Director: Fr. John Sawicki, C.S.Sp., Ph.D.

International Security Studies is a hybrid concentration of subjects intended to prepare the student to seek a position in the domestic or international security architecture of the modern world, whether it is in a civil or professional capacity, or in a commercial career, like risk consulting.

In this discipline students will study the origins and termination of war, 4th and 5th Generation conflict, Hybrid Warfare, ethnic conflict, Human Security, the nature and function of intelligence as well has historical drivers for conflict. Duquesne ISS students will study the ethical, moral, religious and legal limitations imposed on conflict in the modern era, as well as a raft of case studies illustrating efforts at managing conflict.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Demonstrate and explain comprehensive knowledge of the international system, and the role of security within it.
  2. Identify and describe all of the major collective security arrangements in the international system relating to global security.
  3. Demonstrate specialized knowledge of the political and economic influences that drive security policy formulation and execution.
  4. Comprehensively identify, describe and analyze the social, economic, and human costs of security.
  5. Identify, describe and apply a comprehensive knowledge of the decision processes involved in security policy formulations.
  6. Identify and explain the regional, ethnic and constructivist drivers that underpin security interests.
  7. Demonstrate their knowledge of the ethical, moral, and religious constructs that govern security.
  8. Successful students should be able to explain what the State can do to secure itself, its people and its interests in the modern world while being faithful to its cherished ethical and moral values.

Requirements for the Major: 36 credits

Courses for the International Security Studies major are drawn principally from the History, Mathematics and Computer Science, Political Science, and International Relations programs. Students majoring in ISS will complete 36 credits comprised of the following:

REQUIRED COURSES - 12 credits
  • IR 102 - Careers in International Relations (3 crs.)
  • IR 210 - Introduction to International Security Studies (3 crs.)
  • IR 290 - The Role of Force in the Modern World (3 crs.)
  • IR 498 - Global Security Problems (3 crs.)
  • At least 15 credit hours in IR or ISS as prerequisite
SECURITY ELECTIVES - 9 credits
  • IR 219 - American Naval and Maritime History (3 crs.)
  • IR 295 - War and Peace in the Nuclear Age (3 crs.)
  • IR 296 - Intelligence Operations (3 crs.)
  • IR 300 - Intelligence, Covert Action, and Counter-Insurgency (3 crs.)
  • IR 302 - The History and Use of Air Power (3 crs.)
  • IR 360 - Crisis Management in Complex Emergencies (3 crs.)
  • IR 362 - Federal Criminal Law Enforcement (3 crs.)
  • IR 406 - Homeland Security (3 crs.)
  • IR 407 - Terrorism (3 crs.)
  • IR 409W - Nationalism, Ethnicity and Conflict (3 crs.)
  • IR 415 - Twenty-First Century Terrorism (3 crs.)
  • IR 417 - Armed Groups (3 crs.)
  • IR 422W - American Defense Policy (3 crs.)
  • IR 423W - Comparative Intelligence Agencies (3 crs.)
  • IR 437 - Intelligence Research (3 crs.)
AREA STUDIES ELECTIVES - 3 credits
  • IR 202 - Politics of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and South Asia (3 crs.)
  • IR 220 - The Arabs (3 crs.)
  • IR 222 - Intelligence and Foreign Policy (3 crs.)
  • IR 253 - History of the Modern Middle East (3 crs.)
  • IR 279 - Culture and Politics of the Middle East (3 crs.)
  • IR 293 - History of Modern China (3 crs.)
  • IR 294 - China Today (3 crs.)
  • IR 311 - European Security and Mass Migration (3 crs.)
  • IR 315 - Women in Global Conflict (3 crs.)
  • IR 319 - Politics of Russia and Eastern Europe (3 crs.)
  • IR 326 - German Foreign Policy (3 crs.)
  • IR 328W - Revolt and Change: Protest in Spanish American Literature (3 crs.)
  • IR 376 - Revolution: Modern Latin America (3 crs.)
  • IR 378 - Modern Africa: Independence and Issues (3 crs.)
  • IR 379 - East Asia and the US (3 crs.)
  • IR 435 - Political Islam (3 crs.)
  • IR 443 - American National Security Law (3 crs.)
  • IR 483W - Mexico and the US (3 crs.)
  • IR 485W - China in Revolution (3 crs.)
  • IR 488W - China and the West (3 crs.)
DIPLOMACY ELECTIVES - 3 credits
  • IR 101 - Catholic Thought, the State and Security in the Modern World (3 crs.)
  • IR 110 - Current Problems in International Politics (3 crs.)
  • IR 120 - International Political Economy (3 crs.)
  • IR 201 - Human Security in Sub-Saharan Africa (3 crs.)
  • IR 272 - Governance and National Security in the Arab World (3 crs.)
  • IR 301 - Intelligence Ethics (3 crs.)
  • IR 303 - Politics of Immigration (3 crs.)
  • IR 315 - Women in Global Conflict (3 crs.)
  • IR 342 - Global Economic Perspectives (3 crs.)
  • IR 345 - Security Ethics (3 crs.)
  • IR 391 - Advanced International Political Economy (3 crs.)
  • IR 405 - Transnational Organized Crime (3 crs.)
  • IR 413W - Human Rights and Human Security: Politics, Policy and Law (3 crs.) 
CYBERSECURITY ELECTIVES - 3 credits
  • IR 404 - Introduction to Information Security (3 crs.)
  • IR 432 - Network Situational Awareness (3 crs.)
  • IR 462 - Applied Threat Systems (3 crs.)
  • IR 464 - Cybersecurity Studies Capstone Project (3 crs.) 
  • IR 470 - Cybersecurity Leadership and Strategy (3 crs.)
GENERAL IR ELECTIVES (including modern foreign language studies)
  • Six (6) credit hours from any IR prefixed courses in the catalogue not already taken, including those above.

Academic Completion of the Program

Required Courses (4) (12) Twelve Hours
Security Electives (3) (9)  Nine Hours
Area Studies Elective (1) (3) Three Hours
Diplomacy Elective (1) (3) Three Hours
Cybersecurity Elective (1) (3) Three Hours
General IR Electives (2) (6) Six Hours
Total (36) Thirty-six hours