Security and Intelligence major approved for undergraduates

COLUMBUS – The Ohio State University is responding to the challenges facing the nation by offering a new Security and Intelligence major for undergraduates.

The major was developed to meet the demands of students and faculty who are interested in making contributions toward improving the nation's security and intelligence services, said Tony Mughan, director of International Studies. The 9/11 attacks forced the United States to extend its traditional focus on protecting its interests abroad to include combating terrorist organizations intent on attacking targets in the United States. The shift requires students and intelligence and public safety officials to learn about new issues involving national and personal security, and the major will help to fulfill that need, he said.

The interdisciplinary major includes courses on terror and terrorism, development and control of weapons of mass destruction, food security and globalization, codemaking and codebreaking, and international security. Housed in the Undergraduate International Studies Program in the Colleges of the Arts and Sciences, the major comprises courses from approximately 14 colleges and academic departments. In addition, the major requires students to learn a foreign language.

"We want the students to better understand the threat and the terrorists' psyche: how they organize and operate and how they analyze the strengths and weaknesses of our intelligence agencies," Mughan said.

"Prior to 9/11, homeland security was a relatively minor topic because no one really thought that anyone would attack the United States. People believed that once the Cold War was over, the risk of external attack was over," he said. "The United States now has to protect itself not only against traditional enemies, but also from those who are much more difficult to identify, locate and protect ourselves from.""

Mughan said the major will continue expanding its course offerings. Courses are now being developed on the economics of war, environmental security, language and computers, rebuilding failed states, and terrorism and violence.

Karlene Foster, assistant director of International Studies, said some of the courses in the Security and Intelligence major were first created for the former National Security Policy major, also in International Studies, which focused on issues of security in the Cold War period.

"The new specialization expanded on what we already had in place. The great thing is that some of the coursework is still being offered at Ohio State, so we didn't have to create everything," she said.

Foster said students who have expressed an interest in the major include those who are pursuing careers in intelligence or public safety, former members of the military ROTC students. In addition, she said international students are interested in taking the major, too.

"The 9/11 attacks also scared a lot of people outside the United States," Foster said. " Many international students are interested in studying this area, and then plan to go home to work in homeland security in their own countries."

With the major and coursework in place, Mughan said the university may eventually offer graduate-level courses as well as professional development opportunities for public safety officials and first responders. Because of its size and breadth of resources, Ohio State can offer an unusual range and wealth of expertise to various constituencies.

"The university can help through its primary function of analyzing and understanding the threats, and in a practical way of preparing the community on how to respond to such attacks," Mughan said.

"Ohio State has such a wide range of expertise in these areas that we have the ability to offer comprehensive programs and courses. We are really in a strong position of offering a truly multi-disciplinary perspective on homeland security."