Overview
Intelligence and security policy issues are one of the fastest growing areas of academic and public concern. More than ever before, national governments, international agencies and international corporations need employees with a strong grasp of intelligence and security concerns who can also demonstrate first-rate skills of research and assessment.
The Intelligence Analysis course at Brunel offers you a unique opportunity for practical, policy oriented graduate study of intelligence issues across the private and public sectors around the world.
The course is taught over nine months through a range of online resources that include journals, e-books, specialised tools in intelligence analyst and other materials such as government declassified documents.
You will connect to the a team of supportive academic staff through online tutorials during their office hours and take part in a week long residential course on campus consisting of workshops, presentations and exercises.
Highly committed and enthusiastic tutors combine broad-ranging expertise in areas such as cryptography, computer networking, imagery, intelligence analysis, economics and law, with the knowledge, skills and understanding to develop your academic and professional potential.
You will be taught by some of the UK’s most innovative scholars in intelligence and security studies: an expert on covert action and military intelligence doctrine, a specialist in structured analytic techniques and a former senior military imagery analyst.
These scholars are part of the Brunel Centre for Intelligence and Security Studies (BCISS) that produce important original research that is published worldwide and contributes to the success of government and business in the UK.
Graduates secure jobs in the private and public sector with most pursuing careers in intelligence and security studies. Those already in government employment find the course supports their promotion, commissions or provides new employment opportunities post-retirement.
Private sector opportunities are especially strong in analytical functions for the banking, resources and risk and security sectors.
Course content
The Intelligence and Securities Studies PG Cert is structured around two compulsory modules.
Compulsory
- Intelligence Analysis Foundations Methods and ApplicationsStudents will be introduced to intelligence analysis stages (single source, all sources), frameworks (quantitative, structured, traditional), subjects (military, police, economic, political), threats (terrorism, war, business espionage, psychological operations, etc), actions (strategic, operational, tactical), outputs (current, descriptive, speculative), and techniques (Bayesian, game theory, probability judgement, systems analysis, general morphological analysis, link analysis, analysis of competing hypotheses, Delphi, role play, etc).
- Contemporary Threats and Analytical MethodologyThis module will introduce students to the role of intelligence in assessing and countering the principal threats to national security in the 21st century, as well as introducing students to forecasting and estimative methodologies. This module culminates with our famous “BASE” real-time analytic exercise.
This course can be studied undefined undefined, starting in undefined.
Please note that all modules are subject to change.
Read more about the structure of postgraduate degrees at Brunel
Careers and your future
Within the UK, students with no service experience have gone on to work for the British Security Service, the Metropolitan Police Counter-Terrorism Centres, the Serious Organised Crime Agency, and other departments of government. Many students have noted to us that the innovative studies they undertook on our programme were important topics of discussion in their interviews. Those already in Government employment have successfully used their degrees to leverage promotion or commissioning.
Students who have sought work in the private sector have likewise had success. Former BCISS students have gone to work for large banks conducting market analysis, to large oil-industry firms, to large consultancies, and to specialist private analysis firms such as MS Risk, Grey Dynamics, and many more. Indeed, MS Risk have had such success with our graduates that they have offered to fund a prize for the BCISS student who writes the best dissertation, annually.
Overall, BCISS students have had a strong record of success in the years after their degrees.
UK entry requirements
- A 2:1 (or above) UK Honours degree, or equivalent internationally recognised qualification, with an understanding of the realities of academic intelligence and security study and the frameworks within which intelligence and security operations work.
Applicants with other qualifications or with relevant work-related experience, will be considered on an individual basis.
Applicants will be interviewed.
EU and International entry requirements
English language requirements
- IELTS: 6.5 (min 6 in all areas)
- Pearson: 59 (59 in all subscores)
- BrunELT: 63% (min 58% in all areas)
- TOEFL: 90 (min 20 in all)
You can find out more about the qualifications we accept on our English Language Requirements page.
Should you wish to take a pre-sessional English course to improve your English prior to starting your degree course, you must sit the test at an approved SELT provider for the same reason. We offer our own BrunELT English test and have pre-sessional English language courses for students who do not meet requirements or who wish to improve their English. You can find out more information on English courses and test options through our Brunel Language Centre.
Please check our Admissions pages for more information on other factors we use to assess applicants. This information is for guidance only and each application is assessed on a case-by-case basis. Entry requirements are subject to review, and may change.
Fees and funding
2024/25 entry
UK
£5,665 full-time
International
£9,320 full-time
More information on any additional course-related costs.
Fees quoted are per year and are subject to an annual increase.
See our fees and funding page for full details of postgraduate scholarships available to Brunel applicants.
Scholarships and bursaries
Teaching and learning
You'll be taught by world leading experts in your field of study, and have the opportunity to interact with fellow students on London’s leading campus University.
Your programme will consist of various learning and studying activities, including lectures, seminars and discussions. On each taught module students will have in person lectures, seminars or workshops for two-to-three hours per week on average during the teaching terms. There will also be supervision sessions for the dissertation, as well as regular opportunities to seek guidance during module lecturers’ feedback and consultation hours. Additionally, students can seek support in individual meetings with their personal tutors, both on campus and online. There will also be regular cohort meetings and student society events, at both programme and departmental levels. Field trips and excursions to support students’ learning will be organised throughout the year.
All lectures, seminars, cohort meetings and other social activities will occur virtually, except a 1 week residential. It is expected that students will regularly attend these events, as sustained engagement with a learning community is a central dimension of the Brunel experience.
Students are strongly advised to purchase core texts from module reading lists, although copies are also available via Brunel Library.
Access to a laptop or desktop PC is required for joining online activities, completing coursework and digital exams, and a minimum specification can be found here.
We have computers available across campus for your use and laptop loan schemes to support you through your studies. You can find out more here.
As well as access to a wealth of materials online, the modules of the course will be taught through carefully structured pre-recording videos, followed by problem-based learning to help you engage in practical exercises, case studies and simulations.
You'll also join your tutors and classmates at Brunel for a residential week of face-to-face learning where you will engage in workshops presentations and exercises.
This shorter course is ideal if you want to develop your knowledge and skills in intelligence and security studies without the need to complete a dissertation project.
Should you need any non-academic support during your time at Brunel, the Student Support and Welfare Team are here to help.
Assessment and feedback
This course is assessed via three types of assignments. Firstly, you will complete a portfolio of short assignments to be submitted online, aiming to engage you with the key readings on a regular basis, gain frequent feedback from lecturers, and allowing you to interact with other students.
The second stage of assessment will be during the residential week on-campus, where you will take part in presentations and exercises, giving you an opportunity to test the arguments you wish to make in your final essay as you discuss with your peers and academics.
Finally, you will submit a final essay where you reflect on your learning throughout the course.