START is hosting four online information sessions in October on its Graduate Certificate in Terrorism Analysis. Now in its 10th year, the program has educated more than 200 students from a wide range of organizations and backgrounds, including practitioners at the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, defense contractors and nonprofits, as well as graduate students from various universities and educators from several school districts.
The program is comprised of four online, synchronous courses allowing students the opportunity interact with their instructors and classmates in an online classroom environment. All students complete two core courses, “Terrorist Motivations and Behaviors” and “Societal Impacts of and Responses to Terrorism.” These courses provide an introduction to the study of terrorism, including group formation, and the motivations behind terrorist behavior, as well as how society responds to terrorist incidents as well as the impacts of terrorism.
Upon completing those core classes, students select a research methods course; one course focuses on quantitative methods and the other on qualitative methods. During these courses students will become familiar with data analysis pertaining to terrorism and related topics. Finally, students have two elective courses to choose from: “Legal and Criminal Approaches to Counterterrorism” or “Countering Violent Extremism: Policy and Practice.” The electives allow students to tailor their experience in the program to their specific interests, future plans and background.
Applications to the program are accepted twice a year; the next application deadline is Jan. 12, 2019.
To be considered for admission, potential candidates must have earned a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university with at least a 3.0 grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) and experience, education, and/or substantial interest in terrorism and counterterrorism studies and research.
For more information about the program, entry requirements and to apply visit: http://www.start.umd.edu/education/graduate-certificate-online. Or participate in an online information session:
- October 1, 5:30pm ET
- October 8, 12noon ET
- October 16, 5:30pm ET
- October 18, 12noon ET
RSVP to education-start@umd.edu to participate.