online bachelor's degree of intelligence and security studies
Spring term classes start March.
100% online learning.
Earn your degree on your schedule
$459 per credit hour.
$250 military preferred cost per credit
127 total credit hours.
cutting-edge intelligence degree focused on building core research skills.
National security and intelligence professionals are in critical demand. The Bellevue University Bachelor of Science in Intelligence and Security Studies degree is helping to meet this need by preparing students for entry-level homeland security, government, military and civilian law enforcement careers. Here, you can enter a field that makes a real impact.
Online intelligence and security studies degree to fit any schedule.
The security and intelligence studies degree at Bellevue University is offered both online and on campus, so you can find the best way to reach your goals on with a timeline that works for you. Our intelligence and security faculty is committed to working with students on a person-to-person basis to accommodate their learning needs.
Critical skills to make an impact at home and around the world.
Develop an interdisciplinary understanding of key intelligence studies degree topics, and gain the critical thinking skills you’ll need for urgent problem solving in the field. You’ll cover coursework in:
- Philosophy
- Political science and history
- Science and technology
- Global affairs
- Comparative politics
what you'll learn.
In this program, you’ll learn to analyze global security issues, assess threats, and apply critical thinking to national and international policy challenges.
upon graduation, students will be able to:
- Recognize the specifics and abstractions of national security/intelligence: theories, principles, methodology, structure, organizations, categories, trends, classifications and conventions.
- Evaluate the 21st-century global security environment, including various and diverse transnational threats and how they impact/interact not only with the international community but also with individual regions and states.
- Differentiate between broad-based, generalized, thematic specializations (International Relations) and highly defined, specific, area studies/cultural specializations (Comparative Politics).
- Compare and contrast conflict/peace theory with national security policy and consider practical intelligence applications.
- Clearly comprehend the evolution and transformation of the international threat environment.
- Apply critical thinking and interpretive/analytical problem-solving skills to threat assessment and potential threat resolution – you’ll learn the difference between policy and analysis and evaluate the efficacy of various policy proposals.
- Become proficient with the key concepts, functions, and operations of the national and international security infrastructure and agile with analyzing complex global interrelationships.
- Compare and contrast conflict/peace theory with national security policy and consider practical intelligence applications.
Awards
Bellevue Stories
Intelligence and Security Studies degree courses
Current students please login to BRUIN and select “Academic Progress” for your curriculum requirements.
Requirements (36 credit hours)
This course introduces students to national security as a concept, strategy, goal, and challenge. It examines the dangers and threats that exist domestically and internationally and analyzes how the United States attempts to deal with those challenges using strategies that range from diplomacy to military force.
This course introduces students to intelligence and counterintelligence as concepts, processes, and careers. It elaborates on historical and contemporary approaches to I/CI. The process of intelligence collection, analysis, research dissemination, consumption, and feedback is examined. Students are exposed to the diverse IC community and the responsibilities of its various members.
This course introduces and engages elements of theoretical and ethical analysis to empirical topics and subject matter. Some of the issues covered will include war, weapons of mass destruction, humanitarian intervention, globalization, and spying. This course explores the deeper underlying philosophical issues within national security.
This course introduces the subfield of geostrategy. It takes a holistic approach to the study of geopolitics and foreign policy when guided by geographical factors. It examines how geography can inform, constrain and affect political, economic, and military planning. Topics covered include how a country's resources, position, and physical factors can change and determine its geopolitical objectives and how geography is sometimes inextricable from strategy.
This course promotes the understanding of tactical and strategic thought at the introductory level. The course explores how theory and strategy help form policy by identifying the implications and shifts in long-term strategic patterns and trends. Security culture, use of force, international law, grand strategy, and just and unjust war will be major aspects of course study.
This course gives students an in-depth understanding of how science and technology impacts national security and intelligence. It examines how important hard science and technology is in developing areas of national security and intelligence. This includes analyzing cyber-security and cyber-warfare, the emerging relationship between the IC and IT, space reconnaissance, and high-tech espionage.
This course analyzes transnational crime and corruption issues within global politics. Focus is given to potential national and international responses to transnational threats. This course examines the increasing relevance of criminality and governmental corruption and how it becomes a major aspect of national security policy.
This course analyzes issues of leadership and statehood that run contrary to international norms and democratic standards. Students will investigate key case studies and examine how they offer challenges to the global community and international security. It acquaints students with problem areas and issues in world politics and gets them thinking of conflict-resolution strategies that are both short and long-term. How these strategies are employed within US foreign policy and their likely efficacy is also examined.
This course examines various fundamentalist movements around the globe and considers the revival of religious radicalism in the 21st century. Students evaluate how various ‘fundamentalisms' impact domestic and global political processes. The process for morphing religious radicalism into political violence is examined. How various international factors can ameliorate/exacerbate extremism is examined.
This course examines how democratization projects around the world succeed or fail and the international dynamics that flow from that success/failure. International threats that emerge from the problems and flaws of implementation are investigated in depth. Case studies are used as teaching tools about international involvement and difficulties with that engagement. This upper-division course aims to make students competent in the long-term national security objectives of establishing peaceful, stable, and prosperous democracies and aware of the problems in accomplishing that goal.
