Institute for Public Policy and Citizenship Studies

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Undergraduate Certificate in National Security Studies

Offered through the Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy and Citizenship Studies, the Undergraduate Certificate may be awarded to both degree & non-degree seeking students who complete the requirements. For students pursuing a degree, the certificate is a complement to a student’s discipline or major area of studies. For non-degree seeking students, the certificate provides a means for understanding more about national security in the 21st century.

Certificate Requirements
1. A total of 18 credit hours of undergraduate course work with a grade of C or higher. Courses must come from the approved NSS course listing or be approved by the certificate advisor. Courses may include those in the student’s departmental major, but must also be selected from at least two disciplines outside the student’s departmental major. With the approval of the Director, courses other than those listed herein maybe substituted on a case-by-case basis.

The course requirements are:
A. Skill Requirement (3 credits)
B. Core Requirement (6 credits)
C. National Security Studies (3 credits)
D. Area Studies (6 credits)

2. A two-course introductory language sequence at FIU with a grade of C or higher. Exemption from this requirement may be obtained through a proficiency examination administered by the FIU Department of Modern Languages. Language courses may not be counted toward the fulfillment of requirement #1.

NOTE: Intermediate-high on the ACTFL (1-plus on the US government scale) can be normally attained by students with two undergraduate semesters of basic language instruction and at least one undergraduate semester of intermediate (3000/4000) instruction. Attainment of the required language proficiency is the responsibility of the student, and extra courses to achieve the required proficiency level must be taken outside the NSS curriculum.

Students interested in pursuing an Undergraduate Certificate in National Security Studies should contact the certificate advisor at (305) 348-2977 or by e-mail for an appointment.

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