Security and Intelligence Studies Minor

University General Education Requirements 

Content Designations: SIS

The Security and Intelligence Studies (SIS) minor prepares students from any major for careers in security and intelligence with federal, local, state and municipal government or industry. The SIS minor is a 24-credit hour program consisting of three core courses (9 credit hours), four concentration-option courses (12 credit hours), and an internship (3 credit hours). The minor offers four specialization options. Three of the options (Cybersecurity+, Geospatial Intelligence+, and Information Analytics+) can be completed completely online. One option (Language+) is a combination of online and campus-based courses. Each minor option includes at least one elective course from one of the other concentration options.

Students who select the Language+ option are required to take 6 credit hours of a foreign language (Arabic, Hausa, Kiswahili, or a foreign language deemed critical by the US intelligence community and approved by the program) have the option to participate in the Center for Information and Security Education and Research’s (CINSER) Study Abroad program whenever available. CINSER’s Study Abroad program includes an intensive 4-8 weeks of curricular and co-curricular activities that are equivalent to two courses. The program is expected to immerse our students into the language/culture of the host country.

Students who select the Security+ option will develop skills in cybersecurity and will have the academic preparation necessary to sit for three industry certifications: CompTIA’s A+, CompTIA’s Security+ and the EC-Council’s Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) certifications.

Students are required to complete the course work for the minor (24 credit hours) in two years. No more than one C grade is allowed in courses required for the minor and a D course grade must be repeated.