Gregory Moore, Ph.D. Notre Dame College

What’s It All About, IAFIE?Moving Forward with the Development of

Intelligence as an Academic Discipline

Gregory Moore, Ph.D.Notre Dame College

IAFIE Sixth Annual ConferenceOttawa, Canada

May 26, 2010

Intelligence Education – The Process

Intelligence Studies – The Discipline

A “Journey of Discovery”

What is “intelligence studies” (or “intelligence

education”) all about?The Wanderer Above the Sea

of Fog Caspar David Friedrich (1818)

How will Intelligence Studies evolve into a true academic discipline?

Various issues need consideration in order to reach a conclusionWhat has been lacking is a truly focused discussion about how, exactly, this might come about (although conferences and colloquia such as these are helping further the discussion)The academic community and intelligence practitioners must come together in order to achieve consensus on the development of a new academic discipline

Basic Problem:

How does a functioning practice become an academic discipline?(there is precedent – people practiced medicine, enforced laws, conducted business, educated the next generation, gathered intelligence long before

colleges and universities took on the job of preparing students for professional careers)

Questions to consider:1.If intelligence studies became an academic discipline:

Could it stand on its own?

What should an undergraduate curriculum look like? A graduate curriculum?

Should it be a subset of an existing discipline (i.e. Political Science, Criminal Justice, Business Administration)?

Most importantly, perhaps – what exactly constitutes “intelligence studies”?

2. What will it take to win recognition as an academic discipline?

A.Doctorates in the field of intelligence studies?B.A body of literature? C.Intelligence theory? D.Applied as well as theoretical concepts?E.The number of colleges/universities offering degrees (undergraduate or graduate) in intelligence studies?F.Emergence of recognized scholars/experts?G.Emergence of scholarly organizations devoted to intelligence studies as in other academic disciplines?H.Research, research, research…(Probably all of the above)

3. How to coordinate the views of the IC, law enforcement, and the private sector about intelligence studies with those of

academia? Practitioners cannot dictate what an intelligence studies curriculum should look like – faculty control the curriculum and are very jealous of their academic freedom in that regard

Academia should consult and work with practitioners to assure that the discipline reflects the knowledge base essential for a student to become a successful intelligence professional, and for faculty to prepare them accordingly (as well as preparing the next generation of scholars)

4. Who will benefit most from earning a degree in intelligence studies?

Analysts?

Knowledge workers?

Technical personnel?

Managers/administrators?

Scholars/educators?

All of the above?

5. What problems must be overcome?A.Faculty/administrative reluctance to support a program in intelligence studies for moral/ethical reasons or political reasons

B.The amount of material that remains classified which would be useful in developing courses

C.Who is qualified to teach an intelligence studies curriculum? Where will the first generation of instructors come from? (scholar-practitioners)

D.Defining “intelligence studies” (define “intelligence”)

The time has come for IAFIE to begin a focused effort in helping to bring this new academic

discipline forward and to work with academia to develop it

But – we must also recognize that the discipline will evolve over time as institutions build their own programs reflective of their capabilities and faculty

interests

This is going to be a generational process!This is going to be a generational process!

1. What do we mean by intelligence studies/education?

2. Model Curricula (undergraduate/graduate)

3. Accreditation

IMMEDIATE TASKS:IMMEDIATE TASKS:

“Intelligence Studies”: and “Intelligence Education”

Often hear these terms used interchangeably

Are they one and the same?

Are they two different things?

Intelligence Studies• The academic discipline – the study of

intelligence, both theoretical and applied

Intelligence Education

• The process of preparing students for careers in intelligence or to become

intelligence scholars

Do we need to focus on creating an academic discipline focused on studying the intelligence

process and theory – i.e. “intelligence studies”?

OR…On preparing the next generation of

intelligence professionals – i.e. “intelligence education”?

Or both?

Intelligence professionals today hold degrees in a wide range of fields and disciplines

•History•Philosophy•Political Science•International Relations•Languages•Psychology

•Sociology•Economics•Accounting•Physics•Chemistry•Engineering

How many intelligence professionals today have degrees in intelligence studies?

Is a degree in intelligence studies necessary in order to be a practitioner?

