The International Security Policy concentration is designed for students interested in international conflict and conflict management, defense policy, military strategy, arms control, intelligence, peacekeeping, coercion, negotiation, and alternatives to the use of force as an instrument of policy. It provides a conceptual foundation for understanding 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.
Stephen Biddle, Professor
Concentration Director
stephen.biddle@columbia.edu
Brit Helena Felsen-Parsons
Concentration Coordinator
bhf2111@columbia.edu
Beginning with students entering the International Security Policy (ISP) concentration in fall 2022, ISP students are expected to fulfill the following requirements for a total of 15 credits.
Students who entered the ISP concentration before Fall 2022 may continue fulfilling the former set of ISP requirements (General Problems, Use of Force, etc.) or elect to fulfill the new requirements, so long as they can do so in full prior to graduation. More information about the former requirements can be found below, under Requirements for students who entered ISP before Fall 2022. Additional questions should be directed to Brit Felsen-Parsons, Coordinator of the ISP concentration, at bhf2111@columbia.edu.
Students who entered the International Security Policy concentration before fall 2022 may continue with their original program of study.
The five ISP career-oriented focus areas are listed below, with each having a corresponding list of eligible courses. You will notice that many courses count for more than one focus area; this is by design, and reflects the overlap in the professional requirements for success in different career fields within ISP. You may take more than two courses in a single focus area if you wish, enabling greater depth of preparation in a particular field; you may also experiment in other focus areas via your electives if you are less certain which type of career you would like to pursue after graduation, or if you seek breadth of knowledge over depth.
| Code | Title | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Points | ||
| IAIA U8215 | Applied Geopolitics: Risk Analysis | 1.50 |
| INAF U6334 | Conduct of War | 3.00 |
| INAF U6344 | Military Technology Assessment | 3.00 |
| INAF U6383 | Foundations of Cyber Conflict | 3.00 |
| INAF U6387 | Terrorism ＆ Counterterrorism | 3.00 |
| INAF U6388 | Modern Urban Terrorism | 3.00 |
| INAF U6430 | East Asian Security | 3.00 |
| INAF U6455 | Counterterrorism and Policing | 3.00 |
| INAF U6474 | Economic Espionage | 3.00 |
| INAF U6509 | Basics of Cybersecurity | 1.50 |
| INAF U6523 | Cyber Risks and Vulnerabilities | 1.50 |
| INAF U6524 | Cybersecurity & Business Risk | 3.00 |
| INAF U6658 | Politics and Policies in South Asia | 3.00 |
| INAF U6671 | China's Foreign Relations | 3.00 |
| INAF U6832 | International Intelligence Systems | 3.00 |
| INAF U6848 | Threat Financing and Anti-Money Laundering | 1.50 |
| INAF U6908 | Information Operations on Social Media | 1.50 |
| INAF U8142 | Intelligence & Foreign Policy | 3.00 |
| INAF U8488 | Contemporary Russian Security Policy | 3.00 |
| INAF U8565 | European Security | 3.00 |
| INAF U8876 | Nuclear Proliferation Concepts for Non-Scientists | 1.50 |
| REGN U6719 | Middle East Conflicts ＆ Global Security | 3.00 |
| REGN U6855 | Chinese Foreign Policy | 3.00 |
