Applied Intelligence
Defend our national security and economic interests using advanced analytic techniques and artificial intelligence.
Our national security and economic landscapes are changing at a rapid pace. New technology and intensifying geopolitical competition require education that anticipates and recognizes these changes and prepares graduates to succeed in a dynamic future.
We graduate in-demand, entry-level analysts skilled in using the advanced analytic tools to support the continually evolving intelligence profession. Graduates will gain experience preparing assessments based on the collection, correlation, and analysis of intelligence data for employers in both government and private sectors, including business, law enforcement, national security, and the military.
This unique and academically challenging multidisciplinary program provides intelligence courses to meet the growing demands of national security and the private sector, using advanced analytic tools to proactively address emerging concerns in cybersecurity, economic security, health security, environmental security, and related domains.
The Ridge Department of Intelligence Studies trains students to analyze publicly available, or “open-source,†data and apply those skills in classified environments.
Through ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ’s Master’s in Applied Intelligence, students gain the theoretical and practical foundations needed to pursue careers as applied intelligence analysts and leaders in the government and industries, including agencies such as the FBI and CIA.
ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ University’s Ridge Department of Intelligence Studies is the originator of intelligence education at the university level and has been preparing intelligence analysts since 1992. ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ’s Master’s in Applied Intelligence program emphasizes hands-on experience through real intelligence casework prior to graduation, equipping students with the knowledge, skills, and abilities they can apply directly in professional intelligence job roles.
Worldwide demand for skilled analysts will continue to grow in the coming decade — you will stand out with a degree from our internationally recognized Intelligence program. Our newly launched Intelligence Studies Advisory Board (ISAB) connects the university’s academic community to the evolving intelligence profession.
Program Overview
Location(s): Online or on campus
Credits: 34-36
Duration: Minimum 21 months
Cost: $1,094 per credit; $39,000 total
Start term(s): On campus – Fall; online – Fall or spring
As the originator of intelligence education at the university level, ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ has been preparing intelligence analysts for more than 25 years. Our comprehensive graduate program prepares you for employment in a variety of settings with an unparalleled, sophisticated skillset related to research, writing, and communication.
The program’s applied focus ensures that students will experience real intelligence case work before graduating. This concrete experience leads to strong job placement and/or career advancement for our alumni. Our more than 2,200 intelligence alumni currently work in every branch of the government, more than a dozen Fortune 500 companies, and countless organizations committed to using intelligence analysis to their advantage for security or profit.
What is Applied Intelligence?
Applied intelligence uses the power of analytics to extract actionable insights from the vast amounts of data that currently exist in organizations. These insights help identify and forecast behavior and trends more quickly by enabling earlier discovery. Applied intelligence draws on multiple disciplines, including science and technology, mathematics, social science, and the humanities, to analyze complex problems and inform decision-making.
A Focus on Research and Experience
ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ is focused on real-world application, which means you will have many opportunities to gain actual professional work experience — even before you graduate. In addition to enhancing your skills and knowledge, you will also build professional connections that help you get a head start on your career while earning your Master’s in Applied Intelligence.
Learning Outcomes
Our Master’s in Applied Intelligence degree is designed to give you a competitive edge, preparing you to:
- Interpret the theory and history of the intelligence discipline
- Apply critical thinking skills to ‘real world’ issues
- Appraise collected data/information using a variety of analytic techniques and methodologies
- Prepare analytic products in written, oral, visual, and/or multimedia formats
- Devise open source research and collection management practices
- Facilitate and manage intelligence processes and practices
- Produce research in the intelligence field
- Apply methodologies, theories, and research skills to develop integrated, cohesive strategies that help organizations to achieve common shared goals and/or resolve intelligence, research, or market research problems
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While internships are not required in our program, we highly recommend students take advantage of this exceptional opportunity to gain hands-on experience. To earn academic credit, students must complete a minimum of 200 hours as an intelligence analyst with a government agency, international agency, or corporation.
