Master of Arts in Security and Intelligence Studies — Arlington
The Master of Arts in Security and Intelligence Studies program prepares you to take a leadership role in the security field. You’ll be ready to anticipate and lead responses to security threats in an ever-changing, challenging global environment.
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Overview
Global security continues to be an evolving and critical issue facing countries, companies, and communities. Successful security and intelligence experts need to possess the critical thinking and problem-solving skills to effectively lead in responding to today’s challenging threat environment.
The Master of Arts in Security and Intelligence Studies program offers a unique interdisciplinary approach that merges security, law, diplomacy, politics, and constitutional rights to create well-rounded security leaders. You’ll gain and hone skills in intelligence collection and dissemination, analysis, research, threat assessment, and evaluation of information and policy development while focusing on the importance of civil liberties in pursuing security in civil society.
While this program is offered on campus, most of your classes will be taken online, allowing you to work with an extended network of students who participate in our different modalities.
You will be learning from security experts, each with at least 20 years of teaching and real-world experience. They’ll share their experiences as constitutional lawyers, White House advisers, CIA operatives, military intelligence officers, and more.
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Unique Features
- Benefit from a unique multidisciplinary approach that merges security leadership skills and an understanding of civil liberties.
- Learn from faculty security experts who bring their real-world experience as constitutional lawyers, White House advisers, CIA operatives, military intelligence officers, and more to the classroom.
- Gain a whole-of-government approach to security studies with a set of required foundational courses and a broad range of electives to choose from.
- Focus your degree with three tracks: Corporate Security Management, Homeland Security and Emergency Management, and Strategic Intelligence and Analysis
- While this program is offered on campus, most of your classes will be taken online, allowing you to work with an extended network of students who participate in our different modalities.
Career Outlook
The program prepares students for security roles such as intelligence analyst, special agent, information security officer, corporate security specialist and manager, criminal investigator, or fraud investigator.
About the Campus
In Arlington—a hub of technical innovation, security, defense, and policy—we partner with government, industry, and nonprofits to prepare learners for leadership in jobs of the future.
We’re centrally located in the heart of the National Capital Region in Rosslyn, one of Arlington County’s most vibrant neighborhoods, at 17th Street North in the Arlington Tower. Our campus space features state-of-the-art flexible learning spaces and areas to collaborate, study, network with peers or employers, and host or attend community events. Additionally, the building includes a rooftop gathering space with stunning views of Arlington, VA, and Washington, DC. The campus is also home to the Kostas Research Institute for Homeland Security.
Northeastern's signature experience-powered learning model has been at the heart of the university for more than a century. It combines world-class academics with professional practice, allowing you to acquire relevant, real-world skills you can immediately put into action in your current workplace.
This makes a Northeastern education a dynamic, transformative experience, giving you countless opportunities to grow as a professional and person.
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Cost and Tuition
Tuition
Estimated Total Tuition
This is an estimate based on the tuition rates for Academic Year 2024-2025 and does not include any fees or other expenses. Some courses and labs have tuition rates that may increase or decrease total tuition. Tuition and fees are subject to revision by the president and Board of Trustees at any time. Select programs at select campuses offer additional scholarships of up to 25% off the listed price for domestic students studying on campus. For more detailed information, please visit Student Financial Services.
For students interested in pursuing financial assistance or educational loans, additional educational costs, known as Cost of Attendance (COA) components, can be included in the calculation of aid and loan eligibility. Components may include food, housing, books, course materials, supplies, equipment, transportation, personal expenses, and the cost of obtaining a first professional licensure. You can find comprehensive details on the Student Financial Services website. Please keep in mind that COA can vary significantly depending on academic program, enrollment intensity, and individual circumstances.
Application Deadlines
Our admissions process operates on a rolling basis; however, we do recommend the application guidelines below to ensure you can begin during your desired start term:
Domestic Application Guidelines
International Application Guidelines*
*International deadlines are only applicable if the program is F1 compliant.
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