Module: Intelligence & Security Analysis: Theory & Practice

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Intelligence & Security Analysis: Theory & Practice
Module Code	POL1059 (ITS: LG5030)
Faculty	Law & Government	School	Humanities & Social Sciences
NFQ level	9	Credit Rating	10

Description

This module examines the essential cognitive process of intelligence: analysis. It does so from a normative theoretical anchoring – first outlining the analytic tradecraft with its epistemology and psychological pitfalls. To further appraise how intelligence and security analysis unfolds (and often unravels) upon contact with the world; the module has a large practical component. The second half of the course is dedicated to exercises, exploring structured analytic techniques; critical assessments of declassified intelligence assessments and lastly drafting and presenting a group briefing. Once intelligence analysis has been explored in both theory and practice, the course concludes by reflecting upon the ethical questions raised throughout the twelve weeks.

Learning Outcomes

1. Students’ will gain applied practical team experience in undertaking open-source ‘intelligence’ collection, processing, analysis and production;
2. Through a deeper theoretical understanding, the learner will be able to identify the pitfalls and analytic pathologies faced by intelligence analysts;
3. Building off from the introductions in Intelligence Analysis & Policy Making, the learner will further be able to assess and evaluate the authoritative theoretical literature on intelligence, as well as broader academic research within Intelligence Studies;
4. Analyse the ethical issues intrinsic to covert intrusive surveillance and other collection methods. The learner will also be able to evalute other normative ethnical debates concerning collective security vs. individual rights, algorithmic profiling, secrecy, transparency and accountability;
5. Critically examine evidence and reports at an advanced level, this will be derived from independent source related analysis with a special focus on the use of intelligence in the run up to the war in Iraq;
6. Bring to bear analytical and methodological tools from the module on the learner’s writing of their IMSISS dissertation.

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Seminars	30	Small and Large group discussions
Fieldwork	220	reading preparation and submission of assessments
Total Workload: 250

Section Breakdown
CRN	20932	Part of Term	Semester 2
Coursework	0%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	Y
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Sarah Léonard	Module Teacher	Erika Biagini, Iain McMenamin, James Fitzgerald, Tanya Ní Mhuirthile

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Research Paper	single briefing, no more than 1,500 (not including footnotes and bibliography).	25%	Week 24
Group project	joint briefing, no more than 2,500 (not including footnotes, bibliography or analytic matrix).	25%	Week 30
Group presentation	Presentation from part 2 of Group analytic exercise	20%	Once per semester
Reflective journal	a short reflection paper on collection, processing, analysis and production of producing intelligence briefing. not to exceed 2,000.	20%	Sem 2 End
Participation	Participation	10%	Every Week

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Analytical Tradecraft: Essential concepts in intelligence analysis

Analytical Tradecraft: Kent vs. Kendall and the politicisation of analysis

Analytical Tradecraft: 9/11 and overcoming failures of design
(guest lecture from former or current practitioner)

Analytical Tradecraft: Pitfalls and pathologies

Structured Analytic Exercise (SATs): Generating a utility matrix (group exercise

Structured Analytic Exercise (SATs): Contrarian & Imaginative thinking techniques (group exercises)
(guest lecture from former or current practitioner)

Analysis and Iraq WMDs: A critical analysis of the Butler and Chilcot Inquires

Analysis and Iraq WMDs: A critical analysis of the ‘September Dossier’

FOES Group analytic exercise, part 1:
A simulation where in groups the students rapidly work together putting together what they have learned so far to produce a joint assessment

FOES Group analytic exercise, part 2:
In part two the students present their joint assessments to a panel of ‘intelligence consumers’ and each other

Intelligence, Security, Ethics and Analysis
(guest lecture from former or current practitioner)

Indicative Reading List

Books:
None

Articles:
None

Other Resources

None