National Security and Public Safety

National Security and Public Safety - Graduate Courses

NSP 601 National Security Programs Architecture and Mission (back to previous page)
An inquiry into the nature and scope of the U.S. National Security Program's Architecture.  Areas covered include the current architecture, legal and regulatory basis, integration of national security programs into agency missions, development of security policies and strategies, and the oversight of NSPs.

NSP 602 NSP Personnel Security Programs (back to previous page)
A study of personnel security programs, with specific analysis of behavioral issues and their impact on determinations of loyalty and trustworthiness. 

NSP 603 National Security Charter, Legal Issues, and Executive Orders (back to previous page)
An analysis of the legal framework, charter, and executive orders that guide the creation and operations of the U.S. Intelligence Community.

NSP 604 Securing National Security Information Systems (back to previous page)
A comprehensive introduction to Network Security issues, concepts, and technologies. The core technologies of access control, cryptography, digital signatures, authorization, network firewalls, and network security services are reviewed. Issues in security policy and risk management are covered.

NSP 606 Contemporary Issues in National Security Programs (back to previous page)
Students will select from a range of topics relating to current issues and concerns within the National Security Architecture. Each student will be required to write a paper and deliver an oral presentation on a selected topic.

NSP 607 Architecture of Protected Information (back to previous page)
Students will review contemporary theories and practices for the identification of information requiring or deserving protection and will evaluate how such protection may be achieved while allowing effective use of the information.  Contemporary legal principles and regulatory processes will be explored, in both the private and governmental sectors.  The application of sound information security practices will be reviewed, and program analysis models will be explored.

NSP 610 NSP Cost Modeling and Contract Administration (back to previous page)
An in-depth analysis of the federal acquisition process, costs of Nations Security Programs, and their role in meeting federal agency mission objectives.  Students will study the relationships among the federal acquisition process, budget planning, and National Security Programs.

NSP 611 NSP Situational Evaluation and Failure Analysis Models (back to previous page)
A comprehensive study of evaluation techniques and processes that measure scope and effectiveness of security programs. Students employ the use of situational analysis, failure analysis, case studies, and other research-oriented approaches.

NSP 612 Integrated Studies in Safeguards and Countermeasure Designs (back to previous page)
A study of the selection process of safeguards and countermeasures in support of National Security Programs. Examination of the relationships among protection needs, mission accomplishment, and available safeguards and countermeasures.  Analysis of the impact of the protective architecture and reconciliation with budgetary and human resource realities.

NSP 613 NSP Issues in Research and Policy Analysis (back to previous page)
An introduction to quantitative and qualitative methods used for research and policy analysis.  Students will become familiar with basic types of research, design survey-research methods, evaluation methods, descriptive and inferential statistics, and their application to National Security Programs.

NSP 620 Bioterrorism and Biodefense (back to previous page)
A multidisciplinary approach to understanding terrorism in general and terrorism employing biological pathogens in particular.  As a new topic in academia, it crosscuts many established academic areas.  It comprises the history, origins, motivations, and techniques used by terrorists; preparedness, detection, treatment, and response during the pre-, trans-, and post-attack times; government programs to prevent, prepare, and respond; and legal, economic, mental health, and policy issues.  Lecture, discussion, a writing assignment, and a tabletop decision-making simulation are among the teaching methods used.

NSP 621 National Security Incident Mapping (back to previous page)
This course combines a variety of methods to introduce the various ways that terror risks can be analyzed, detected, and prevented. In addition to the bioterror tabletop exercise, the class will also involve a problem-based learning project focused on assessing risk on critical infrastructures in a nearby neighborhood. Students will be tasked with evaluating the various conceptual and technical tools available caused by terrorism, including crime-mapping technology, crime risk assessments, and crime prevention through environmental design. The class will use the problem-based learning method in groups to tackle a specific set of real-life problems.  This approach simulates real-life risk assessment and response scenarios since group decision-making and problem-solving process is an important part of assessing risk. Accordingly, students will be evaluated on how they organize their research and planning activities and cooperate in their groups. 2 credits. 

