Intelligence Studies
About this minor
This minor introduces you to the world of intelligence and security services. 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 cyber and nuclear threats.
What will you learn?
In this minor, you will study how intelligence and security agencies operate, including their structure, methods, and analytical techniques. You will gain insight into how information is collected, threats are assessed, and decisions are supported under uncertainty. The program covers key themes in intelligence studies, including historical intelligence practices, Cold War spy cases, intelligence failures, and the role and oversight of agencies in democratic and authoritarian regimes. You can also focus on contemporary challenges such as cyber intelligence and nuclear proliferation. Guest lecturers, current or former intelligence professionals, researchers, and experts, provide practical examples, allowing you to connect theoretical knowledge to real-world practice.
Structure of the minor
The minor consists of 1 course of 10 ECTS, one course of 5 ECTS, and you have to choose 15 ECTs out of the five 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 and Qualitative Analysis Techniques for Intelligence Studies.
Introduction to Secret Affairs is the only course that is also available as an individual course.