Global Security Studies, Master of Arts

MA in Global Security Studies

The Master of Arts in Global Security Studies program is designed for students who are looking to develop or expand their expertise regarding the security challenges of the 21^st century. Students confront the complexities of today’s security environment with the latest policy and theoretical tools for analysis and action. Particular strengths of the program are strategic studies, energy and environmental security, special operations and irregular warfare, and the economic aspects of conflict and competition. 

Courses draw from the best in academia and the private and public sectors to offer students the cutting edge in intellectual preparedness for career advancement. Classes are designed to maximize individual attention, encourage student interaction, build analytical skills, and provide the tools for engaging in original research.

This is a 12-course program, with classes offered at the Hopkins Bloomberg Center in Washington, D.C., and online. The degree can be pursued on a part-time or full-time basis, and classes can be taken onsite, online, or through a mix of both modalities. All undergraduate majors are welcome.  

Admissions Criteria for All Advanced Academic Programs 

PROGRAM-SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

In addition to the materials and credentials required for all programs, the MA in Global Security Studies program also requires:

• Two Letters of Recommendation
• Statement of Purpose: Please provide a statement, up to one page in length, describing your personal background and/or a part of your life experience that has shaped you or your goals. Feel free to elaborate on personal challenges and opportunities that have influenced your decision to pursue a graduate degree at Johns Hopkins.
• Applicants should submit a five-page, double-spaced essay on the following:

“America does not go abroad in search of monsters to destroy. She is the well-wisher to freedom and independence of all.” — John Quincy Adams

This quote reflects the trends in American national security for much of the nation’s history. Are the implications that can be drawn from the statement consistent with the demands of American national security in the 21^st century? Discuss this problem with regard to a recent policy issue or political event, citing at least three references.

Program Requirements 

Students in the MA in Global Security Studies program must complete:

• Four required core courses
• Four customizable core courses
• ​Four elective courses

A single course cannot satisfy a core and concentration requirement. For example, a student can use AS.470.756 Understanding Modern War, to satisfy a Core Customizable (Writing) or Strategic Studies Concentration requirement, but not both.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Core Courses - Required
Select all of the following:		12
AS.470.603	Introduction to Global Security Studies 1
AS.470.605	Global Political Economy 1
AS.470.692	Military Strategy & National Policy 1
AS.470.851	Qualitative Methodologies in Social Science 1
Core Courses - Customizable (Energy)
Select one of the following:		3
AS.470.601	Climate Change and National Security
AS.470.657	Energy, Security, and Defense
AS.470.773	Energy and Environmental Security
Core Courses - Customizable (Research)
Select one of the following:		3
AS.470.853	Historical Methods
AS.470.854	Fundamentals of Quantitative Methods
Core Courses - Customizable (Writing)
Select two of the following:		6
AS.470.606	U.S. Security in a Disordered World
AS.470.632	Security Issues in South Asia
AS.470.633	Transnational Organized Crime: Gangsters of the Global Underworld
AS.470.634	Propaganda, Disinformation, and War
AS.470.640	Challenges of Transnational Security
AS.470.663	Human Security
AS.470.704	Strategies in Insurgent and Asymmetric Warfare
AS.470.756	Understanding Modern War
AS.470.810	Critical Security Studies (Complex Security Studies Analysis)
Elective Courses
Students pursuing a concentration or area of focus must select four courses from the concentration or area of focus course list. Students not pursuing a concentration or area of focus can select any four GSS electives listed below.		12
Total Credits		36

¹

Required courses should be taken as early as possible in your degree program.

Special Operations & Irregular Warfare Area of Focus

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
AS.470.606	U.S. Security in a Disordered World	3
AS.470.611	Global Terrorist Organizations	3
AS.470.633	Transnational Organized Crime: Gangsters of the Global Underworld	3
AS.470.634	Propaganda, Disinformation, and War	3
AS.470.640	Challenges of Transnational Security	3
AS.470.651	Corruption and Democratic Governance	3
AS.470.653	Russian National Security Policy	3
AS.470.659	Radicalization and Deradicalization in Terror Networks	3
AS.470.663	Human Security	3
AS.470.665	Thucydides, International Politics, and War	3
AS.470.679	Armed Social Movements: Terrorism Insurgency and Crime	3
AS.470.704	Strategies in Insurgent and Asymmetric Warfare	3
AS.470.713	Resisting Tyranny: Strategic Nonviolent Conflict	3
AS.470.740	Cyber Policy, Strategy, Conflict and Deterrence (Cyber Strategy and Threat Analysis)	3
AS.470.745	Terrorist Financing Analysis and Counterterrorist Finance Techniques	3
AS.470.746	Iran: Security Policy of a Revolutionary State	3
AS.470.756	Understanding Modern War	3
AS.470.775	Great Power Competition	3
AS.470.810	Critical Security Studies (Complex Security Studies Analysis)	3
AS.473.665	Human Intelligence Operations	3

