Intelligence and National Security
PIC841
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To enrol in this unit, you must be accepted into a course from the provider.
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Level of study: What does Postgraduate mean?
Postgraduate
EFTSL: What does EFTSL mean?
0.125
Delivery Method: What does delivery method mean?
Fully Online
Prerequisites: What are the prerequisites?
No
Availability: What is a Session?
For enrolment (2012):- -
- -
- Sess 3
- -
- -
- Sess 3
Duration:
13 weeks
Government loans available:
FEE-HELP FEE-HELP
Fee: Fees (current and planned)
- Domestic student fee:
- $2,568.00 (AUD)
- International student fee:
- $2,793.00 (AUD)
Description
This unit examines the role of intelligence in a national security environment. The unit presents a framework for the effective, efficient and rigorous production and utilisation of intelligence analysis product in support of national security. The basic tenet informing teaching in the unit is that intelligence is a support function that ensures the safety, security and quality of life within a nation. The principal focus will be on issues that constitute actual and potential threats to national security in Australia and internationally in this century and the role of intelligence in responding to these threats.
Enrolment Restriction
In order to enrol in this unit, you must be accepted into one of the following courses:
- Postgraduate Certificate of International Security Studies
- Postgraduate Diploma of International Security Studies
- Master of International Security Studies
- Postgraduate Certificate of Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism
- Postgraduate Diploma of Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism
- Master of Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism
- Master of International Security Studies / Master of Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism
If you wish to seek approval to enrol in this unit without being accepted in a course, please contact OUA regarding the process.
Learning Outcomes
At the completion of this unit students will be able to:
- identify and critically analyse issues that constitute actual and potential threats to national security
- critically examine specific issues perceived as national and international threats to national security in Australia
- critically evaluate the functions, roles and responsibilities of intelligence organisations and personnel in the pursuit of national security in Australia
- determine and critically evaluate how the roles of intelligence agencies are changing, understand the issues surrounding intelligence sharing in a national security environment and the tension between intelligence agencies and law enforcement
- display engagement with the field of intelligence studies through the examination and exploration of critical texts, concepts and theories relating to the field;
- investigate a substantial body of intelligence studies literature
- demonstrate higher order communication skills including the ability to present sustained and persuasive written arguments cogently and coherently
- demonstrate higher order critical analytical and integrative thinking
- model research skills, particularly the ability to select appropriately, to integrate knowledge from diverse sources, to evaluate its significance and relevance, synthesise material and present findings logically, rationally and lucidly.
Topics
This unit addresses the following topics.
| Number | Topic |
|---|---|
| 1 | The intelligence cycle |
| 2 | The post Cold War transformation of intelligence |
| 3 | Collecting against asymmetric threats |
| 4 | International vs domestic intelligence agencies |
| 5 | Law enforcement and intelligence |
| 6 | Intelligence sharing: cooperation and competition among agencies |
| 7 | Analysing, assessing and warning the terrorism threat |
| 8 | Cyber terrorism, cyber crime and terrorist financing |
| 9 | Combating terrorism through intelligence liaisons |
| 10 | Assessing the CBRN threat from terrorist and criminal organisations |
| 11 | Military intelligence and counterinsurgency |
| 12 | Information operations and counter-radicalisation |
| 13 | Questioning the intelligence overhaul |
Study Resources
This unit is delivered using the following methods and materials:
Instructional Methods
- Discussion Forum/Discussion Board
- Online assignment submission
Print based materials
- Book of Readings
- Welcome Letter
Textbook information for this unit is currently being updated and will be available soon. Please check back regularly for updates. Alternatively, visit the Unibooks website and enter the unit details to search for available textbooks.
Relevant Courses
This unit is an approved elective in the following courses:
- Postgraduate Certificate of International Security Studies, Macquarie University
- Postgraduate Diploma of International Security Studies, Macquarie University
- Master of International Security Studies, Macquarie University
- Postgraduate Certificate of Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism, Macquarie University
- Postgraduate Diploma of Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism, Macquarie University
- Master of Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism, Macquarie University
- Master of International Security Studies / Master of Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism, Macquarie University
This unit may be eligible for credit towards other courses:
- Many undergraduate courses on offer through OUA include 'open elective' where any OUA unit can be credited to the course. You need to check the Award Requirements on the course page for the number of allowed open electives and any level limitations.
- In other cases, the content of this unit might be relevant to a course on offer through OUA or elsewhere. In order to receive credit for this unit in the course you will need to supply the provider institution with a copy of the Unit Profile in the approved format, which you can download here. Note that the Unit Profile is set at the start of the year, and if textbooks change this may not match the Unibooks textbook list.
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