Delivering quality research and education across security fields.
With a faculty drawn from the alphabet agencies and think tanks of nearby Washington, D.C., the Schar School of Policy and Government’s security studies programs take students on an immersive academic experience unlike any other. Our programs prepare students to become leaders who face down the country's and the world’s largest challenges in policy, intelligence, terrorism, biodefense, emergency management, and diplomacy, among others.
No. 5 in the U.S. for security studies programs
In 2023, U.S. News and World Report ranked the Schar School No. 5 in the U.S. for security studies-related programs. Security studies includes the school’s international security and biodefense programs, as well as a concentration in emergency management and homeland security, and an emphasis in national security.
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Security studies-related programs are offered in the following areas:
Practitioner Faculty
With the Schar School's prime location in the Washington, D.C. area, students gain access to leading practitioners who are internationally recognized for their scholarship and advisory roles in the public and private sectors. These faculty bring real-world experience to the classroom, providing you with the mentorship and skillsets needed to advance in your career.
Distinguished Visiting Professor of Homeland Security,
Former Deputy Director of the FBI
Program Director, Master's in International Security
Director, Center of Security Policy Studies
FACULTY & RESEARCH
As experts in their fields, the Schar School’s faculty are renowned for their active role in research, policy analysis, and recommendations on key issues that captivate the Washington, D.C. policy community. Whether related to an imminent issue or an overlooked topic, there is an expert at the Schar School who can address the most current research, regulations, and policies regarding the issue.
World-Renowned Research Centers
The Schar School of Policy and Government research centers, institutes, and initiatives focus on issues ranging from international security and policy studies to energy science. Each unit is headed by a distinguished Schar School faculty member, who harnesses the resources of the School as well as those of external sponsors to conduct a wide range of projects.
“I chose to continue my education at the Schar School, because the program offered biodefense, security studies, and global health security. The classes cover accidental biothreats, natural events, and intentional acts of bioterrorism.”
—Annette Prieto, Master’s in Biodefense '19
"Ultimately, I wanted to get my Master's in International Security, focusing on conflict resolution, threat analysis, and intelligence. The thing that sets the school apart are the professors. They are at the forefront of their fields."
—Becca Cooper, Master's in International Security student
“The [Master's in International Security] program has forced me to put things together in new ways. By combining practical application with theory, students are able to obtain the knowledge needed to work in the security field.”
—Rebecca Ames, Master's in International Security student
NEWS
Drawn to Germs at an Early Age, Biodefense Scholar Studies Where Science Meets Policy
Now an assistant professor at the Schar School after earning her PhD in Biodefense, Saskia Popsecu has been a go-to expert for media outlets since the pandemic outbreak began.
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She's Investigating Climate Change in the Arctic as a National Security Issue
Master's in International Security student Marisol Maddox spent three weeks this summer aboard a U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker traveling inside the Arctic Circle.
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Experts Discuss the Balance Between Nuclear Energy and Nuclear Security
Schar School students and faculty members joined Brent Park and Mikhail Chudakov to discuss the interconnection between nuclear energy and nuclear security.
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Funding Terrorism Through Wildlife Trafficking
The Schar School's Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center (TraCCC) welcomed former FBI special agent Debra LaPrevotte for a discussion on how to stop trafficking networks.