New Master’s Degree Concentration Unlocks Critical Security Studies Education

Born out of research by counterterrorism experts, the Interdisciplinary Security Studies (ISS) concentration is a much-needed solution for strengthening the security workforce.

UNO’s ISS training covers six core competencies: analytical writing, communication, critical thinking and reasoning methods, collaboration, project management, and basic technology. These competencies were determined by researchers at the National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, and Education Center (NCITE).

NCITE is a Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence for terrorism prevention and counterterrorism research based at UNO’s Scott Campus. A research team led by Michelle Black discovered a lack of standardized education and clarity of core competencies across the intelligence community workforce atmosphere. This divide created tension – both among the security professionals seeking further education and the employers seeking qualified candidates.

Through interviews with employers at federal agencies, detailed literature reviews, and examinations of existing government guidance documents, the research team identified the most sought-after core competencies for security analysts. Faculty members at UNO recognized that these competencies already aligned with the curriculum and vision of an existing online UNO program: the Master of Arts in Critical and Creative Thinking (MA CCT).

The ISS concentration fit in seamlessly with the other concentrations within the MA CCT – which include topics like Cultural & Global Analysis, Organizational Science & Leadership, and Ethics & Values. With a “home” under the MA CCT program and curriculum set, the concentration launched in Fall 2024.

Michelle Black, associate professor of political science, co-director of the Nebraska Deterrence Lab, and concentration leader for the ISS, emphasized the concentration’s strategic fit in the University of Nebraska Omaha community. In addition to corresponding well with the MA CCT curriculum, the concentration also benefits from UNO’s collaborations with NCITE, the Nebraska Deterrence Lab, and the university’s location near the United States Strategic Command.

The ISS concentration’s partnerships and proximity to intelligence security leaders makes it a standout among its peers.

“We have those special relationships – DHS, FBI – and it allows us to really transfer that to the students,” Black said. “They're not just learning from a book. They're learning from actual, real-life scenarios that either the professors live through, or that they have the connection to.”

The MA CCT’s multidisciplinary approach allows ISS students to receive formative curriculum around core competencies, while providing space and opportunity for students to pursue their own specializations. This component, Black explained, is a key feature for students.

"The ISS concentration really looks at all the needs of the government... and allows the student to really specialize,” Black said. “It gives those required courses the government wants, but then still allows the student to put more of their focus – whether that's in cybersecurity, terrorism, homeland security.”