Back to Top

This concentration is meant to teach the student how social influence and persuasion works, specifically focusing on different aspects of information warfare and data collection.

The concentration teaches how strategic adversaries have targeted propaganda campaigns against the United States as well as cross-cultural comparisons. When possible, the courses will also focus on case-studies of US adversaries to understand strategic comparative advantage concerning social influence campaigns.

This concentration is interdisciplinary and collaborative in nature, teaching the social science of influence campaigns combined with modules on communication, history, intelligence studies, and socio-psychological aspects of group behavior and decision-making. The concentration is aimed at understanding the human element of cyber-operations involving social influence including social media warfare.

Contact Us

Dr. Craig Albert- Program Director

Summerville Campus

Allgood Hall

1120 15th St, AH-N309
Augusta, GA 30912

maiss@augusta.edu

706-737-1710

Curriculum

Social influence is one of the most important forms of information operations (IO) and is routinely deployed within great power politics, both as a force multiplier, and as a great balancer between nation-states with discrepancies in their national power indices. In this program students will be able to expand their knowledge base on important aspects such as how information warfare and propaganda integrate with intelligence, how online deception and social influence work among many other objectives.  

Program of Study

Core Courses:

PADM 6351: Introduction to Homeland Security

SECR 6411: Introduction to Intelligence Studies

SECR 6600: Research and Analysis Methods for Intelligence and Security Studies

SECR 6906: Terrorism Studies

SECR 6911: Introduction to Security Studies

SECR 6916: The Causes and Prevention of War

Social Influence Concentration Courses:

SECR 6168: Cross-Cultural Security and Psychology

SECR 6413: Open Source Intelligence Collection

SECR 6920: Weaponizing Information: The History and Theory of Propaganda

SECR 6982: Information Warfare

Capstone/Thesis: 

SECR 6998: Thesis I or SECR 6997 Capstone 

SECR 6999: Thesis II or SECR 6997

or

SECR 6809: Ethnic Conflict

SECR 6919: Psychology of Terrorism

MAISS News

Two college students look at the screen of a laptop while sitting outside.

Augusta University Online adds MPA, MAISS beginning fall 2024

“We have always been intentional with what programs we add to our portfolio, and MAISS and the MPA program were the next two logical choices for us,” said Marc Austin, PhD.

Continue reading Augusta University Online adds MPA, MAISS beginning fall 2024
Ukraine flag with the sun in the back ground

Year three: What fate awaits the fighting in Ukraine?

Craig Albert, PhD, said it appears victory does not seem likely for either side, and he expects it to form into a “frozen conflict.”

Continue reading Year three: What fate awaits the fighting in Ukraine?
Professor speaks to students in a conference room

Augusta University and U.S. Cyber Center of Excellence come together for an Informational Warfare conference

Professors from Augusta University's Master of Arts in Intelligence and Security Studies program and the U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence recently came together for a one-day conference.

Continue reading Augusta University and U.S. Cyber Center of Excellence come together for an Informational Warfare conference
Israel flag

What led up to the Hamas attack on Israel and what role did the U.S. play?

The conflict between Israel and Palestine dates back many years, but the recent escalation can be attributed to issues centering around Palestinian rights and access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which has had some restrictions recently because of violence between the two sides.

Continue reading What led up to the Hamas attack on Israel and what role did the U.S. play?

Discover what MAISS has to offer you

 

APPLY NOW