially focused internships as well as opportunities for hands-on experiences to prepare you for a rewarding career.

RECENT EMPLOYERS

Military Intelligence

Central Intelligence Agency

Defense Intelligence Agency

Department of Energy

Department of Homeland Security

Department of State

Department of the Treasury

Drug Enforcement Agency

Federal Bureau of Investigation

National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

National Reconnaissance Office

National Security Agency

Office of the Director of National Intelligence

Local and state law enforcement

State homeland security agencies

COMMON CAREERS

Network security

Military service

Private corporations involved in intelligence analysis and national security as well as market and competitive intelligence analysis

Featured Spotlights

Joshua Palmer '22 NSFIA and German major

See Spotlight Opens in new tab

More than anything, Mount Union feels like a second home because of the people and the relationships I have formed over the course of my college experience.