Security & Intelligence
State-on-state war is no longer the only major threat to personal and national security. Conventional war, terrorism, biological warfare, environmental degradation, economic espionage, trans-national crime and information theft are among the more prominent threats with which individuals and states now have to deal. The Security & Intelligence major focuses on the changing nature of conflict and war both as we enter the 21st century and in the aftermath of the September 11th attack on the World Trade Center.
In addition to the course requirements below, International Studies majors must be proficient in a language other than English. To learn more about the language requirement, visit the World Language Requirement page.
To learn more about major requirements, check out the links below. Requirements and course offerings do change, so if you have any questions please reach out to internationalstudies@osu.edu or contact your academic advisor.
Security & Intelligence Major Requirements
Bachelor of Arts
For students admitted to OSU prior to Autumn 2023, please schedule an appointment with an advisor.
World Language Requirement: All International Studies majors must be proficient in a language other than English (2000 level)
International Studies is an 11 course major (33 hours) (World Language does not count toward this total)
Embedded Literacies: 3 courses (9 hours)
Students must complete one course each in Advanced Writing (AW), Data Analysis (DA) and Technology (TECH) as part of the major.
Required Foundations: 2 courses (6 hours)
- INTSTDS 3850 - Introduction to Globalization (AW) - ideally taken sophomore year
- INTSTDS 4852 - Research in Globalization (AW) - ideally taken senior year
Methods & Analysis: Choose one course (3 hours)
- Geography 4103 - Introductory Spatial Data Analysis (DA)
- INTSTDS 3400 - The Analysis & Display of Data (DA)
- Political Science 3780 - Data Literacy & Data Visualization (DA)
- Sociology 5650 - Presenting & Communicating Quantitative Data (DA)
Primary Specialization: any 5 courses from list below (15 hours)
Secondary Specialization: any 3 courses from list below (9 hours)
- AEDECON/INTSTDS - 4532 Food Security & Globalization
- ANTHROP 3211 - Introduction to Forensic Science
- COMM 3554 - Social Implications of Communication Technology (TECH)
- COMM 3597.02 - Media & Terrorism
- EARTHSCI 3411 - Water Security in the 21st Century
- GEOG 3300 - Transportation Security
- HISTORY 3270 - History of World War I
- HISTORY 3540 - Modern Intelligence History
- HISTORY 3552 - War in World History, 1900 – Present
- HISTORY 3561 - American Military History, 1902 to the Present
- HISTORY 3570 - World War II
- HISTORY 3580 - The Vietnam War
- INTSTDS 3700 - Introduction to Intelligence
- INTSTDS 3701 - Introduction to Homeland Security
- INTSTDS 3702 - Herding Cyber Cats: Information Security Management
- INTSTDS 3703 - Ethical Issues in Information Technology (TECH)
- INTSTDS 4550 - Bioterrorism
- INTSTDS 4700 - Terror & Terrorism
- INTSTDS 4701 - The Development & Control of Weapons of Mass Destruction (TECH)
- INTSTDS 4703 - Science, Technology & American National Security
- INTSTDS 4704 - A Global War on Terror? America’s Response to the 9/11 Attacks
- INTSTDS 4803 - Peacekeeping & Collective Security
- INTSTDS 4806 - Intelligence for Diplomacy: Assessing Leadership Style
- INTSTDS 5191 - Student Internship Program
- INTSTDS 5700 - Rebuilding Failed & Weak States
- INTSTDS 5701 - Intelligence & National Security in a Changing World
- INTSTDS 5702 - Research on Organized Violence
- INTSTDS 5703 - Thinking and Writing: A Practicum for Intelligence Analysis
- LING 3801 - Codes & Code Breaking
- POLITSC 4310 - Security Policy
- POLITSC 4315 - International Security & the Causes of War
- POLITSC 4318 - The Politics of International Terrorism
- PSYCH 4525 - Psychology of Personal Security: Global & Local Perspectives
- SOCIOL 3302 - Technology & Global Society (TECH)
- SOCIOL 3315 - Sociology of Terrorism
- SOCIOL 5525 - Global Criminology
Bachelor of Science
For students admitted to OSU prior to Autumn 2025, please schedule an appointment with an advisor.
