Program Codes:
BAINTEL
Bachelor of Arts
Mission Statement
It is the mission of the Department of Intelligence Studies to produce graduates who are skilled in utilizing a variety of sources of data and analytic techniques to lead the collaborative development of high-quality written and oral analytic intelligence products that, in service toward a just world, inform decision-makers, thereby fostering an appreciation for the dignity of work and commitment to serving others.
To be recommended for graduation, the student must have a minimum overall GPA of 3.0. No courses listed under the major course requirements may be taken on a pass-fail basis. In addition, students who earn a grade of D+ or lower in any major course must repeat that course. Students must be aware that future employment often requires intensive background investigations, and any conduct deemed significantly unethical, illegal, or unprofessional may result in that student failing to achieve employment in the field regardless of his/her academic record. The College shall conduct an annual review of the academic progress of all students enrolled in the program. Any student whose GPA falls below 3.0 or who might otherwise exhibit behavior that is not conducive to ensuring employment in his/her field will be placed on probation or removed from the program, depending on the outcome of the review.
This course introduces to fundamental concepts in computer science. Topics include: problem solving, algorithm development, computer programming in a high level language, debugging programs, abstract data types, variables, assignment, loops, conditionals, functions. Students who have successfully completed MATH 146 should not take this course.
For students in any discipline wishing to develop data science skills. We will examine several aspects of the data science workflow, including transformation of data, exploration of data, data modeling, and data visualization. Participants will gain experience with a variety of data science technology. Possible topics include basic programming, data visualization, and machine learning.
This course introduces students to concepts in cyber security including: fundamentals of secure policy design: least privilege, fail-safe defaults, separation, minimize trust, economy of mechanism, minimize common mechanism, least astonishment, open design, layering, abstraction, modularity, linkage, interaction, social engineering attacks, cybersecurity user education, sensitive personal data, indentifying and documenting security requirements for software and systems.
This course provides the context for understanding open-source intelligence research and collection concepts, tradecraft, and toolsets. Students will study key terminology, policies, and tools related to the practice of OSINT: Research and collection, managed attribution, collection plans, risk assessments, mitigation of technical and topical risks, government and law enforcement regulations, private sector regulations, and information (INFOSEC) and operational(OPSEC) security. Students will learn how to properly develop managed attribution plans, key words lists, and
translation procedures. Students will become familiarized with all tools provided to them through Ridge College. This course will serve as a foundational course for higher level RIAP courses.
This course introduces students to the fundamentals of effective intelligence writing and presentation. Emphasis is placed on the variety of forms of intelligence writing, briefing styles, and evaluations of intelligence products for form and substance, and application of numerous advanced analytical techniques.
RIAP 178
This course is an introduction to law enforcement intelligence definitions, agencies, and methodologies of analysis. It reviews the mission and roles of the crime analyst at the local, state and federal levels.
This course is divided into three parallel tracks covering strategic theory, the practice of strategic intelligence, and the application of those principles to a "real life" problem. Analysts will participate throughout the course as a member of a group in a large-scale estimative project.
RIAP 275 or RIAP 280
Must complete four (4) courses, twelve (12) credits.
This course focuses on the procedures utilized in the location, documentation, recovery, and analysis of natural evidence found at the outdoor crime scene. This is inclusive of entomological, botanical, archaeological and taphonomical evidence.
FRSC-242 OR ANTH-242
FRSC 301
Short Title : AMERICAN MILITARY HISTORY
Active Term : Spring Term / All Years
Course Code : RIAP 303
Course Description :
This course covers the basics of the U.S. military history experience from the colonial period through contingency operations of the 1990s. This course will employ American military history as a tool for studying military professionalism and for applying critical thinking skills and decision-making skills to military problems. This course provides both the historical foundation and context for service in today's military and a kind of survey course preparing students for future study in military history and heritage.
Short Title : WARFARE&MILITARY INTELL
Active Term : Spring Term / All Years
Course Code : RIAP 305
Course Description :
This course explores the role of intelligence in the conduct and prosecution of armed conflict. The course traces the evolution of modern military organizations and the use of intelligence in the success or failure of these organizations. Current intelligence practices and methods employed by the U.S. military are also discussed.
Short Title : SPECIAL TOPICS
Active Term : Randomly / Randomly
Course Code : RIAP 310
Course Description :
This course allows students to pursue a specific area of interest that augments their analysis experience. Topics vary. Past topics have included data visualization, geospatial intelligence and intelligence collection.
