Strategic Intelligence Major
Program Structure
The 123-credit Strategic Intelligence (SI) Major at Patrick Henry College is designed as a progressive, four-year intellectual and practical journey that weaves PHC’s robust 63-credit classical liberal arts core together with rigorous intelligence tradecraft, advanced technical skills, and real-world application. Rather than treating intelligence as a purely technical trade, the curriculum grounds future analysts and operatives in history, theology, philosophy, and constitutional law—ensuring that professional capability is always guided by moral clarity and constitutional restraint.
First Year: Laying the Classical Foundation
The freshman year focuses heavily on establishing a broad intellectual worldview through PHC’s classical core, including two-semester sequences in History of Western Civilization, Western Literature, Theology of the Bible, Rhetoric & Composition, and Logic. This rigorous humanities grounding trains students to analyze complex arguments, write with precision, and evaluate historical contexts. In the spring semester, students take their foundational gateway course, Intro to Intelligence in National Security (INT303), introducing them to the structure of the U.S. Intelligence Community, the intelligence cycle, and the ethical responsibilities of national security service.
Second Year: Core Tradecraft, AI, and Cyber Fundamentals
In the sophomore year, students expand their classical studies—covering U.S. History, Philosophy, Freedom’s Foundations, and foreign language study—while diving into core analytical methods and modern technological domains. Fall coursework includes Strategic AI Literacy (INT323), ensuring students understand emerging artificial intelligence tools and their national security implications early in their academic career. In the spring, students complete Intelligence Research & Analysis (INT313), Executive Presentation Lab (INT311), and Cyber Domain Fundamentals (INT383). Sophomores also begin active participation in hands-on Apprenticeship Electives / Special Projects (INT460), contributing to real-world intelligence projects alongside faculty mentors.
Third Year: Advanced Targeting, Constitutional Law, and Regional Specialization
The junior year shifts toward high-level analytical methodologies, legal frameworks, and geographic expertise. Students examine the legal guardrails governing national security in Constitutional Law (GOV203), while studying the intersection of worldview and global friction in Conflict & Theological Topography (INT322). Specialized intelligence tradecraft is developed through Advanced Analytic Targeting Methods (INT423), Counterterrorism (INT373), and technical tools in Applied Data Science: Mapping (INT331). Junior year also introduces Area Studies Electives—such as Modern Chinese History, History of Islam, or Modern Middle East—and initiates off-campus professional integration through the Internship in SI (INT470) and continued multi-credit Special Projects (INT460).
Fourth Year: Strategic Policy, Counterintelligence, and Launch
The senior year serves as the capstone phase, preparing graduates for direct entry into the Intelligence Community or graduate studies. Students master security defense and executive policy formulation through Counterintelligence (INT363) and Policy Making in National Security (INT413). Advanced electives offer specialization in cutting-edge fields, including Cyber Threat Intelligence (INT362), Cyber Threat Modeling (INT372), Digital Forensics and Incident Response (INT382) and Advanced Technology & Ethics in Intelligence (INT403). Integrating capstone humanities requirements like Principles of Biblical Reasoning (BIB423) with senior SI Internships (INT470) and lead roles on Special Projects (INT460), graduating seniors emerge as skilled analysts equipped with operational competence, legal fluency, and unwavering moral grounding.
Below is a sample Strategic Intelligence in National Security program overview. For a more specific program overview, consult the Academic Catalog for your year.
Patrick Henry College structures its academic program around its distinctive, classical liberal arts Core Curriculum, consisting of 63 credits plus foreign language. Building on the foundation of PHC’s exceptional Core, Government students will take:
Major Courses (48 credits)
Strategic Intelligence Courses
(28 credits)
Introduction to Intelligence in National Security
Executive Presentation Lab
Intelligence Research & Analysis
Conflict & Theological Topography
Strategic AI Literacy
Applied Data Analytics: Mapping
Counterintelligence
Counterterrorism
Cyber Domain Fundamentals
Policy Making for National Security & Intelligence
Adv. Analytic Targeting Methods in Intelligence
Apprenticeship Courses
(6 credits)
Internship in Strategic Intelligence
Major Electives
(14 credits)
Area Studies Elective
(3 credits)
Independent Study in American/European History
Topics in American/European History (topics vary)
History of Islam
Modern Chinese History
Modern Middle East
History of Modern Russia
Independent Study in Historical Studies
Topics in Historical Studies (topics vary)
Foreign Study: Hist. & Geography of the Middle East*
Topics in Intelligence & National Security: (various)*
European Politics
Politics of Developing Nations
Public International Law
IPP Area Studies: (topics vary)
Topics in International Studies: (topics vary)
Course Electives
(3 credits)
International Relations
Comparative Politics
International Economics
Comparative Economic Systems
Cyber Threat Intelligence
Cyber Threat Modeling
Digital Forensics & Incident Response
Adv. Technol. & Ethics in Intelligence & Nat’l Security
The Strategic Environment
Psychology & Leadership Analysis in Intelligence
Foreign Study: Hist. & Geography of the Middle East*
Topics in Intelligence & National Security: (various)*
Discrete Math
Linear Algebra
Apprenticeship Electives
(8 credits)
Special Projects in Strategic Intelligence
Practicum in Government: Logic & Law
(or up to 3 credits of the following)
Forensics
Mock Trial
Moot Court
Practicum in Government: Logic & Law
DRW
Argumentation & Debate
Open Electives
(12 credits)
Credit earned in the attainment of foreign language ability may be applied to Open Electives.
*May apply to either degree category as listed, but not both.
