Terrorism Studies Certificate/Specialization

Study with experts to gain professional training in the study of extremist groups and states that employ the tactics of terrorism, and in the policy tools available to counter terrorism. This program is only available in person.

Overview

You will take terrorism-related courses, seminars, and workshops taught by Middlebury Institute faculty who are recognized internationally for their expertise on terrorism and ideological extremism. The program focuses on the study of violence-prone extremist groups and individuals, including why some actors turn to violence, the historical evolution and operational methods of such actors, and potential tools for combating terrorism.

Certificate or Specialization

If you are currently enrolled in a Middlebury Institute degree program, you can add the specialization.

If you are not enrolled in one of our degree programs, you can apply to the standalone certificate.

Curriculum

The certificate/specialization consists of 16 credits.

Required courses (4 credits)

All students in the program must complete the following:

  • Introduction to Terrorism

Electives (12 credits)

Students must complete at least 12 credits of advanced courses and/or workshops from the following list. Some courses are not available every semester or year, and this list may be updated periodically. Review the projected course availability for the MA in Nonproliferation and Terrorism Studies and the MA in Threat Intelligence to see when the courses below are expected to be offered.

  • International Security Research and Analysis
  • Introduction to Intelligence*
  • Global Politics
  • US National Security Policymaking
  • Open Source Tools for NPTS
  • Fundamentals of Cyber Security
  • Cyber Warfare*
  • Cyber Crime*
  • Transnational Crime and Terrorism
  • Human Trafficking
  • Political Violence in Latin America
  • Emergency Response to Terrorism
  • Drones and Surveillance
  • Counterterrorism
  • Countering Violent Extremism
  • Corruption
  • Global Jihadism
  • Deterring and Influencing Terrorism and WMD
  • Terror and Counterterrorism in Africa
  • Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Terrorism
  • Current Trends in Terrorism Research
  • Terrorism in South Asia
  • Security and Violence in Southeast Asia
  • Terrorism Financing

* Note that if you are enrolled in the MA in Threat Intelligence, these core courses for your master’s program cannot also count toward the Terrorism Studies specialization.

Tuition

If you take 12–16 credits in a semester, you will be charged the full-time rate.

If you take 11 or fewer credits in a semester, you will be charged at the per-credit rate:

Visit our tuition page for details of each rate.

How to Apply

If you are applying to the standalone certificate, you should have a recent undergraduate or advanced degree in international relations, political science, law, or related fields. Those with prior professional work experience and/or select coursework in nonproliferation, terrorism studies, international security, or related fields may also apply. Visit the How to Apply page for the MA in Nonproliferation and Terrorism Studies for additional requirements, but please note that the following are not required for applicants to the certificate program:

  • Admissions interview
  • Second language proficiency

Current degree-seeking students interested in the specialization do not need to apply. You should speak to your academic advisor about declaring the specialization and using electives to take the appropriate courses.

Questions