The Security Studies doctoral program is designed to produce specialists capable of analyzing and communicating security issues to policy makers, the general public, the government, and academia.
Many graduates will work in military and other governmental organizations, international corporations, and agencies that deal with security. Others will seek employment in research and teaching in institutions of higher education.
The PhD degree consists of 62 credit hours beyond the master's degree. A master's degree is required for admission to the program with at least 30 credit hours of master's level work (including both coursework and thesis hours). The 62 credit hours consist of 17 credit hours of required courses, 15 credit hours of restricted electives, 12 hours of unrestricted electives (including courses offered in other departments, research, independent study, and internship), and a minimum of 18 credit hours of dissertation work.
Doctoral students in the Security Studies PhD program may apply to the Political Science MA, Security Studies Master's Along the Way Track to earn a second master's degree after successfully completing 30 credit hours in the PhD program. The Master Along the Way degree includes 5 doctoral core courses (15 credit hours), 4 (12 credit hours) restricted electives of which at least 3 credit hours must be a research methods course, and a minimum of 3 directed research credits. Students must produce a research paper during the directed research course. There is no thesis option for this track. Students must be in good academic standing as defined by the PhD in Security Studies Handbook.
Total Credit Hours Required: 62 Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Master's Degree
Program Prerequisites
An earned master's degree or it's equivalent in Political Science, International Politics or International Relations, or related discipline. The Graduate Program Director will evaluate the suitability and applicability of MA degrees in other disciplines for admission purposes.
Degree Requirements
Required Courses
17 Total Credits
- Complete all of the following
Core Courses- Complete the following:
- INR7139 - Issues in Domestic Security (3)
- INR7332 - Scientific Study of Security (3)
- INR7337 - Issues in International Security (3)
- POS7745 - Advanced Quantitative Methods in Political Research (3)
- POS7707 - Advanced Qualitative Methods in Political Research (3)
Professional Development Courses- Complete the following:
- POS7930 - Professional Development: Academic Careers in Security Studies (1)
- POS7267 - Professional Development: The Practice of Security Studies (1)
Elective Courses
24 Total Credits
Restricted Electives- Complete all of the following
- All students in the doctoral program must complete a minimum of 15 hours of course work in approved restricted elective graduate seminars. The choice of specific courses will be based on the research interests of students and made in conjunction with their faculty advisor. In this way, students achieve two distinct but related goals: a broad competence in the variety of methodological, theoretical, and substantive approaches to security studies and advanced proficiency in the areas that are most germane to their research interests. Approved restricted electives include:
- Complete at least 5 of the following:
- CPO6038 - Political Development (3)
- CPO6056 - Politics of Authoritarian Regimes (3)
- CPO6058 - Revolution and Political Violence (3)
- CPO6091 - Seminar in Comparative Politics (3)
- CPO6206 - Comparative Politics of Africa (3)
- CPO6307 - Issues in Latin American Politics (3)
- CPO6407 - Comparative Politics of the Middle East (3)
- CPO6729 - Global Security in the Age of Migration (3)
- CPO6776 - Comparative Rising Powers (3)
- INR6007 - Seminar in International Politics (3)
- INR6039 - International Political Economy (3)
- INR6062 - Peace Studies (3)
- INR6065 - Seminar on War (3)
- INR6067 - Human Rights and Security (3)
- INR6068 - Politics of Civil Wars (3)
- INR6108 - Seminar in American Foreign Policy (3)
- INR6136 - Seminar in American Security Policy (3)
- INR6137 - Terrorism and Politics (3)
- INR6257 - International Relations of Africa (3)
- INR6275 - International Politics of the Middle East (3)
- INR6339 - Strategic Warning Analysis (3)
- INR6346 - Politics of International Terrorism (3)
- INR6352 - Global Environmental Politics (3)
- INR6356 - Environmental Security (3)
- INR6365 - Seminar on Intelligence (3)
- INR6366 - The Intelligence Community (3)
- INR6507 - International Organization (3)
- INR6726 - Political Behavior in International Conflict (3)
- POS6045 - Seminar in American National Politics (3)
- POS6079 - The Politics of Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Class in the United States (3)
- POS6174 - Seminar in Southern Politics (3)
- POS6207 - Political Behavior (3)
- POS6415 - The American Presidency (3)
- POS6427 - Congress and the Legislative Process (3)
- POS6686 - National Security Law (3)
- POS6729 - Political Network Analysis (3)
- POS6736 - Conduct of Political Inquiry (3)
- POS6743 - Geographic Tools for Political Science Research (3)
- POS6747 - Advanced Topics in Quantitative Political Analysis (3)
- POS6757 - Survey Design for Political Science Research (3)
- POS6938 - Special Topics/Political Analysis (3)
Unrestricted Electives
9 Total Credits
- Earn at least 9 credits from the following types of courses: The unrestricted electives provide students with an opportunity to further expand their doctoral training beyond the program's core courses and the restricted electives. Unrestricted electives may include regularly scheduled graduate courses in political science, graduate-level courses in programs outside the School, independent study courses, doctoral research courses with a highly focused student/faculty research component, and internships that enable students to gain valuable experience in a non-academic setting. Unrestricted electives may be taken at any point in the student's program of study; however, no more than a total of nine hours of graduate course work can be from outside of the School, directed research, doctoral research, directed independent study, or internship combined; in addition, no more than a total of six hours can be from either directed independent study or internship. Students with suitable academic backgrounds may work in areas such as cyber security or science and technology taking courses in relevant departments. A student's faculty advisor and the School's Graduate Program Director must approve all graduate courses taken outside of the School as well as any internships.