Is there a specific body of knowledge about intelligence that students have to acquire?

Can they simply be trained to be intelligence practitioners? Is that sufficient?

Can students acquire core skills and general knowledge through undergraduate and graduate

programs as they are currently constructed and then receive the requisite training to become successful

practitioners?

Yes – but is that enough?

Why shouldn’t future intelligence professionals prepare for their careers the same way others do?

Learn about the profession they are entering (theory & practice) Learn the history of their profession Learn some basic (or more advanced ) skills they’ll need to be successful Learn by doing (internships/practicums) Teachers, nurses, accountants, attorneys, physicians, for example, prepare this way – why not future intelligence professionals?

The education and training of teachers and nurses may offer a useful model for undergraduate

intelligence education

These programs offer 3 essential components:

1.Theoretical foundation/content knowledge

2.Acquisition of required skills

3.Practical application of skills through field work and practicums

Education and nursing students must pass state licensing examinations once they earn their

undergraduate degrees – testing their knowledge of theoretical and applied principles as well as content

knowledge

Practical for intelligence students? Probably not

That doesn’t negate the efficacy of educating and training undergraduate intelligence students in programs similar to the education and nursing programs offered in colleges and universities

Possible Model Undergraduate ProgramIntelligence Courses:

Applied courses (writing & research)Intelligence historyIntelligence theoryInternship/practicumCapstone course (independent project)Can be major or minor field of study or a concentration

General Knowledge:Any major (if not intelligence)Liberal Arts CoreStrong interdisciplinary Foreign language requirementEffective communications skills (writing & oral)Computer (mastery of Word, Power Point, Excel, Access)Non-Western history/cultureStudy abroad

Goal is to produce generalists with solid critical thinking and communications skills who have a

basic understanding of the intelligence process and cycle

Intelligence education programs will reflect the capabilities of each institution

Smaller schools may focus primarily on career oriented liberal arts intelligence education, while larger institutions may

combine intelligence education with majors not commonly offered at the small

institutions (i.e. engineering)

Intelligence education programs may be best place for doctorates of practice

It may be at the graduate level where “intelligence studies” will come into being –

with a focus on more theoretical issues while continuing to build on skill sets

Policy Administration & Management Theory & Practice Intelligence History Strategic Planning/Futures Thinking

Risk & Vulnerability Assessment Threat Specific Issues Country/Regional Expertise Language Proficiency Cyber Skills Advanced Research Internships/Practicums

For example, intelligence studies as an academic discipline could resemble political science

Just as political science examines all of the elements that impact upon the practice of politics, not only nationally but globally, intelligence studies may eventually do the same

• Comparative Intelligence• Intelligence Policy and Administration

• Intelligence and the Media• Ethics in Intelligence

• Intelligence and the Law • Theory and Applied Intelligence Analysis• Intelligence and the Executive Branch

A multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary curriculum may also be the norm

However, it is entirely possible that intelligence studies/education could develop

in ways that we simply cannot anticipate

Or, they may simply become a subset of one or more existing disciplines or fields of study

Ultimately, intelligence studies and intelligence education may be two different things

Or is this a better model?

Ultimately, if “intelligence studies” does become an academic discipline these issues will have been

resolved

Definition of intelligence studies will be in place (possible definition: The study of the theory and practice of applying information gathered by both open and clandestine methods for the purpose of strategic planning, criminal investigation, and policy implementation by governments, law enforcement agencies, and business)

A process of scholarship (research and publication) will have gotten underway

Graduate degrees will be awarded in the discipline; doctorates in particular – Ph.D.’s in order to give the discipline legitimacy (perhaps doctorates of practice as well)

A body of academicians will have emerged to prepare future generations of scholars and practitioners

The time has come for IAFIE - if we’re serious about being an organization dedicated to intelligence

education – to begin working to resolve these issues

This is especially true if IAFIE determines to become an accrediting body!

Academia alone cannot make this happen – an alliance of practitioners and academics is essential for the successful creation of a new academic discipline

focused on intelligence

It’s time to get off the listserv and into the

trenches!

Thank You!

Gregory Moore, Ph.D.Director,Center for Intelligence StudiesNotre Dame [email protected]