Online Undergraduate Certificate in Terrorism Studies

This course explores psychological and behavioral perspectives of terrorism. Specifically, the course examines the circumstances underlying why people radicalize and join terrorist groups, engage in terrorist activities, assume various terrorist roles, and, in some instances, de-radicalize and disengage from terrorist activities.

This course provides an in-depth study of the nature and tactical use of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) agents/weapons by nation-states, state-sponsored organizations, and terrorists. The course will also discuss agricultural attacks and various approaches to deter the use of CBRN agents, materials, and weapons.

This course provides an overview of cyber warfare and the potential impact of its use by military, terrorist, and criminal organizations. By studying the operation of computer networks, the student will gain an appreciation of how they have both benefited society and made portions of its infrastructure more vulnerable. An overview of cyber weaponry will be presented, and various offensive and defensive strategies will be examined via case studies

This course examines terrorism as a social and political instrument from past to present. Topics include comparing insurgencies and terrorism, the paths to radicalization, the roots of extreme Islam, U.S. domestic terrorism issues, counter terrorism, national & domestic intelligence resources employed against terrorism, and a review of U.S. National Security Policy regarding terrorism.

This course assesses the impact of terrorism on U.S. national security. With a focus on essential elements related to terrorism as well as on U.S. anti-terrorism and counter-terrorism policies and their challenges, the student will develop a comprehensive understanding of how the United States views terrorism and how its lasting threat affects national security.

Modern criminal business, to include drug trafficking, trafficking in people or weapons, gold and precious gem smuggling, and even terrorism are reliant on how such activities are funded. Without some form of funding, illicit actors and illicit behaviors would have difficulty existing. This course will explore the shadowy world of illicit finance, from money laundering to Hawalas, to fraud, trade, and corruption used to fund illicit actions.

This course examines the theoretical underpinnings of the phenomenon of terrorism, actual and planned cases of chemical and biological weapons use, and the modern threat of improvised weapons of mass destruction. The course surveys traditional and newer methods of forecasting terrorism: intuition-based, profiling, conflict vulnerability analysis, and prognosis (early warning), etc. The course concludes by looking at the significant post-9/11 efforts at hardening facilities, increasing security, and monitoring terrorist-WMD activity. However, the threat is still substantial as religious-based extremists are still wholly intent on acquiring WMDs.