| REGN U8588 | Modern Iran: From Monarchy to Islamic Republic | 3.00 |
| REGN U8757 | Ukrainian Foreign Policy | 3.00 |
Non-SIPA Courses | ||
| POLS GU4471 | CHINESE POLITICS | 3.00 |
| POLS GU4472 | JAPANESE POLITICS | 4.00 |
| POLS GU4845 | National Security Strategies of the Middle East: A Comparative Perspective | 4.00 |
| POLS GU4848 | ISRAELI NATL SEC STRAT POL DEC | 4.00 |
| POLS GR8471 | CHINESE POLIT ECON-COMP PERSP | 4.00 |
| POLS GU4434 | Ethnic Politics Across Post-Soviet Eurasia | 4.00 |
| POLS GU4453 | Politics in Russia | 4.00 |
| POLS GU4496 | CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN POLITICS | 3.00 |
| Code | Title | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Points | ||
| INAF U6285 | Methods for Defense Analysis and Assessment | 3.00 |
| INAF U6334 | Conduct of War | 3.00 |
| INAF U6344 | Military Technology Assessment | 3.00 |
| INAF U6387 | Terrorism ＆ Counterterrorism | 3.00 |
| INAF U6394 | Writing About War: Seeking Narratives in Conflict | 3.00 |
| INAF U6430 | East Asian Security | 3.00 |
| INAF U8488 | Contemporary Russian Security Policy | 3.00 |
| INAF U8565 | European Security | 3.00 |
| INAF U8812 | Seminar on International Strategy | 3.00 |
| INAF U8876 | Nuclear Proliferation Concepts for Non-Scientists | 1.50 |
| REGN U6719 | Middle East Conflicts ＆ Global Security | 3.00 |
| REGN U8757 | Ukrainian Foreign Policy | 3.00 |
Non-SIPA Courses | ||
| POLS GU4845 | National Security Strategies of the Middle East: A Comparative Perspective | 4.00 |
| POLS GU4848 | ISRAELI NATL SEC STRAT POL DEC | 4.00 |
| IEOR E4150 | INTRO-PROBABILITY ＆ STATISTICS | 3.00 |
| IEOR E4004 | Optimization Models and Methods | 3.00 |
| Code | Title | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Points | ||
| INAF U6267 | Climate-security: Examining the links between climate change, peace and security | 1.50 |
| INAF U6334 | Conduct of War | 3.00 |
| INAF U6346 | US Role in World Affairs I | 3.00 |
| INAF U6347 | US Role In World Affairs II | 3.00 |
| INAF U6349 | US Policymaking on Peace Operations, Conflict, Prevention, & Protection of Civilians | 3.00 |
| INAF U6387 | Terrorism ＆ Counterterrorism | 3.00 |
| INAF U6394 | Writing About War: Seeking Narratives in Conflict | 3.00 |
| INAF U6430 | East Asian Security | 3.00 |
| INAF U6658 | Politics and Policies in South Asia | 3.00 |
| INAF U6671 | China's Foreign Relations | 3.00 |
| INAF U6724 | Insurgency & Counterinsurgency | 3.00 |
| INAF U6742 | Gender and International Security | 3.00 |
| INAF U6762 | Risk Management for UN Crisis & Conflict Responses | 3.00 |
| INAF U6784 | The Practice of Economic Sanctions | 1.50 |
| INAF U6792 | Foreign Policy Crisis Decision-Making | 3.00 |
| INAF U6796 | War and Captivity | 3.00 |
| INAF U6798 | Central Issues in American Foreign Policy | 3.00 |
| INAF U6802 | International Law | 3.00 |
| INAF U8488 | Contemporary Russian Security Policy | 3.00 |
| INAF U8565 | European Security | 3.00 |
| INAF U8812 | Seminar on International Strategy | 3.00 |
| INAF U8876 | Nuclear Proliferation Concepts for Non-Scientists | 1.50 |
| PUAF U6226 | History for Future Policymakers | 3.00 |
| REGN U6719 | Middle East Conflicts ＆ Global Security | 3.00 |
| REGN U6855 | Chinese Foreign Policy | 3.00 |
| REGN U8588 | Modern Iran: From Monarchy to Islamic Republic | 3 |