NSP 625 Information Systems Threats, Attacks, and Defenses (back to previous page)
This course provides an overview of the actors, motives, and methods used in the commission of computer-related crimes and describes the methods used by organizations to prevent, detect, and respond to these crimes.

NSPP 626 Firewall and Secure Enterprise Computing (back to previous page)
This course deals with the theory and practice of Internet firewalls and covers many of the details and vulnerabilities of the IP and embedded protocol sites. In the laboratory portion of the course, the students construct, deploy, and test a real firewall against common Internet-based attack methods. 

NSP 627 Internet Investigations & Audit-Based Computer Forensics (back to previous page)
This class reviews techniques for tracking attackers across the Internet and gaining forensic information from computer systems. It includes many case studies of Internet-based crimes, forensic successes and failures, and limits of forensic techniques today. 

NSP 628 Computer Viruses and Malicious Code (back to previous page)
This course covers the theoretical and practical issues surrounding computer viruses and, along the way, covers a wide range of topics in information protection- ranging from undetectability to evolution, from tracking distributed coordinated attacks to tangent technology, and from pure theory to pure practice.

NSP 629 Practical Issues in Cryptography (back to previous page)
This course will cover practical issues in cryptography, including examples of current and historical cryptographic and stegonagraphic systems, the information theoretic basis for cryptosystems and cryptanalytic techniques and how they operate, and hands-on experience with current cryptographic technology.

NSP 630 Risk Assessment & Management in National Security (back to previous page)
This graduate level course provides a multi-disciplinary approach to understanding the concept and nature of risk in society, currently and historically. One of the primary goals of the course is to assess the role that risk and uncertainty have played in the development of a wide variety of public and private approaches to recognizing and resolving risks of loss.  Lecture, discussion, a writing assignment, and several individual and team presentations will be included in the teaching methods used along with several semi-structured, student-led case studies.

NSP 641 National Security: World and National Threat Modeling (back to previous page)
An analysis of threats, vulnerabilities, risks, and appropriate countermeasures that must be analyzed to model the United States world and national assessment strategy.

NSP 642 Integrated Studies of the Intelligence and Counterintelligence Communities (back to previous page)
An introduction to the history, theory, principles, and objective of U.S. Intelligence and Counterintelligence Operations. Analysis of the impact on National Security Programs and objectives.

NSP 643 Seminar in Evaluation Techniques, Safeguards, and Countermeasures (back to previous page)
Analysis of the use of classified techniques with the principles and techniques of Integrated Studies in Safeguards and Countermeasures.

NSP 644 Cross-Impact Analysis: National Security Futures Issues (back to previous page)
An advanced examination of the Cross-Impact Analysis methodology. Non-traditional, problem-solving evaluation and analysis will be utilized. A multidisciplinary approach will be utilized to estimate anticipated events that may influence projected factors. The focus will be on the implementation of empirically derived strategies. The purpose is to enable the student to understand how to undertake meaningful, creative, and innovative analysis of national security issues.

NSP 645 National Security Issues in Deception (back to previous page)
To achieve and sustain high-performance during our National Security enterprise requires focus, discipline, and imagination. It also requires thoughtful oversight, visionary leadership, and highly effective administration. The purpose is to provide students and security professionals with the opportunity to expand their knowledge and technology skills.

NSP 646 The Structure of National Security Decisions (back to previous page)
This graduate level course provides a multi-disciplinary approach to understanding the intuitive, structured and deliberative nature of national security decisions. A global context, the limitations of the human mind, along with political and organizational pressures combine to challenge national security decision makers. The purpose of this course is to bias the odds of a wise decision in the decision maker's favor. Lecture, discussion, a writing assignment, and several individual and team presentations will be among the teaching methods used. In addition, several partially structured, student-led case studies will be presented to drive the discussions.

NSP 647 The Economics of National Security (back to previous page)
This course explores the fundamental economic national security questions facing our society. How much of our national wealth is allocated currently to help ensure our national security? How and by whom is our national security budget determined? What is a life worth? How can a more cost-effective national security budget be achieved? These and other economic questions will be explored in this far-reaching examination of national security economics.