Short Title : COLLECT OPER INTEL ANALYST
Active Term : Spring Term / All Years
Course Code : RIAP 311
Course Description :
This course is designed to help young analysts appreciate the difficulties and capabilities of various intelligence collection assets. Students will gain an appreciation of and familiarization with various techniques from each of the major collection disciplines including open source intelligence, human intelligence, signals intelligence, measurements and signatures intelligence and geospatial intelligence.
Short Title : CINEMATIC MIRROR INTL FILM
Active Term : Randomly / Randomly
Course Code : RIAP 316
Course Description :
This course takes an historical approach to the depiction of various manifestations of "intelligence" in film, spanning over eight decades of filmmaking in different countries.
Short Title : ADV LAW ENFORCEMENT INTEL
Active Term : Spring Term / Randomly
Course Code : RIAP 320
Course Description :
This course will enable students to understand the crime intelligence function in a variety of organization types, including traditional law enforcement agencies on all levels, the private sector, international organizations and non-government entities that apply overt and covert collection, as well as advanced intelligence analytical techniques to address and counter issues of a criminal nature through production of threat assessments and target profiles.
Prerequisites :
RIAP-276
Short Title : LAWÐICS LAW ENFRC INTEL
Active Term : Randomly / Randomly
Course Code : RIAP 321
Course Description :
The Law and Ethics of Law Enforcement Intelligence course builds upon the prerequisite introduction course of RIAP 276. The class will explore the governing laws, rules and regulations plus ethics associated with law enforcement intelligence.
Prerequisites :
RIAP 276
Course Code : RIAP 322
Course Description :
The Applied Methodologies for Law Enforcement Intelligence course builds upon the prerequisite introduction course of RIAP 276. The class will learn and apply advanced applied structured analytical methodologies commonly utilized in law enforcement intelligence.
Prerequisites :
RIAP 276
Active Term : Spring / Even Years
Course Code : RIAP 340
Course Description :
Human intelligence (HUMINT) is conducted by the intelligence community, by law enforcement, and by competitive intelligence practitioners in the private sector. Students will learn about the
historic role played by human intelligence (HUMINT), both now and in the past. Students will learn about overt and clandestine HUMINT, and what techniques are appropriate, legal, and ethical in each. Students will gain an understanding of what motivates people to spy, and what it is like to live as a clandestine HUMINT asset. Students willlearn skills necessary to perform HUMINT
collection, such as active listening, rapport building, body language, and elicitation. Students will take a Myers-Briggs exam and learn about their own personalities and preferred
communication techniques. Students will apply their newly acquired HUMINT skills in several realistic exercises during the course.
Short Title : HOMELAND SECURITY
Active Term : Randomly / Randomly
Course Code : RIAP 341
Course Description :
This course provides historical context for understanding the evolution of homeland securityconcepts, strategies, and threats. Students will study key initiatives, legislation, and challenges related to the issues of terrorism, natural disasters, immigration and border security, transportation safety, critical infrastructure protection, and emergency preparedness and response. Students will learn about the current structures, functions, and coordination of government agencies responsible for these respective areas.
Short Title : ADVANCED COMPETITIVE INTEL
Active Term : Spring Term / All Years
Course Code : RIAP 365
Course Description : This course encompasses a more in-depth perspective of competitive and market intelligence utilizing additional analytical tools and methodology. Advanced models and techniques are applied to a term-long industry project and a final report is compiled at the end of the course. Teams representing companies within the industry participate in a stock market exercise, scenario analysis and war gaming to gain experience in the dynamics and workings of the business environment. 3 credits.
Short Title : AML: CNTRTERRORISM FINANCING
Active Term : Randomly / Odd Years
Course Code : RIAP 370
Course Description :
This course introduces students to the concept of Anti-Money Laundering and counterterrorism-financing: its definitions, origins and strategies. The course details how understanding terrorist financing is cogent for governments, NGOs, and business clients regarding compliance with international and domestic financial laws. An empirical approach will be used to examine issues such as terrorist cash-producing ventures, diaspora support, charities, fraudulent businesses, front companies, and money laundering as well as "dark activities" including kidnapping for ransom, robbery, smuggling, trafficking, and extortion. Finally, the class will look at mechanisms for combating terrorism financing.
Active Term : Fall
Course Code : RIAP 371
Course Description :
In recent years, adversarial nation states like Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea have each sought to challenge the United States and its Western allies through unconventional methods
intended to achieve strategic objectives using techniques other than war. Non-state actors, such as terror groups, have also achieved strategic objectives in this way. This course will begin by introducing students to the concept of Gray Zone conflict and Gray Zone strategies. The course will examine and differentiate between Gray Zone conflict, asymmetric and hybrid warfare, and consider how Technological advances enabled the rise of each. Information operations and information warfare will be examined, as well as fake news and the role that critical infrastructure plays as a Gray Zone battlespace. Not only will Russian, Chinese, and Iranian Gray Zone strategies and behavior be examined, but also the unique factors contributing to them in each of those three countries. Finally, the course will conclude by examining some of the legal and ethical challenges that Gray Zone conflicts present to liberal democracies and consider some of the intelligence challenges posed by Gray Zone conflict.