| REGN U8757 | Ukrainian Foreign Policy | 3.00 |
Non-SIPA Courses | ||
| POLS GU4434 | Ethnic Politics Across Post-Soviet Eurasia | 4.00 |
| POLS GU4471 | CHINESE POLITICS | 3.00 |
| POLS GU4472 | JAPANESE POLITICS | 4.00 |
| POLS GU4845 | National Security Strategies of the Middle East: A Comparative Perspective | 4.00 |
| POLS GU4848 | ISRAELI NATL SEC STRAT POL DEC | 4.00 |
| POLS GR6411 | COMPARATIVE POLITICS SURVEY I | 4.00 |
| POLS GR6412 | COMPARATV POLITICS SURVEY II | 4.00 |
| POLS G6801 | Theories of International Relations | 4.00 |
| POLS GR8471 | CHINESE POLIT ECON-COMP PERSP | 4.00 |
| POLS GR8880 | Decisionmaking & Diplomacy | 4.00 |
| POLS GU4453 | Politics in Russia | 4.00 |
| POLS GU4454 | POLITICL SYSTEMS OF SOUTH ASIA | 4.00 |
| POLS GU4496 | CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN POLITICS | 3.00 |
| POLS GU4814 | GLOBAL ENERGY: SECURITY/GEOPOL | 3.00 |
| Code | Title | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Points | ||
| INAF U6383 | Foundations of Cyber Conflict | 3.00 |
| INAF U6386 | Policy Dilemmas in Cybersecurity | 3.00 |
| INAF U6509 | Basics of Cybersecurity | 1.50 |
| INAF U6518 | Cybersecurity: Technology, Policy, ＆ Law | 3.00 |
| INAF U6523 | Cyber Risks and Vulnerabilities | 1.50 |
| INAF U6524 | Cybersecurity & Business Risk | 3.00 |
| INAF U6529 | Cyberspace in Strategy and Grand Strategy | 3.00 |
| INAF U6531 | Cyber Conflict and Cybersecurity in the Indo-Pacific | 3.00 |
| INAF U6908 | Information Operations on Social Media | 1.50 |
Non-SIPA Courses | ||
| POLS GU4808 | CYBER STRATEGY ＆ INT'L POLS | 4.00 |
| Code | Title | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Points | ||
| INAF U6284 | The Politics of Defense in the United States | 3.00 |
| INAF U6285 | Methods for Defense Analysis and Assessment | 3.00 |
| INAF U6334 | Conduct of War | 3.00 |
| INAF U6344 | Military Technology Assessment | 3.00 |
| INAF U6383 | Foundations of Cyber Conflict | 3.00 |
| INAF U6430 | East Asian Security | 3.00 |
| INAF U6509 | Basics of Cybersecurity | 1.50 |
| INAF U6523 | Cyber Risks and Vulnerabilities | 1.50 |
| INAF U6784 | The Practice of Economic Sanctions | 1.50 |
| INAF U6798 | Central Issues in American Foreign Policy | 3.00 |
| INAF U6908 | Information Operations on Social Media | 1.50 |
| INAF U8488 | Contemporary Russian Security Policy | 3.00 |
| INAF U8876 | Nuclear Proliferation Concepts for Non-Scientists | 1.50 |
| REGN U6719 | Middle East Conflicts ＆ Global Security | 3.00 |
Non-SIPA Courses | ||
| POLS GU4845 | National Security Strategies of the Middle East: A Comparative Perspective | 4.00 |
| POLS GU4848 | ISRAELI NATL SEC STRAT POL DEC | 4.00 |
| POLS G6210 | Issues and Debates In American Politics I | 4.00 |
| POLS GR8210 | COLLOQ ON POLITICAL BEHAVIOR | 4.00 |
Students who entered the International Security Policy concentration before Fall 2022 may continue fulfilling the former set of ISP requirements described below or elect to fulfill the new requirements, so long as they can do so in full prior to graduation. The former ISP requirements stipulate that students must complete a total of 15 points, consisting of 5 three-point courses: 1 core course; 1 from General Problems in International Security and Conflict Management; 1 Use of Force; and 2 electives (preferably including a course on security issues in a particular country or region).