Modern Language or Methods Requirement
0 Total Credits
- Prior to enrollment in dissertation hours, students are required to demonstrate proficiency in one modern language (other than English) or an additional methodological course dependent on the student's intended research area. The language requirement is two years (four semesters) of a single college-level modern language, which should normally be in an area relevant to the student's research. Students may meet the requirement by providing evidence of four semesters of enrollment or by passing a university-administered equivalent proficiency examination. The methods requirement is met by taking a methods course as part of the elective course requirements, with the approval of the Graduate Program Director.
Preliminary Advisory Committee Meeting
0 Total Credits
- During the spring semester of their first year in the program, students will assemble and meet with a Preliminary Advisory Committee of no fewer than three full-time SPSIA faculty members, all of whom should have Graduate Faculty or Grad Faculty Scholar Status. Prior to this meeting, the student will present committee members with a written statement of their primary research interests. During this meeting faculty members provide feedback on the student's statement of research interests and will identify key literatures that the student will be expected to be familiar with as they pursue their dissertation. Note that college approval for the committee is not required at this time and that students are able to change the composition of their committee at any time (subject to program and college approval). Students will not be permitted to take Candidacy Exam C until they have conducted their Preliminary Advisory Committee Meeting.
Written Candidacy Exams
0 Total Credits
- Each student will take the following exams: 1. An exam in qualitative methods, addressing the material taught in INR 7707. 2. An exam in quantitative methods, addressing the material taught in INR 7745. 3. An exam addressing the contemporary literature in security studies. Students must pass each part of each exam prior to enrollment in dissertation hours. If they fail any part(s) of any exam, they will have a second opportunity to take that part(s). If they fail the exam a second time, the student will be dismissed from the program.
Admission to Candidacy
0 Total Credits
- The following are required to be admitted to candidacy and enroll in dissertation hours: • Completion of all coursework, except for dissertation hours • Successful completion of all written candidacy exams • Formation of a dissertation advisory committee • Submittal of an approved program of study
Dissertation
15 Total Credits
- Earn at least 15 credits from the following types of courses: POS 7980 - Dissertation Research The dissertation is the culmination of the coursework that comprises this research-based degree. It must make a significant theoretical, historical, intellectual, practical, creative, or research contribution to the student's area within the discipline. The dissertation will be completed through a minimum of 15 hours of dissertation credit, which students will use to accomplish original research. Students must maintain enrollment in dissertation hours until the degree is awarded. The dissertation must conform to standard disciplinary, institutional, and School practices. Consistent with College of Graduate Studies Policies, a dissertation can only be approved after the successful completion of a Dissertation Defense.
Grand Total Credits: 56
Application Requirements
Application Deadlines
Financial Information
Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see the College of Graduate Studies Funding website, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.
Fellowship Information
Fellowships are awarded based on academic merit to highly qualified students. They are paid to students through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on instructions provided by the College of Graduate Studies. Fellowships are given to support a student's graduate study and do not have a work obligation. For more information, see UCF Graduate Fellowships, which includes descriptions of university fellowships and what you should do to be considered for a fellowship.
