Ethics/Intel Support Natl Sec

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

This course will introduce students to the common ethical dilemmas associated with the business of Intelligence. To contribute to the decision-making of whether the US Government should lie, steal, deny, cheat, coerce, or kill on behalf of national security goals, Intelligence officers must understand the context for the ethical challenges they face and be confident in their understanding of the laws governing Intelligence work. Students will be exposed to four common frameworks for evaluating ethical dilemmas and review the ethical guidelines enshrined in the US Constitution that ground the business of Intelligence. They will evaluate, individually and collectively, dozens of real-life scenarios that required Intelligence officers to make hard choices in ambiguous situations. Finally, students will create fictional scenarios and present their final decision-making in class. The course seeks to enhance students' confidence and competence in contributing to ethically challenging decisions on a range of national security issues.