1. Foundations of International Security Policy
| Code | Title | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Points | ||
| INAF U6874 | Foundations of International Security Policy | 3.00 |
2. General Problems in International Security and Conflict Management
Select at least one of the following:
| Code | Title | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Points | ||
| INAF U4545 | Contemporary Diplomacy | 3.00 |
| INAF U6084 | Energy and National Security | 3.00 |
| INAF U6282 | Defense Budgeting and Economics | 3.00 |
| INAF U6284 | The Politics of Defense in the United States | 3.00 |
| INAF U6285 | Methods for Defense Analysis and Assessment | 3.00 |
| INAF U6334 | Conduct of War | 3.00 |
| INAF U6335 | Intelligence and War | 3.00 |
| INAF U6346 | US Role in World Affairs I | 3.00 |
| INAF U6347 | US Role In World Affairs II | 3.00 |
| INAF U6349 | US Policymaking on Peace Operations, Conflict, Prevention, & Protection of Civilians | 3.00 |
| INAF U6383 | Foundations of Cyber Conflict | 3.00 |
| INAF U6386 | Policy Dilemmas in Cybersecurity | 3.00 |
| INAF U6389 | State Formation, Violence, and Intervention in the Modern World | 3.00 |
| INAF U6394 | Writing About War: Seeking Narratives in Conflict | 3.00 |
| INAF U6452 | Justice for Black Veterans | 1.50 |
| INAF U6529 | Cyberspace in Strategy and Grand Strategy | 3.00 |
| INAF U6680 | Geopolitics of Oil & Natural Gas | 3.00 |
| INAF U6788 | Issues in Post-Cold War US Foreign Policy | 3.00 |
| INAF U6792 | Foreign Policy Crisis Decision-Making | 3.00 |
| INAF U6798 | Central Issues in American Foreign Policy | 3.00 |
| INAF U6908 | Information Operations on Social Media | 1.50 |
| INAF U8142 | Intelligence & Foreign Policy | 3.00 |
| INAF U8812 | Seminar on International Strategy | 3.00 |
| INAF U8818 | Topics in International Ethics | 3.00 |
| INAF U8909 | Environment, Conflict & Resolution Strategies | 3.00 |
| POLS G6801 | Theories of International Relations | 4.00 |
| POLS GR8832 | Theories of War & Peace | 4.00 |
| POLS GR8866 | INTL SIGNALING ＆ COMMUNICATION | 4.00 |
| PUAF U6226 | History for Future Policymakers | 3.00 |
| PUAF U6801 | Negotiation & Conflict Resolution | 3.00 |
| INAF S6559Q | The United Nations and the Maintenance of International Peace and Security | 3.00 |
| INAF S6572Q | Comparative Foreign Policy | 3.00 |
| INAF S6795Q | US Foreign Policy | 3.00 |
| INAF S6800D | International Relations: Theory & Concepts | 3.00 |
| INAF S6801Q | East Asian Security: Power, Institutions, and Ideas | 3.00 |
3. Use of Force
Select at least one of the following:
| Code | Title | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Points | ||
| INAF U6282 | Defense Budgeting and Economics | 3.00 |
| INAF U6285 | Methods for Defense Analysis and Assessment | 3.00 |
| INAF U6334 | Conduct of War | 3.00 |
| INAF U6344 | Military Technology Assessment | 3.00 |
| INAF U6383 | Foundations of Cyber Conflict | 3.00 |
| INAF U6387 | Terrorism ＆ Counterterrorism | 3.00 |
| INAF U6388 | Modern Urban Terrorism | 3.00 |
| INAF U6393 | Evolving Military Strategy Post-9/11 | 3.00 |
| INAF U6399 | Weapons of Mass Destruction | 3.00 |
| INAF U6455 | Counterterrorism and Policing | 3.00 |
| INAF U6529 | Cyberspace in Strategy and Grand Strategy | 3.00 |
| INAF U6789 | Special Operations, Counterterrorism, and Counterinsurgency | 3.00 |
| INAF U6880 | Planning U.S. Military Forces | 3.00 |
| INAF U8812 | Seminar on International Strategy | 3.00 |
| POLS GU4835 | FRML&INFRML TERRORIST ACTRS | 3.00 |
| POLS G8807 | Armed Groups and Political Violence | 4.00 |
