International Security Policy Concentration of the School of International and Public Affairs

The Arnold A. Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies is the Institutional Affiliate for the International Security Policy (ISP) Concentration in the School of International and Public Affairs’ Master’s degree program in International Affairs.  Concentrators participate in Institute seminars and other activities under the supervision of Professor Richard Betts.

The ISP concentration is designed for students interested in defense policy, military strategy, arms control, conflict resolution, and peacekeeping, coercion, and alternatives to the use of force.  Coursework provides a conceptual foundation for understanding international conflict and the political, economic and military components of policies, and capabilities for coping with the possibility of war, as well as expertise for analyzing specific functional and regional security issues.  The course of study prepares students for employment in government agencies, such as the U.S. Department of State and Defense, Central Intelligence Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Congressional Research Service, Congressional Budget Office, legislative staffs, or their foreign counterparts, consulting firms, public interest organizations, non-profit research institutes, journalism, and other areas.  In addition to the coursework, the ISP program includes activities such as guest speakers, field trips to military installations and government agencies in Washington, D.C., crisis simulations, specialized symposia, job talks, films, and social events.