CyberOps in the Age of AI

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

Cyber operations now reach into nearly every corner of national security work—military policy, intelligence, counterterrorism, diplomacy, and homeland security—which makes them a useful lens onto some of the most important questions in contemporary security studies. How does the U.S. government organize itself to confront emerging threats? How do statutory authorities shape what different departments can and cannot do? How do Congress's authorization and appropriations processes constrain executive action? Where do private companies fit in a national security landscape once dominated by government? And how do allies and adversaries navigate an increasingly contested international environment? This is not a technology course. Students will build a working understanding of the interagency process and the distinct roles and missions of the Defense Department, the Justice Department, the Department of Homeland Security, the Treasury Department, the Intelligence Community, and the White House—knowledge that travels far beyond cyber. They will engage enduring debates about civil-military relations, deterrence, the private sector's proper role in national defense, and how leaders use (and misuse) historical analogy to make decisions. Readings include primary sources—statutes, executive orders, and congressional testimony—alongside case studies drawn from real operations against a range of adversaries. Assessment rests on a student-designed research paper and an oral defense modeled on professional briefings common in government and industry, not on technical proficiency. No background in computer science is required or expected. Students interested in U.S. national security policy, military operations, international security, intelligence, or terrorism will find that the course equips them with frameworks and vocabulary they will use throughout their careers, whether or not they ever work on cyber again.