| POLS G8839 | The Causes and Consequences of Terrorism | 3.00 |
4 and 5. Electives
Select two courses from those below or any of those above in General Problems or Use of Force:
| Code | Title | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Points | ||
| IAIA U8215 | Applied Geopolitics: Risk Analysis | 1.50 |
| INAF U6097 | Financial Warfare | 1.50 |
| INAF U6209 | Tech ＆ Tactics for Innovative Policymaking | 3.00 |
| INAF U6381 | Gender & Armed Conflict: Contemporary Theory and Practice for Advocates | 3.00 |
| INAF U6382 | Technology, National Security & the Citizen | 3.00 |
| INAF U6391 | Conflict Resolution | 3.00 |
| INAF U6394 | Writing About War: Seeking Narratives in Conflict | 3.00 |
| INAF U6430 | East Asian Security | 3.00 |
| INAF U6445 | Talking with the Enemy | 3.00 |
| INAF U6450 | Conflict in the 21st Century: Rethinking Conflict Prevention and Conflict Resolution | 3.00 |
| INAF U6455 | Counterterrorism and Policing | 3.00 |
| INAF U6474 | Economic Espionage | 3.00 |
| INAF U6509 | Basics of Cybersecurity | 1.50 |
| INAF U6518 | Cybersecurity: Technology, Policy, ＆ Law | 3.00 |
| INAF U6521 | Introduction to Cyber Threat Intelligence | 3.00 |
| INAF U6523 | Cyber Risks and Vulnerabilities | 1.50 |
| INAF U6524 | Cybersecurity & Business Risk | 3 |
| INAF U6529 | Cyberspace in Strategy and Grand Strategy | 3.00 |
| INAF U6531 | Cyber Conflict and Cybersecurity in the Indo-Pacific | 3.00 |
| INAF U6551 | Why We Fail: Lessons in Conflict Resolution and Atrocity Prevention | 3.00 |
| INAF U6553 | Advancing Human Protection | 3.00 |
| INAF U6559 | Peacekeeping as a Tool for Sustaining Peace | 1.50 |
| INAF U6564 | Applied Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution: Fieldwork Competencies | 3.00 |
| INAF U6651 | International Relations of South Asia | 3.00 |
| INAF U6671 | China's Foreign Relations | 3.00 |
| INAF U6762 | Risk Management for UN Crisis & Conflict Responses | 3.00 |
| INAF U6784 | The Practice of Economic Sanctions | 1.50 |
| INAF U6796 | War and Captivity | 3.00 |
| INAF U6798 | Central Issues in American Foreign Policy | 3.00 |
| PUAF U6801 | Negotiation & Conflict Resolution | 3.00 |
| INAF U6802 | International Law | 3.00 |
| INAF U6832 | International Intelligence Systems | 3.00 |
| INAF U6848 | Threat Financing and Anti-Money Laundering | 1.50 |
| INAF U6873 | America & Asia: War, Peace, Trade, & Diplomacy in the 20th and 21st Centuries | 3.00 |
| INAF U8136 | US Foreign Policy-Persian Gulf | 3.00 |
| INAF U8258 | State Formation, Deformation, and Citizenship | 3.00 |
| INAF U8415 | US-Latin American Relations: WWII to Present | 3.00 |
| INAF U8488 | Contemporary Russian Security Policy | 3.00 |
| INAF U8507 | The Security Council and Peacekeeping in Africa in the 21st Century | 3.00 |
| INAF U8508 | Inside the Security Council: Inequality at Work | 3.00 |
| INAF U8559 | Building Peace After Conflict | 1.50 |
| INAF U8565 | European Security | 3.00 |
| INAF U8867 | International Enforcement and the UN Security Council | 3.00 |
| INAF U8869 | Civil Wars and Peace Settlements | 3.00 |
| INAF U8876 | Nuclear Proliferation Concepts for Non-Scientists | 1.50 |
| INAF U8886 | Conflict Assessment | 1.00 |
| INAF U8909 | Environment, Conflict & Resolution Strategies | 3.00 |
| LAW L6410 | Constitution and Foreign Affairs | 3.00 |
| LAW L8079 | Jurisprudence of War | 2.00 |
| LAW L8813 | Geopolitics of Law and Conflict on the Korean Peninsula | 3.00 |
| LAW L8883 | Judicial Settlement of International Disputes | 2.00 |
