Program Structure and Requirements
Overall Program Structure
The MA ICS program is equivalent to 30 credit hours, distributed as follows: 12 credit hours of Program Core courses, 6 credit hours of Program Elective courses and 12 credit hours of Master’s Workshop and Thesis. The core courses cover basic dimensions of both civil security and the broader security context in which civil security planning and policy must occur. Upon completion of the core coursework, students must take an additional two elective courses The elective courses may be in one of two tracks: Civil Security or Regional Security.
|
Program Component
|
Credit Hours
|
|
Program Core (4 courses)
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12
|
|
Program Electives (2 courses)
|
6
|
|
Master’s Workshop and Thesis
|
12
|
|
Total
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30
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Program Requirements
Students seeking the degree of MA in International and Civil Security must successfully complete 30 credit hours as specified in the program requirements detailed below, with a minimum CGPA of 3.0. Course selection should be made in consultation with the student’s Academic Advisor. All courses have a credit rating of three credits each, except the Master’s Thesis.
Program Core (12 credit hours)
Students must complete the core courses listed below.
Core Courses
| IICS 601 | Introduction to International Relations and Security Issues | 3 |
| IICS 602 | Introduction to Civil Security | 3 |
| IICS 603 | Social Science Research Methods | 3 |
| IICS 604 | Regional Security and the Terrorist Threat | 3 |
Program Electives (6 credit hours)
Students must select two courses from the list below.
Elective Courses
| IICS 621 | Technology and International Security | 3 |
| IICS 622 | Technology and Civil Security | 3 |
| IICS 623 | Regional Security Challenges and Policy Options | 3 |
| IICS 624 | Creating Integrated Civil Security | 3 |
| IICS 625 | Globalization and Middle East Security | 3 |
| IICS 626 | Comparative Civil Security Systems | 3 |
| IICS 645 | Policy Analysis | 3 |
| IICS 646 | Intelligence and National Security | 3 |
| IICS 647 | Exercise Design and Technology | 3 |
| IICS 648 | The Changing Nature of War and Conflict | 3 |
| IICS 649 | Cybersecurity and its Implications for Statecraft | 3 |
| IICS 690 | Critical Infrastructure Protection Design | 3 |
| IICS 691 | Nuclear Security | 3 |
| IICS 692 | Computer and Network Security | 3 |
| IICS 693 | Wireless Network and Mobile Security | 3 |
| IICS 694 | Information Security Management | 3 |
Thesis Workshop and Master’s Thesis (12 credit hours)
Students must enroll in the Thesis Workshop after passing a minimum of six courses (18 credit hours), including the four core courses. The Thesis Workshop is a pre-requisite for the Master’s Thesis and must be successfully completed before the student can register for thesis credits.
Workshop (3 credit hours)
Students must complete a Master’s Thesis that involves creative, social science research-oriented work within the field of civil or international security, under direct supervision of a full-time faculty advisor from the Institute of International and Civil Security, and at least one other full-time faculty who acts as a co-advisor. The outcome of research should demonstrate the synthesis of information into knowledge in a form that may be used by others. The research findings must be documented in a formal thesis and defended successfully in a viva voce examination.
Thesis (9 credit hours)