World Language Requirement: All International Studies majors must be proficient in a language other than English (2000 level)
International Studies is an 11 course major (33 hours) (World Language does not count toward this total)
Embedded Literacies: 3 courses (9 hours)
These courses are part of the major - one course in Advanced Writing (AW); one in Technology (TECH); and complete a 3-course sequence in Data Analysis (DA).
Required Foundations: 2 courses (6 hours)
- INTSTDS 3850 - Introduction to Globalization (AW) - ideally taken sophomore year
- INTSTDS 4852 - Research in Globalization (AW) - ideally taken senior year
Data Analysis: 3 courses (9 hours)
Choose one 3-course Series, and complete the 3 courses from that one Series
- Series 1
- Geography 4103 - Introductory Spatial Data Analysis
- Geography 5103 - Intermediate Spatial Data Analysis
- Geography 5210 - Fundamentals of Geographic Information System
- Series 2
- INTSTDS 3400 - The Analysis & Display of Data or Political Science 3780 - Data Literacy & Data Visualization
- Political Science 4781- Data Literacy in Political Science I
- Political Science 4782 - Data Literacy in Political Science II
- Series 3 (check course catalog for prerequisites for 3301 and 3302)
- Statistics 2450.01 or 2450.02 Introduction to Statistical Analysis I
- Statistics 3301 - Statistical Modeling for Discovery I:
- Prerequisites: MATH 2568 and STAT 3202 and 3201
- Statistics 3302 - Statistical Modeling for Discovery II
Specialization: Choose 6 courses (18 hours)
- AEDECON/INTSTDS 4532 - Food Security & Globalization
- ANTHROP 3211 - Introduction to Forensic Science
- COMM 3554 - Social Implications of Communication Technology (TECH)
- COMM 3597.02 - Media & Terrorism
- EARTHSCI 3411 - Water Security in the 21st Century
- GEOG 3300 - Transportation Security
- HISTORY 3270 - History of World War I
- HISTORY 3540 - Modern Intelligence History
- HISTORY 3552 - War in World History, 1900 – Present
- HISTORY 3561 - American Military History, 1902 to the Present
- HISTORY 3570 - World War II
- HISTORY 3580 - The Vietnam War
- INTSTDS/GEOG 3650 - A World Divided? Place, Space, and Regions in World Affairs
- INTSTDS 3700 - Introduction to Intelligence
- INTSTDS 3701 - Introduction to Homeland Security
- INTSTDS 3702 - Herding Cyber Cats: Information Security Management
- INTSTDS 3703 - Ethical Issues in Information Technology (TECH)
- INTSTDS 4550 - Bioterrorism
- INTSTDS 4700 - Terror & Terrorism
- INTSTDS 4701 - The Development & Control of Weapons of Mass Destruction (TECH)
- INTSTDS 4704 - A Global War on Terror? America’s Response to the 9/11 Attacks
- INTSTDS 4803 - Peacekeeping & Collective Security
- INTSTDS 4806 - Intelligence for Diplomacy: Assessing Leadership Style
- INTSTDS 5191 - Student Internship Program
- INTSTDS/PUBAFRS 5700 - Rebuilding Failed & Weak States
- INTSTDS 5701/5701E - Intelligence & National Security in a Changing World
- INTSTDS 5703 - Thinking and Writing: A Practicum for Intelligence Analysis
- LING 3801 - Codes & Code Breaking
- POLITSC 4310 - Security Policy
- POLITSC 4315 - International Security & the Causes of War
- POLITSC 4318 - The Politics of International Terrorism
- PSYCH 4525 - Psychology of Personal Security: Global & Local Perspectives
- SOCIOL 3302 - Technology & Global Society (TECH)
- SOCIOL 3315 - Sociology of Terrorism
- SOCIOL 5525 - Global Criminology