| LAW L8997 | Civil Liberties & the Response to Terrorism | 2.00 |
| LAW L9001 | United Nations Peacekeeping | 2.00 |
| COMS W4995 | Special topics in computer science, I Hacking 4 Defense | 3.00 |
| POLS GR8205 | History of East-West Relations in Post World War II Europe, 1945-1991 | 4.00 |
| HSPS GR8445 | LEGACIES OF EMPIRE ＆ SOV UNION | 4.00 |
| POLS GR8870 | US Relations with East Asia | 4.00 |
| POLS GR8880 | Decisionmaking & Diplomacy | 4.00 |
| POLS GU4434 | Ethnic Politics Across Post-Soviet Eurasia | 4.00 |
| POLS GU4845 | National Security Strategies of the Middle East: A Comparative Perspective | 4.00 |
| POLS GU4875 | Russia and the West | 4.00 |
| POLS S4832 | Strategic Intelligence and Political Decision-Making | 4.00 |
| REGN U4690 | Palestinian and Israeli Security Dilemmas | 3.00 |
| REGN U6532 | Chinese, Russian and Western Values – Worlds Apart? | 1.50 |
| REGN U6647 | International Relations of Northeast Asia | 3.00 |
| REGN U6652 | Central Asian Politics and Security | 3.00 |
| REGN U6660 | Security and International Politics of the Persian Gulf | 3.00 |
| REGN U6719 | Middle East Conflicts ＆ Global Security | 3.00 |
| REGN U8588 | Modern Iran: From Monarchy to Islamic Republic | 3.00 |
| REGN U8757 | Ukrainian Foreign Policy | 3.00 |
| ORLJ 6040 | Fundamentals of Cooperation, Conflict Resolution, Mediation (Teacher's College) | 3.00 |
Matriculated students in this program can view their degree audit report on Stellic.
Stephen D. Biddle, Professor of International and Public Affairs; Director of the International Security Policy Concentration
Colin Ahern, Adjunct Associate Professor of International and Public Affairs
Severine Autesserre, Professor of Political Science
Richard Betts, Leo A. Shifrin Professor of War and Peace Studies
Thomas Christensen, James T. Shotwell Professor of International Relations
Peter Clement, Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs
Matthew Devost, Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs
Camille Francois, Lecturer in International and Public Affairs (part-time)
Stuart Gottlieb, Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs
Scott Harold, Adjunct Associate Professor of International and Public Affairs
Jason Healey, Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs
Sarah Kovner, Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs
Annemarie McAvoy, Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs
Richard Nephew, Adjunct Associate Professor of International and Public Affairs
Michael O'Hanlon, Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs
Celestino Perez, Visiting Associate Professor of International and Public Affairs (part-time)
Neal Pollard, Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs
Janee Potts, Adjunct Assistant Professor of International and Public Affairs
Adam Segal, Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs
Stephen Sestanovich, Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Professor for the Practice of International Diplomacy
Mitchell Silber, Lecturer in International and Public Affairs (part-time)
Daniel Smith, Gerald L. Curtis Visiting Associate Professor of Modern Japanese Politics and Foreign Policy
Natalie Vanatta, Adjunct Associate Professor of International and Public Affairs
Naomi Weinberger, Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs
Jacqueline Whitt, Visiting Associate Professor (part-time)
Evan Wolff, Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs
Keren Yarhi-Milo, Professor of International and Public Affairs
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