Short Title : TERRORISM
Active Term : Spring Term / All Years
Course Code : RIAP 372
Course Description :
This course fosters an understanding of the roots, development and impact of contemporary worldwide terrorism, especially in the United States, while using a simulated operational environment.
Short Title : HISTORY OF INTELLIGENCE
Active Term : Randomly / Randomly
Course Code : RIAP 374
Course Description :
This course examines the scope, elements and history of intelligence activities, especially the American experience. Particular attention is paid to the role of intelligence in a democratic society.
Short Title : GEOSPATIAL INTELLIGENCE
Active Term : All Terms / All Years
Course Code : RIAP 395
Course Description :
This course will cover topics related to the collection, exploitation and analysis of geospatial information and imagery. The focus of the course will be on how to use software and knowledge of geospatial concepts to respond to a variety intelligence requirements that arise from fields that range from military and law enforcement to business, humanitarian issues, and other security issues. The emphasis is on the choice and application of appropriate methods for the analysis of the spatial and imagery data often encountered in the various intelligence disciplines.
Short Title : CONTEMP LEADERSHIP INTEL
Active Term : Randomly / Randomly
Course Code : RIAP 415
Course Description :
This course examines organizational leadership in the context of intelligence organizations and units. Historically, the execution of intelligence leadership within the Intelligence Community will be analyzed and the impact of leadership on the intelligence process will be evaluated. Students will explore leadership styles, principles, and models, in addition to developing a personal sense of how to lead groups and how to lead change within an organization. Contemporary issues and ethical challenges facing intelligence leaders will be explored; particularly how leadership decisions impact organizations, staff, morale, and public perception of intelligence organizations.
Short Title : ADV ANALYTIC TECHNIQUES
Active Term : Randomly / Randomly
Course Code : RIAP 420
Course Description :
This course is designed to provide an opportunity for students to explore techniques emerging from the intelligence community and physical and social sciences and apply those techniques to intelligence problems. Focusing on a variety of techniques from a variety of disciplines, this course will expose an advanced student to new and potentially useful methods for conducting intelligence analysis.
Short Title : GRAND STRATEGY/PLAN&INTEL
Active Term : Randomly / Randomly
Course Code : RIAP 435
Course Description : This course examines the theory and practice of grand strategy and how intelligence informs the process of forming and executing it. Beginning with a historical view of grand strategy from the post-Napoleonic War period (1815-1914), the course then covers Interwar and Cold War grand strategy, post-Cold War grand strategy and American grand strategy today in the age of terror. The course concludes with workshops on strategy formulation and a real-life simulation of a crisis event in which students are expected to discern, formulate, and implement an American grand strategy of their own.
Short Title : KNOW CUST/CUST DUE DILLIGENCE
Active Term : Randomly / Randomly
Course Code : RIAP 440
Course Description : This course will advance students' understanding of anti-money laundering by integrating Know Your Customer (KYC) and Due Dilligence (DD) concepts. Students will develop an understanding of the types of due dilligence, the policies required for KYC, and the factors that differentiate practices around the world.
Short Title : NONPROLIFERATION ANALYSIS
Active Term : Spring Term / All Years
Course Code : RIAP 449
Course Description : Students in this course will examine the many aspects of nonproliferation. Topics will include basic physics, the nuclear fuel cycle, the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Additional Protocol, safeguards (including an overview of verification techniques and the use of open-source information), export control, proliferation incentives (and disincentives), nonproliferation trends, and nuclear terrorism. Two case studies will explore the nuclear black market and proliferation.
Short Title : INTEL STUDIES INTERNSHIP
Active Term : Randomly / Randomly
Course Code : RIAP 475
Course Description : Students engage in a period of employment (minimum of 200 hours) as an intelligence analyst with a government, international agency or corporation during which certain experience objectives must be met.
Students must complete four RIAP electives for 12 credit hours.
Must complete four (4) courses, twelve (12) credits; courses may be from the same category.
(must select either language track or computer track)
Complete Three (3) Courses. Students pursuing the language requirement are required to complete three (3) language courses, of which at least two (2) must be a language, and within the same prefix.
Complete Three (3) Courses