Spy studies added to Masters degree

Humanities

Intelligence, counter-intelligence and security studies will be offered for the first time at the University of Adelaide from 2007.

The study areas will be added to the University's highly regarded Masters degree in International Studies, run by the School of History and Politics.

On offer as part of the MA program will be: approaches to strategic cultures and unconventional warfare; intelligence and security after the Cold War; an online course in intelligence and counter-intelligence history; politics of war, old and new; nuclear proliferation; and international security.

"I believe it's the first time intelligence studies have been included on the teaching curriculum in South Australia," said Senior Lecturer Dr Felix Patrikeeff. "And with the new online intelligence and counter-intelligence history course, we're hoping to widen our student base nationally and internationally."

Dr Patrikeeff said there was considerable interest in the degree from people already working in organisations involved in defence and security.

The changes to the degree were also aimed at attracting new graduates interested in careers within those fields.

Dr Patrikeeff said the program will have input from security practitioners who can provide the wisdom of experience to students.

The intelligence and security components of the Masters program will remain as options only in the first instance, in case some students prefer not to undertake these studies as part of their MA in International Studies.

The new focus on intelligence studies got off to a good start last month with an inaugural two-day conference, "Threat Perception in a Complex Environment: Intelligence gathering in the Asia-Pacific".

Intelligence and defence experts gathered at the University of Adelaide to discuss security threats and issues in the current uncertain global environment.

"Governments and businesses across the Asia-Pacific invest billions of dollars into public and private intelligence-gathering agencies in an attempt to understand threats within this difficult environment," Dr Patrikeeff said.

"This conference drew on multidisciplinary expertise from across the region to consider both theoretical and practical aspects of intelligence gathering and the challenges of the current and future threat environment.

"There is obvious growing interest and awareness of these issues as a field of study - demand we will be able to meet with our new options in the MA International Studies."

The conference was jointly organised by the School of History and Politics and the Australian Institute of International Affairs (SA branch) and sponsored by the ARC Asia Pacific Futures Network. It is the first in a planned annual series examining intelligence and security in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.

Story by Robyn Mills