Intelligence Studies
About this minor
You will learn how agencies collect information, analyse threats, and support political decision-making, while exploring intelligence failures, democratic oversight, historical practices, and contemporary challenges such as nuclear proliferation and intelligence operations in authoritarian regimes.
What will you learn?
In this minor programme, you will learn about the structure, working methods, and the analysis techniques used by intelligence and security agencies in the Western world. Furthermore, the programme offers the choice to a specific focus on cyber intelligence, spy cases during the Cold War, intelligence failures, and the position and powers of intelligence services in the democratic legal order.
The minor offers classes from guest lecturers, who either worked or still work in the field of intelligence. Their expertise as (former) employees of the Dutch secret services, as scientific researchers, as business experts, or as other intelligence professionals provides students with a lot of practice examples.
Courses
|
Course |
EC | Block |
| 5 | 1 | |
| 5 | 1 | |
| Choose 20 ECTs out of the following options: | ||
|
The Gatekeepers: secret services in the democratic legal order |
5 | 1 |
| 5 | 1 | |
|
Intelligence and International Relations in Contemporary History |
5 | 2 |
| 5 | 2 | |
| 5 | 2 | |
|
Inside Authoritarian Intelligence: Russia from the Soviet Era to Putin |
5 | 2 |
Structure of the minor
The minor consists of two courses of 5 ECTS, and you have to choose 20 ECTs out of the six courses of 5 ECTS each. The courses take place during the first semester. The semester is divided into two blocks of eight weeks each.
This minor is a consistent package of courses designed to help you build your knowledge in a logical and connected way. It is not possible to follow single courses and the minor needs to be completed in one academic year. However, it is possible for EUR students to choose a 15 EC semi-minor consisting of the two courses, Introduction Secret Affairs, Structured Analytic Techniques 1, and one elective course.
Introduction to Secret Affairs is the only course that is also available as an individual course.