This course investigates the various forms and differences of internal/domestic conflict. Students will be exposed to the global context of civil war and insurgency. Numerous case studies will be analyzed, exposing students to the nature and characteristics of revolution. Understanding the changes in our concepts of old/new wars and how that impacts international peacekeeping and global intervention will be highlighted. Students consider transnational issues that emerge within domestic conflicts and how democracy emerges as both a cause and effect within rebellion.
This course is not just a theoretical examination of the concepts of power, ideology, and legitimacy in international relations. It applies these concepts explicitly to global affairs and international security, so as to link scholarly theories with empirical real-world application. Its thematic coverage includes norms, law, and legality across civilizational and international contexts; war and the use of force in geopolitics; power, hegemony, and polarity in terms of global world orders; competing visions of legitimacy between the West and non-West; and sovereignty within the fight against terrorism. Particular attention is paid to how concepts influence countries and how governments end up interpreting and repositioning concepts while interacting with other state and non-state actors.
This course provides an overview of disinformation and misinformation in democratic and non-democratic contexts. Discussions will focus on domestic and foreign disinformation tactics and techniques to manipulate public discourse, threaten the national security infrastructure, and subvert democracy.
The study of Eurasia (defined as Russia, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan) with an emphasis on understanding the different political cultures and security issues across the region. Topics covered include individual domestic concerns, international positions, national security/economic interests, and alliances/conflicts between countries within and beyond the region.
This course examines Latin America with an emphasis on understanding the different political and intelligence cultures and security issues across the region. Emphases will focus on individual domestic concerns, international positions, national security/economic interests, and alliances/conflicts between countries within and beyond the region. Particular attention is paid to non-state, transnational security threats, domestic corruption and the various political/social philosophies prominent across the entire region. This intensive course adds to the upper-level Comparative Politics section of the program and allows for the development of a specific regional specialization, which is advantageous to the overall program objectives and future career opportunities.
This course examines the Middle East with an emphasis on understanding the different political cultures and security issues across the region. Emphases will focus on individual domestic concerns, international positions, national security/economic interests, and alliances/conflicts between countries within and beyond the region. Particular attention is paid to non-state, transnational security threats and the interplay between secular and religious factions across the entire region.This intensive course adds to the upper-level Comparative Politics section of the program and allows for the development of a specific regional specialization, which is advantageous to the overall program objectives and future career opportunities.
Kirkpatrick Signature Series Requirements (9 credit hours)
In addition to the Major Requirements, all Bellevue University students must complete the Kirkpatrick Signature Series.
This course focuses on the political and philosophical traditions of the American republic, especially as embedded in the ideals, values, traditions, founding documents, and institutions of the United States , and considers how these traditions relate to individual citizenship and global society. Prerequisite: 60 Credit Hours
This course focuses on the creative tensions that exist between the forces of tradition and change as the country undergoes social, cultural, and political change. It considers the manner in which change can renew the vitality of a republic. Prerequisite: 60 Credit Hours
This course examines civic engagement in relation to individual freedoms and responsibilities. It fosters engaged citizens, empowered to effect positive change. Prerequisite: 60 Credit Hours
Integrative General Education Credits
Major Requirements Credits
Elective Credits
= 127 total credits*
General Education Courses
Take general education courses that do more than fill a requirement. At Bellevue University, these courses build foundational skills that apply to any career—critical thinking, qualitative reasoning, and ethical leadership. And, you can take courses individually or in course clusters, which connect three courses around one theme, building skills as you go.
About general education requirements >Elective Courses
Our broad selection of electives allows you to select courses related to your major or expand your perspective in other areas of interest.
University Accreditation
Bellevue University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission ( hlcommission.org ), a regional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Whether a college, university, or program is accredited is important to students receiving financial aid, employers who provide tuition assistance, donors, and the federal government.
This program is considered a non-licensure degree/certificate program and is not intended for those seeking licensure or the practice of licensed profession. This program may be relevant to multiple occupations that do not require licensure and was not designed to meet educational requirements for any specific professional license or certification.
*Consult with an admissions counselor to determine your eligible credits, as well as to verify minimum graduation requirements for this degree. Transfer credits must be from a regionally accredited college or university. Bellevue University makes no promises to prospective students regarding the acceptance of credit awarded by examination, credit for prior learning, or credit for transfer until an evaluation has been conducted.
learn on your own time, from anywhere.
Flexible schedule.
Study on your own time with courses designed to fit your busy life—whether you're working, raising a family, or serving in the military.
Reliable technical support.
Access 24/7 tech support to keep you connected and focused on learning, no matter where you are.
Dedicated online student support.
From coursework access and connectivity issues to tutoring and resume assistance, we've got you covered.
Engaging online learning.
Enjoy interactive courses designed for real-world application, with multimedia content, discussions, and hands-on projects.
grow with faculty who’ve been where you are.