Graduate Certificate in Terrorism Analysis

START offers a fully online, open enrollment Graduate Certificate in Terrorism Analysis through the University of Maryland's Graduate School's Advanced Special Student program.

Program Description
START's Graduate Certificate in Terrorism Analysis provides participants with advanced education on the causes, dynamics, and impacts of international and domestic terrorism. Participants also develop the methodological skills necessary to pursue advanced research on and analysis of terrorism. This program is appropriate for both academicians and practitioners and can be completed in 12 months.

Eligibility
Eligible applicants must have earned a four-year baccalaureate degree from a regionally-accredited U.S. institution, or an equivalent degree at a foreign university. A 3.0 GPA is preferred, but experience may substitute. GRE scores are not required.

Application Information
Interested parties must complete an online application through the University of Maryland's Graduate School, selecting "Terrorism Analysis - Z039" in the drop-down list of programs. To begin the program in Term 3, September 2013, please apply by July 15, 2013. To access information about applying and to apply, visit: http://www.gradschool.umd.edu/gss/admission.html. If you have additional questions, please contact education@start.umd.edu.

Students are required to enroll in four courses:

• Terrorist Motivations and Behaviors
  Offered Term 1: March 1 through May 21.
  This course will provide an introduction to the study of terrorism, focusing on explaining the formation of terrorist groups and the motivations behind terrorist behavior. To do so, it will draw upon theories from social psychology, sociology, political science, criminology, and history. The course will draw heavily from historical examples as well as current examples of international and domestic terrorist groups around the world.


• Societal Impacts of and Responses to Terrorism
  Offered Term 2: June 1 through Aug. 21.
  This course will address the manners in which a variety of different actors respond to both terrorist incidents and the threat of terrorism. The course will examine local responses to terrorist incidents (9/11 and other events) through emergency response organizations, community organizations, and volunteerism. The course will also look at local impacts of terrorism including effects on individual and group attitudes and behaviors. The course will then move to policy decisions made in response to both terrorist attacks and the threat of terrorism, addressing such issues as homeland security planning, border security, and surveillance. Finally, the course will address individual and community recovery from terrorist attacks, looking at such issues as psychological impacts of trauma, historical memory, and effects of disaster on civil society. The goal of the course will be to develop a multifaceted perspective on individual and community resilience in the face of terrorist threats.


• Development of Counterterrorism Policy and Programs
  Offered Term 3: Sept. 1 through Nov. 21.
  This class will explore counterterrorism (CT) policies and policy making since 2001 as well as the programs developed by Departments and Agencies to implement these policies. This course draws from the current policy making process in the Federal government focusing on the National Security Council at the White House. The class will provide insight into Federal Departments and Agencies in the CT community focusing on how they interact in the policy making process, their major CT equities, and how these policies have been translated into real-world programs and applications. The course will challenge the students to consider problems and solutions for homeland and national security not only today, but ten to twenty years from now as well. This course will emphasize the need for students to be creative and forward looking in their analysis and not accept the status quo as the correct answer.


• Research Methods in Terrorism and Counterterrorism
  Offered Term 4: Dec. 1 through Feb. 21.
  This course involves the practical aspect of the role quantitative research methods and statistics play in understanding terrorism by the scientific and intelligence communities. The course should provide students with 1) a basic understanding of the methods of quantitative research available to social scientists studying terrorism, 2) the connection between information and data, and 3) how to make sense out of a body of data. It will cover a variety of design issues, methodological issues and analytic techniques. The techniques provide a springboard for the discussion of important methodological issues: the relationship between theory and data, the logic of inference, causality, data collection, model specification, standardized versus unstandardized data and many others.
  Prerequisite(s): Motivations and Intents of Terrorists and Terrorist Groups; OR Societal Impacts of, and Responses to Terrorism; OR Development of Counterterrorism Policy and Programs

In order to complete the program, students must complete all four of the courses above. We do not allow substitutions or transfers credits for any of these courses.

All the courses are taught online in a synchronous format. This means you will be required to attend the classes at the times scheduled. Classes are usually scheduled for once a week and start after 5 p.m. EST to accommodate students who work full time.

Tuition
Initial application fee: $75
Tuition per course: $2,100

Please note: Students are responsible for purchasing their own books, software, and other supplies as required by each instructor. Students may be required to pay additional UMD student fees (which range from around $50-100 per course).

FAQs

Q: In the Educational Intent portion of the application, which semester should I choose on the Semester of Entrance drop-down menu?
A: If you would like to begin the program during Term 1 (applications due January 15), select Spring 2013. To begin the program in Term 2 (applications due April 15), select Summer I 2013. If you would like to begin the program in Term 3 (applications due July 15), choose Fall 2013

Q: If I am accepted to the program, would I be considered a full-time student?
A: No. All students in the Graduate Certificate program are considered part-time students.

Q: I live in Maryland. Will I be charged in-state tuition even though the program is online?
A: No. In-state residency will not affect the cost of tuition for this program. All students will pay $2,100 per course.

Q: Do I need to submit ACT, SAT, GRE, or any other standardized test scores?
A: No. The Graduate Certificate program does not require any standardized test scores.

Q: I have submitted the General Application. Do I need to complete the Application Supplemental Form (ASF)?
A: Yes. All applicants must complete the ASF. You must complete the Personal Statement portion and upload your resume into the Upload Documents portion of the form.

Q: What documents will I be expected to submit for the application?
A: The following:

1. Official Transcripts for all university-level coursework
2. A personal statement
3. A resume
4. Two recommendations

Q: I cannot apply or missed the deadline for Term 1. Do I have to wait an entire year to apply for the program?
A: No. You may apply for the Graduate Certificate program at any point in the program. You may also take the courses out of sequence. However, the only requirement is that you take at least one course prior to enrolling in Research Methods in Terrorism and Counterterrorism.

Q: Will I ever need to come to the University of Maryland Campus?
A: No. The program is entirely online. Instructors often teach from locations all over the country.

Q: Will I be required to buy books for the courses?
A: Yes. The instructors often require the students to buy at least one book. The book list for each course may change from one year to the next, but students will be informed prior to the course starting, what books they will need to purchase. Instructors may make other readings available online.

Please direct questions to education@start.umd.edu.

top