Master’s Program in National Security

Lately, the national security dilemma of contemporary states has been aggravated. This was a result of the increasing internal and external strategic threats and risks. Globalization, information revolution, speed of communications, and interdependence have accompanied the growth of traditional and non-traditional threats and risks to the national security of states in an unprecedented way. At a time when political, security, and military risks persisted, namely armament, arms race, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, organized crime, and separatist movements; new risks such as terrorism, cyber wars, and the militarization of space have emerged. Moreover, economic, health, food, and environmental risks have grown in addition to the spread of epidemics, which have further intertwined the security dilemmas of states at the national, regional, and international levels. Consequently, states and their national institutions, as well as international and specialized organizations, are working to develop and qualify personnel specialized in national security and capable of comprehending and analyzing the complex interrelationships among threats, conflicts, wars, and security in the political, military, cyber, economic, social, health, environmental, and other fields of national security in its comprehensive sense. Thus, these experts specialized in national security are entrusted with the tasks of providing visions, options, and policy-making alternatives by utilizing various scientific and applied tools and methodologies to analyze, evaluate, and forecast national security issues. Therefore, this program has been developed driven by NAUSS mission and in line with the role it plays in the development of specialized personnel and experts in the field of national security.

1 Special Admission Requirements:

Holding a bachelor's degree in any of the following disciplines: security sciences, military sciences, strategic sciences, political sciences, international relations, law, computer science and its branches, or any field deemed by the admissions committee to be closely related to national security.
A minimum of three years of practical experience.
Successful completion of a personal interview.

Graduation Requirements

Successfully completing the required program hours with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.75 out of 5.00 within the specified timeframe necessary to fulfill the requirements for obtaining the academic degree.

Program Classification

Saudi Standard Classification of Occupations - Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development

2 Program Objectives:

Providing training in policy-making aimed at upholding national security and addressing present as well as future strategic threats and risks.
Empowering students to proficiently utilize analytical and practical methodologies and tools to facilitate decision-making processes.
Cultivating and equipping mid-level leaders and specialists with expertise in national security affairs, encompassing both national and international strategic levels.

3 Expected Learning Outcomes:

Demonstrating commitment, seriousness, scientific integrity, objectivity, confidentiality, and professional credibility in executing national security duties.
Utilizing contemporary technologies effectively to aid decision-making processes in national security matters.
Conducting research and producing reports in the realm of national security studies employing scientific methodologies and principles.
Acquiring proficiency in resolving strategic security and intelligence challenges.
Analyzing and tackling strategic security issues and threats such as crisis management, conflict resolution, negotiation tactics, and forecasting concerning national and international security issues.
Interpreting international laws pertaining to international relations, warfare, and conflicts.
Establishing connections between the objectives and methodologies of national security strategies, analyzing and devising policies, and undertaking strategic planning and execution within a dynamically evolving global landscape.

Applying theoretical and conceptual knowledge concerning threats, risk evaluation, national security institutions, and principles and methods pertaining to national security issues across their varied national, regional, and international dimensions.
Demonstrating an advanced comprehension of the strategic underpinnings of national security.

4 Study Plan

#	Course	Credit Hours
1	National Security: Foundations and Concepts	3
2	Intelligence and National Security: Roles and Functions	3
3	Homeland Security	3
4	Research Methodologies in National Security Studies	2
Total		11

#	Course	Credit Hours
1	Cybersecurity and Cyber Warfare	3
2	Terrorism and Counterterrorism	3
3	National Security Policy Making	3
4	Crisis Management and Conflict Resolution	2
5	Seminar on International Law	2
Total		13

#	Course	Credit Hours
1	Seminar on Foreign Policy	2
2	Global Strategic Issues	3
3	Middle Eastern Strategic Issues	3
4	*Regional Studies - (America) Regional Studies - (Europe) Regional Studies - (Asia) Regional Studies - (Africa)	3
Total		11

#	Course	Credit Hours
1	Economic, Social, and Security Issues	3
2	*Regional Strategic Studies - (America) Regional Strategic Studies - (Europe) Regional Strategic Studies - (Asia) Regional Strategic Studies - (Africa)	3
3	Graduation Project in National Security Studies	3
Total		9

5 College of Criminal Justice

College of Criminal Justice; One of the leading colleges in the Arab world in its various specializations. It offers academic programs in the fields of: "Financial Integrity, Criminal Law, Forensic Evidence, Police Sciences, and Security Management", through A group of experts and specialists in the fields of criminal justice, and includes 4 academic departments, offering academic programs in the higher diploma and master’s degrees to prepare competencies and cadres equipped with the latest necessary knowledge, skills, and capabilities,

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6 Security management

This department aims to disseminate administrative and security knowledge and deepen its concepts, theories, and applications among students through outstanding academic programs that aim to develop the theoretical and practical capabilities and skills of leaders and functional cadres from various beneficiary security and civil sectors. Efforts are ongoing to develop and develop related academic programs in line with the university's strategy.

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Master’s Program in National Security