Skip Navigation
2025 Graduate Catalog

Master of Arts in National Security Studies

The Master of Arts in National Security Studies provides executive-level education in national and international security policy with concentrations in homeland security, intelligence analysis, cyber security, terrorism studies, and regional security studies. This online master’s program provides practical knowledge often needed in the defense industry, military, U.S. and foreign governments, and the private sector.

The program includes a solid foundation in agency operations and theory, and studies the complex problems found in today’s uncertain security environment. You will be taught by experienced faculty who remain active in the national security arena, helping to ensure relevancy in this continuously expanding field.

Graduates of the program can be found across the national and international security community as civilian and military leaders, policymakers, action-officers, analysts, instructors, and consultants. This program also provides a strong academic stepping stone for our doctoral programs in global security and strategic intelligence.

Degree Program Objectives

In addition to the institutional and degree level learning objectives, graduates of this program are expected to achieve these learning outcomes:

  • Appraise classic and contemporary theories, strategies, doctrines, and procedures related to the causes, conduct, and termination of armed conflict and the maintenance of peace.
  • Assess and predict traditional and non-traditional threats to national and international security.
  • Compare the structures, functions, capabilities, and activities of national and international security community members.
  • Conduct advanced research and compose professional and academic analyses on issues critical to national and international security.

Degree at a Glance

Degree Program Requirements

Core Requirements (18 semester hours)

Students must choose a concentration for this degree program and may select from a General Concentration, Concentration in Cyber, Concentration in Homeland Security, Concentration in Regional Security Studies, Concentration in Security and Intelligence Analysis, or Concentration in Terrorism Studies.

General Concentration (12 semester hours)

This general concentration allows you to select from more than two dozen different concentration courses offered within this program, enabling you to create your own focused area of study.

Objectives

This general concentration allows you to select from more than two dozen different concentration courses offered within this program, enabling you to create your own focused area of study.

Concentration Requirements (12 semester hours)

Concentration in Cyber (12 semester hours)

Analyzes the cyber discipline from a multidisciplinary perspective. Topics include: current cyber policy and strategy for non-practitioners in a national security framework; laws related to intellectual property, civil litigation, criminal prosecutions, and cybersecurity; and the privacy, ethical, economic, and societal issues that face today’s information-entrenched society.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to:

  • Analyze the cyber discipline from a multidisciplinary perspective.
Concentration Requirements (12 semester hours)

Concentration in Homeland Security (12 semester hours)

Explores contemporary threats to the U.S. and the organizations, capabilities, and activities of America’s homeland defense community. Covers the efforts to prevent, prepare, and respond to the use of weapons of mass destruction, the role of risk management in the prevention of loss, and the development of drug cartels and their organization, production, and distribution networks.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to:

  • Appraise the contemporary threats to the United States; and the organizations, capabilities, and activities of the national defense community.
Concentration Requirements (12 semester hours)

Concentration in Regional Security Studies (12 semester hours)

Examines the forces reshaping world politics and analyzes the institutions that are fostering new forms of global governance. Topics include the role of diplomacy in national security policy development and implementation, and the strategic, operational, and tactical elements required for conducting peace operations.

Objectives
Concentration Requirements (12 semester hours)

Concentration in Security and Intelligence Analysis (12 semester hours)

Covers advanced security and intelligence analysis methods used to convey issues critical to national and international security. Examines the forces reshaping world politics, analyzes the institutions that are fostering new forms of global governance, and discusses the current structure, function, capabilities, and contributions of individual U.S. national intelligence community members.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to:

  • Apply advanced security and intelligence analysis methods in composing professional and academic analyses on issues critical to national and international security.
Concentration Requirements (12 semester hours)

Concentration in Terrorism Studies (12 semester hours)

Evaluates the causes of and threats from domestic and international terrorism, as well as the organizations, capabilities, and activities of the international security community in the global war on terrorism. Also analyzes U.S. and international policies for combating terrorism, terrorist tactics worldwide, and the scope of terrorism.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to:

  • Appraise the causes of and threats from domestic and international terrorism and the organizations, capabilities, and activities of the international security community in the Global War on Terrorism.
Concentration Requirements (12 semester hours)

Final Program Requirement (3 semester hours)

Elective Requirements (3 semester hours)

  1. Required as the first course in this program.

  2. Taken once all other requirements have been met. The Capstone Seminar will satisfy 3 semester hours of an elective requirement.

If you're ready to move forward, we're ready to take you there.

APPLY TO AMU APPLY TO APU