Graduate Certificate in Terrorism Analysis

START Graduate Programs are housed in the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism in the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences. The programs investigate questions related to terrorism, counterterrorism, and community resilience.

Mentoring and advising are an essential part of the program. Students meet with faculty and the academic program director to ensure that educational goals and career learning and development goals are met. Students should contact the education team, via email: education-start@umd.edu.

The Graduate Certificate in Terrorism Analysis, Online (Z039) has a 12-credit, 4-course curriculum that provides participants with advanced education on the causes, dynamics and impacts of international and domestic terrorism.

• Provides a thorough understanding of terrorism studies and terrorism analysis.
• Participants develop the methodological skills necessary to pursue advanced research on and analysis of terrorism.
• Appropriate for individuals interested in (and/or currently) working in fields related to intelligence analysis, homeland security analysis, or analysis of other relevant topic areas; and individuals interested in (and/or currently) conducting scholarly research on terrorism and security.
• Can be completed in nine months of continuous enrollment. See Designation of Full-time/Part-time Status.

Registration Overview

• See the sample plan of study, below. Students should use this as a guide to develop a plan with the academic program director. 
• Actual course offerings are determined by the program and may vary semester to semester. Students should note if a course has a pre-requisite or co-requisite. 
• Specific class meeting information (days and time) is posted on UMD’s interactive web service services, Testudo. Once on that site, select “Schedule of Classes,” then the term/year. Courses are listed by academic unit. 
• The program uses specific section codes for registration, which are listed on the sample plan of study.

Sample Plan of Study

Courses

For a listing of program courses, see the Graduate School Catalog program requirements for Z039. For course descriptions that includes pre-requisites or co-requisites, see BSST.

Overall

• Uses the semester academic calendar with classes held in fall and spring semester (16 weeks each). 
• Instruction provided by University of Maryland faculty and professionals in the field. 

Online Learning

• Features 100% online instruction with engaging and interactive learning.
• Using advanced audio and video technology, UMD’s online learning environment delivers dynamic and interactive content.
• Featuring convenience and flexibility, online instruction permits asynchronous or synchronous participation.
• Lectures are video archived. Students who are unable to attend in real time can review the session through asynchronous participation.

Upon successful completion, graduates will have mastered the following competencies:

• Review academic literature from across the social sciences as they relate to terrorism analysis. (Learning Objective #1)
• Use case studies to examine weaknesses and identify potential policies and procedures that could strengthen relationships. (Learning Objective #1)
• Explain how the social science theories and methods work with each other to identify trends in terrorism. (Learning Objective #1)
• Design, implement, and deploy an effective research design appropriate to a given research question within terrorism analysis. (Learning Objective #2)
• Ascertain the present and future challenges facing human and national security. (Learning Objective #3)
• Document and effectively communicate potential future outcomes of pressing national security issues. (Learning Objective #3)