NSP 648 Achieving Excellence in National Security (back to previous page)
This graduate course consists of a survey of the methods used by effective private sector managers and administrators to help ensure that their organizations achieve consistently high levels of performance. This survey will be supplemented by focused conversations about how these well researched and practical methods could be applied to administrative challenges within the American national security enterprise. A lecture and discussion format will be followed, supplemented by student-led case studies.

NSP 651 A Study of Designated Approving Authority Criteria* (back to previous page)
This course provides comprehensive coverage of the elements pertaining to a study of Designated Approving Authority Criteria in NSTISSI Standard 4012 and analyzes the information security functions of the designated approving authority.

NSP 652 System Administration in Information System Security* (back to previous page)
This course provides comprehensive coverage of the elements pertaining to a study of System Administration in Information Systems Security as promulgated by NSTISSI Standard 4013 and analyzes the minimal performance standards of the system administrator.

NSP 653 Information System Security Officers* (back to previous page)
This course provides comprehensive coverage of the elements pertaining to a study of Information Systems Security Officers as promulgated by NSTISSI Standard 4013 (E) and analyzes the performance standards for the information system security officer at the entry, intermediate, and advanced level.

NSP 654 Information Security System Certifiers* (back to previous page)
This course provides comprehensive coverage of the elements pertaining to the approval process for Information Systems and the certifying authorities as designated by NSTISSI Standard 4015 and analyzes the INFOSEC functions of system certifiers.

NSP 668 Weapons of Mass Destruction I: Chemical and Biological Agents* (back to previous page)
An in-depth analysis of technological issues regarding protecting the public from biological and chemical agents that may be used as a weapon of mass destruction (WMD).

NSP 669 Weapons of Mass Destruction II: Radiological Agents* (back to previous page)
Radiological materials pose a serious national security concern. This course will provide an in-depth analysis of the scientific, technological, and policy issues involved in providing protection from the misuse of these agents.

NSP 680 Research Methods in National Security (back to previous page)
An introduction to social science research methods used in national security for purposes of undertaking intelligence analysis. Students will become familiar with basic types of research design; open source vs. classified research material, and will be exposed to qualitative and quantitative evaluation methods.

NSP 690/691 Research Project I/II (back to previous page)
Individual guidance on a research endeavor.

NSP 693/694 National Security Internship I/II (back to previous page)
Accepted candidates will be placed on summer assignments within an element (agency or industry) of the U.S. Government's National Security Program. The student's formal educational development will be complemented by field placement experience in various security settings or agencies. Field experience will be supervised by designated agency and department personnel.

NSP 697/699 Thesis I/III (back to previous page)
The student who will undertake thesis research must secure the permission of the adviser. That student may then register for NSP 697. If the student's research goes beyond one trimester, that student, with adviser permission, may register for NSP 698 in the following trimester. If thesis research requires a third trimester to complete, with adviser permission, that student may register for NSP 699. One cannot accumulate more than nine thesis research credits.

CJ 602 Computers, Technology, and National Security Information Management Systems (back to previous page)
An introduction to information systems used within our national security system. A framework is provided for understanding the needs, types, capabilities, and applications of management information systems. An overview of existing national security information systems in presented, with implications for future needs. Finally, the impact of science and technology upon our national security agencies and how information management systems will prepare us for 21st century challenges will also be analyzed.

CJ 657 Crime Mapping and Analysis (back to previous page)
Survey of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) research and applications in the field of public safety, including analysis of hot spots, density patterns, and forecasts of criminal patterns.

CJ 680 Research Issues in Cyberterrorism (back to previous page)
This course will consist of lectures, discussions, and empirical research on issues in cyberterrorism: its causes, its limitations, and its implications. It will focus largely on the thresholds and factors that drive terrorist groups into the information arena, the use of information technology by terrorist groups, and the emergence of new terrorist groups which use the information arena as their primary terrorism mechanism.

"Select foreign languages may be used as electives with approval of the NSP Director."

*one credit course