Strategic Studies Concentration

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
AS.470.606	U.S. Security in a Disordered World	3
AS.470.611	Global Terrorist Organizations	3
AS.470.630	Congress and the Making of Foreign Policy	3
AS.470.632	Security Issues in South Asia	3
AS.470.633	Transnational Organized Crime: Gangsters of the Global Underworld	3
AS.470.634	Propaganda, Disinformation, and War	3
AS.470.640	Challenges of Transnational Security (Cyber Strategy and Threat Analysis)	3
AS.470.651	Corruption and Democratic Governance	3
AS.470.653	Russian National Security Policy	3
AS.470.657	Energy, Security, and Defense	3
AS.470.659	Radicalization and Deradicalization in Terror Networks	3
AS.470.663	Human Security	3
AS.470.664	Fundamentals and Applications in Cybersecurity	3
AS.470.665	Thucydides, International Politics, and War	3
AS.470.668	The Politics and Process of American Foreign Policy	3
AS.470.679	Armed Social Movements: Terrorism Insurgency and Crime	3
AS.470.685	The Challenge of Change: Innovation in Military Affairs	3
AS.470.693	Comparative Democracies	3
AS.470.704	Strategies in Insurgent and Asymmetric Warfare	3
AS.470.713	Resisting Tyranny: Strategic Nonviolent Conflict	3
AS.470.719	Hate Groups and Domestic Terrorism	3
AS.470.725	China's Impact on Global Security	3
AS.470.740	Cyber Policy, Strategy, Conflict and Deterrence (Cyber Strategy and Threat Analysis)	3
AS.470.744	Trade and Security	3
AS.470.745	Terrorist Financing Analysis and Counterterrorist Finance Techniques	3
AS.470.746	Iran: Security Policy of a Revolutionary State	3
AS.470.751	Politics and Security in the Middle East	3
AS.470.756	Understanding Modern War	3
AS.470.767	Defense Policy	3
AS.470.775	Great Power Competition	3
AS.470.777	Technology and Terrorism	3
AS.470.784	Technology of Weapons of Mass Destruction	3
AS.470.785	Nuclear Proliferation and Non-Proliferation	3
AS.470.789	International/Non-Governmental Organizations and Civil Society in Conflict Zones	3
AS.470.795	The Constitution and National Security	3
AS.470.810	Critical Security Studies (Complex Security Studies Analysis)	3
AS.470.835	DC Lab: Politics, Policy, and Analytics	3
AS.450.612	Tough Neighborhood: A History of U.S.-Central American Relations	3
AS.450.781	The Global Cold War	3
AS.472.600	Introduction to Geospatial Intelligence	3
AS.473.600	The Art & Practice of Intelligence	3
AS.473.602	Intelligence Analysis	3
AS.473.605	Strategic Culture Analysis	3
AS.473.609	Introduction to Intelligence in the Five Eyes Community	3
AS.473.610	Analysis of Military Capabilities	3
AS.473.665	Human Intelligence Operations	3
AS.480.661		3
AS.480.687	Intercultural Communication	3