Career Outcomes
The past 20 years have seen a rise in applied intelligence jobs across public, private, and government sectors. Here are just a few of the career paths graduates of ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ's Master's in Applied Intelligence program will be prepared to pursue:
- Intelligence analysts
- Intelligence officers
- Special agents
- Social media analysts
- Anti-money laundering
- Market research analysts
- Threat intelligence analysts
- Police officers
- Management consultants
- Cyber security threat analysts
- Business continuity analysts
Graduates of our applied intelligence programs work for many government agencies and more than a dozen Fortune 500 companies, including:
- Central Intelligence Agency
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Defense Intelligence Agency
- National Security Agency
- Booz Allen Hamilton
- Northrop Grumman
- JP Morgan Chase
- Johnson & Johnson
- Nike
- Disney
- Wells Fargo
- Procter & Gamble
- PricewaterhouseCoopers
- U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine CorpsÂ
Center for Intelligence, Research, Analysis, and Training (CIRAT)
Our Center for Intelligence, Research, Analysis, and Training (CIRAT) program works to hone and professionalize the skills of students in Intelligence Studies and Computer Information Science programs. As a nonprofit arm of ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ, CIRAT develops opportunities with business and government entities through contracts, grants, and academic partnerships. In-person students of all academic levels can participate in CIRAT to apply their skills in a variety of collaborative intelligence and data-driven projects. By participating in CIRAT, ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ students gain a competitive edge; upon graduation, they already possess applicable, hands-on experience supporting national security organizations, U.S. government agencies, private sector businesses, and more.
Innovation Entente Lab (IEL)
Students can participate in the Innovation Entente Lab (IEL) to provide a competitive business intelligence approach in conducting key research and the collection of data necessary to help entrepreneurs and small businesses achieve an understanding of their market, industry, and competitive landscape. Students working within the IEL take what they have learned in the classroom and apply it to real-world experiences.
Rooted in ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ University’s mission to educate and inspire individuals through faith, reason, and values-based leadership, the Intelligence Studies Advisory Board (ISAB) connects the university’s academic community to the evolving intelligence profession. The ISAB strengthens ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ’s leadership in applied intelligence by championing ethical practice, innovative problem-solving, and cutting-edge analysis across intelligence, cybersecurity, and global security fields.
- Completed (free) online application.
- A bachelor’s degree in any discipline from an accredited school with a preferred overall minimum GPA of 3.0.
- Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions you have attended.
- A current resume.
- A 500- to 750-word personal statement outlining your reasons for enrolling and personal and professional goals.
- Two letters of recommendation from professional or academic sources (such as employers or professors).
- International applicants whose records are written in a language other than English must have their documents translated into English and a notarized statement attesting to the accuracy of the translations.
- International applicants whose primary language is not English must attain a TOEFL score of at least 69 on the internet-based exam OR an IELTS score of at least 5.8 OR a Duolingo English Test score of no less than 100.
Prospective applicants for the Master of Science in Applied Intelligence must fulfill the following admissions requirements. At the discretion of the director of the intelligence graduate program, acceptance may be granted to applicants who have not fulfilled all the admissions requirements, provided they agree to the conditions of the acceptance prescribed by the director.
Admissions decisions are made by the program director on a rolling basis after a holistic review. Applicants can choose to start in either the fall (preferred for students in the on-campus program) or spring semesters.
An M.S. in Applied Intelligence with ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ can open new doors to positions in a variety of government or private sector organizations. Whether you are ready to apply now or want to discover more, we are here to help you.
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Explore Financial Aid
Earn an affordable master’s degree in Applied Intelligence with competitive per-credit costs. Visit our Graduate Cost and Financial Aid webpage or contact us at gpadmissions@mercyhurst.edu or 814-824-3351.
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Ted Stanich
Executive Director, Department of Intelligence Studies
Dr. Fred Hoffman
Chair, Department of Intelligence Studies
Office: CAE 307
Andrea Grady
Program Manager
Office: CAE 305
Jenna RosciszewskiÂ
Assistant Director of Graduate and Professional Admissions
Meet the Faculty
Intelligence Studies
Joseph Morris, D.A.
Dean, School of Intelligence, Computing, and Global Politics; Chair, Department of Political Science; Professor
Craig S. Fleisher, Ph.D.
Affiliate Faculty; Board of Trustees (Academic Affairs, Advancement, Mission); Thesis Course Director for M.S. in Applied Intelligence