Energy & Environmental Security Concentration

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
AS.470.601	Climate Change and National Security	3
AS.470.633	Transnational Organized Crime: Gangsters of the Global Underworld	3
AS.470.640	Challenges of Transnational Security	3
AS.470.653	Russian National Security Policy	3
AS.470.657	Energy, Security, and Defense	3
AS.470.663	Human Security	3
AS.470.665	Thucydides, International Politics, and War	3
AS.470.704	Strategies in Insurgent and Asymmetric Warfare	3
AS.470.725	China's Impact on Global Security	3
AS.470.756	Understanding Modern War	3
AS.470.773	Energy and Environmental Security	3
AS.470.775	Great Power Competition	3
AS.470.789	International/Non-Governmental Organizations and Civil Society in Conflict Zones	3
AS.470.795	The Constitution and National Security	3
AS.470.810	Critical Security Studies (Complex Security Studies Analysis)	3
AS.470.835	DC Lab: Politics, Policy, and Analytics	3
AS.420.604	Hydrology & Water Resources	3
AS.420.605	Maritime Law and the Environment	3
AS.420.606	Climate Justice	3
AS.420.608	Oceanic & Atmospheric Processes	3
AS.420.612	Sustainability Science: Concepts and Challenges	3
AS.420.614	Environmental Policymaking and Policy Analysis	3
AS.420.624	Ocean Stewardship and Sustainability	3
AS.420.644	Sustainable Cities	3
AS.420.650	International Environmental Policy	3
AS.420.665	Climate Change on the Front Lines: The Study of Adaptation in Developing Countries	3
AS.420.668	Sustainable Food Systems	3
AS.420.676	Global Scarcity in Freshwater Systems: Crisis and Solutions	3
AS.420.679	International Water: Issues and Policies	3
AS.425.602	Science of Climate Change and its Impact	3
AS.425.603	Climate Change Policy Analysis	3
AS.425.604	Energy & Climate Finance	3
AS.425.637	International Climate Change Policy	3
AS.425.638	Adaptation to Climate Change	3
AS.425.639	Energy Markets and Strategy from Europe to Asia	3
AS.425.645	Global Energy Policy	3
AS.425.647	Energy and Water Security in South Asia	3
AS.425.651	The Electric Grid: Technology and Policy	3
AS.425.652	Nuclear Energy: Technology, Policy, and Regulations	3
AS.480.661		3
AS.480.687	Intercultural Communication	3

Economic Security Concentration

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
AS.470.601	Climate Change and National Security	3
AS.470.631	Economics for Public Decision-Making	3
AS.470.633	Transnational Organized Crime: Gangsters of the Global Underworld	3
AS.470.640	Challenges of Transnational Security	3
AS.470.651	Corruption and Democratic Governance	3
AS.470.653	Russian National Security Policy	3
AS.470.657	Energy, Security, and Defense	3
AS.470.663	Human Security	3
AS.470.664	Fundamentals and Applications in Cybersecurity	3
AS.470.665	Thucydides, International Politics, and War	3
AS.470.689	NGOs in Development and Global Policy-Making	3
AS.470.704	Strategies in Insurgent and Asymmetric Warfare	3
AS.470.725	China's Impact on Global Security	3
AS.470.740	Cyber Policy, Strategy, Conflict and Deterrence (Cyber Strategy and Threat Analysis)	3
AS.470.744	Trade and Security	3
AS.470.745	Terrorist Financing Analysis and Counterterrorist Finance Techniques	3
AS.470.756	Understanding Modern War	3
AS.470.766	Economic Growth:The Politics of Development in Asia, Africa and Beyond	3
AS.470.775	Great Power Competition	3
AS.470.789	International/Non-Governmental Organizations and Civil Society in Conflict Zones	3
AS.470.795	The Constitution and National Security	3
AS.470.810	Critical Security Studies (Complex Security Studies Analysis)	3
AS.470.835	DC Lab: Politics, Policy, and Analytics	3
AS.420.605	Maritime Law and the Environment	3
AS.420.606	Climate Justice	3
AS.420.624	Ocean Stewardship and Sustainability	3
AS.425.604	Energy & Climate Finance	3
AS.425.639	Energy Markets and Strategy from Europe to Asia	3
AS.480.661		3
AS.480.687	Intercultural Communication	3

General Electives

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
AS.470.636		3
AS.470.643	Text as Data	3
AS.470.644	Democracy and Its Modern Critics	3
AS.470.714	Contemporary Politics of Latin America	3
AS.470.721	Comparative Federalism: The United States and the European Union	3
AS.470.723	Western Political and Constitutional Thought	3
AS.470.731	Privacy in a Data-driven Society	3
AS.470.743	Data Mining and Predictive Analytics	3
AS.470.776	Nationalism in the Democratic Age	3
AS.470.779	Computational Modeling for Policy and Security Analysis	3
AS.472.611	Analyzing Social Media and Geospatial Information	3
AS.473.604	Applied Critical Thinking and Analysis	3
AS.473.606	Legal Issues in Intelligence	3
AS.473.607	Intelligence Ethics	3
AS.473.611	Private Sector Intelligence	3
AS.473.644	Technical Collection of Intelligence	3
AS.473.663	The Intelligence-Policy Nexus	3
AS.473.668	Intelligence to Secure the Homeland and Hometown	3