The Master of Arts in Global Security is an interdisciplinary, online graduate program that enables students’ professional advancement in security-related fields, including the military, humanitarian assistance, international affairs, government service, and private industry.
Housed in the School of Politics and Global Studies at Arizona State University, this program is created and managed by the Future Security Initiative, drawing on its extensive network of security practitioners, policymakers, and thought leaders.
Why study with us?
MA in Global Security graduates have a proven track record of success: from transitioning out of the military to advancing their careers, to starting entirely new ones, our students and alumni find academic & career support for their individual journeys.
World-Class Faculty
Students study directly with top global security practitioners and thought leaders including defense and security strategists, political scientists, retired generals, award-winning journalists, heads of humanitarian organizations, former advisors to Secretaries of State, and more.
Exciting Coursework
Expand your horizons with cutting-edge curriculum on current and future security issues. Coursework is designed to develop a holistic perspective on complex global problems, to examine contemporary issues through a practitioner’s lens, and to train graduates with critical skills for careers in global security.
Graduate Success
Graduates pursue careers in defense, military strategy, international relations, intelligence, diplomacy, geopolitical analysis, and a range of security-related fields in the public and private sectors. In an age where global security impacts nearly every aspect of our lives, the possibilities are endless.
Events
Connect with fellow students all over the world, engage in weekly discussions, attend exclusive events (both in person and online), and gain access to our growing alumni networks in Phoenix and Washington, DC.
Join Us
Join our expanding network of students and alumni who are changing their lives and securing our future at the local, national, and global level
Additional concentration options
MA in Global Security (Cybersecurity)
This nontechnical program focuses on the complex risks, threats, and modes of protection and response associated with cybersecurity. Emphasizing real world case studies and taught by the world’s foremost leaders in cyber strategy, policy and planning, this concentration prepares students for a rapidly expanding field with a focus on the evolving relationship between cybersecurity and global politics.
MA in Global Security (Irregular Warfare)
A first-of-its-kind degree program at a civilian university, the concentration in Irregular Warfare builds student understanding of contemporary irregular warfare and how it fits within the broader geopolitical environment. It enables graduates to develop suitable courses of action or policy proposals in complex conflict situations to achieve positions of relative advantage over any adversary. Coursework focuses on current and future conflict domains including cyber, information & narrative warfare, economic competition, proxy war,
counterinsurgency, great power competition, and other domains of irregular warfare and special operations.
Certificate in Global Security & Competitive Statecraft
This 15-credit graduate certificate is designed for learners pursuing career advancement or deeper knowledge of contemporary security issues who don’t need a master’s degree. It introduces students to the complexity of the contemporary global security environment in an era of increased competition and compounding security risks, exploring the dynamics of great power competition, information & narrative warfare, economic competition, proxy war, and the security implications of urbanization, migration, climate change, technological innovation, and other global trends.
Why study with us?
Flexibility
Students can pursue the MA in Global Security on their own schedule from anywhere in the world. Most study while working and many complete the degree in a calendar year. Students choose their own electives to complete the degree in topics that reflect their career interests and may select from additional concentration options in Cybersecurity and Irregular Warfare.
World-Renowned Practitioner Faculty
Learn about cybersecurity from the first Deputy Director of U.S. Cyber Command. Study international tribunals with the former U.S. Ambassador-at-large for War Crimes. Explore human rights dilemmas with the Washington Director of Human Rights Watch. Learn about post-conflict governance from a former strategic advisor on Afghanistan reconstruction. The highly engaged, accessible, and professional faculty are the backbone of the MA in Global Security Program. Professors of Practice are leaders in their respective fields and provide the practitioner’s view on security issues such as cyber strategy, counterterrorism, great power competition, proxy war, emerging tech, and more.
Career Advancement
MA in Global Security graduates leverage their degrees to expand their knowledge of the security space, advance their careers, and launch new ones. The real-world focus of the curriculum combined with access to our network of security practitioners positions students to explore a wide array of opportunities in the public and private sectors.
Cutting Edge Curriculum
Coursework is at the forefront of contemporary security problems. Students examine the future of war & conflict from every angle, studying the meaning of power, the role of strategy, and the many ways states and non-state actors compete in the global arena. From economics to lawfare to cyber strategy to information & narrative warfare to nuclear diplomacy to
the use of force, graduates walk away with a broad perspective on the web of interrelated issues in the global security space.
Diverse Student Body
The MA in Global Security program has 160+ current students and over 350 graduates. Many are mid-career professionals looking to advance their careers or make a career change. The average age of our students is early-30s, approximately half our students are current military or veterans, over 40 percent are from underrepresented groups, and over a third are women. Our students log in from all over the world. The diversity of perspectives this brings to class discussions enriches the learning process and is consistently cited as one of the most valuable features of the program.
Military and Veteran Support
With several veterans on the faculty and a large population of active duty and reservists represented in the student body, military students find the program a natural fit. Military-affiliated alumni describe the curriculum as a gateway to understanding the role of their work in a larger system. The flexibility of the program and the availability of faculty who understand deployments and unexpected reassignments provides military students with the support they need to ensure success. The Pat Tillman Center also plays an active role in educating and supporting military students on the numerous benefits available to them at ASU.
Alumni
Timothy Forero
“The MAGS program helped me launch my national security career in the federal government. It didn’t just build my resume, it left me prepared to contribute meaningfully on a number of security issues as soon as I began my new position. The faculty and curriculum are truly exceptional. This program is probably the best in the country with respect to delivering practical knowledge to those seeking to work in national or global security fields.”
Haley Hollimon (Intelligence Officer, U.S. Army)
“After going through the MAGS program, I better understood the interplay between international directives and policies. I can articulate the role of military innovation on shaping American state and non-state threats. I now understand why the intelligence community prioritizes certain threats over others as well as the second and third order effects. It made me more competitive for intelligence positions within the Army, and helped me land a position in a strategic intelligence unit post-graduation.”
Jenna Cortez (Cyber Operations Planner, CISA)
“This program helped me better understand the environment I work in as I studied the broader implications and tertiary effects of contemporary security problems. I can better connect the tactical level threats I deal with to the broader strategic level of the long-term geopolitical landscape. This better positioned me for long-term career growth, and I’ve since moved into a new position as a Senior Cyber Operations Planner with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency–the very agency whose work I used to build my capstone project.”
Jonathon Rosenberg (Senior Operations Manager, Amazon)
"The MAGS curriculum, faculty, and staff are truly world class! The online program is flexible and the faculty sincerely cares about the success of their students. The curriculum challenged me to think more critically than ever before. I was able to engage with a diverse group of individuals that ranged from young professionals at Amazon and Google to senior members of the U.S. Military. I would 100% recommend the MAGS program to my colleagues and anyone trying to advance in the military, government, or private sector."
Satar Abass
“I cannot give the MAGS program enough praise to do it justice. I strongly believe the innovative program offers dynamic, highly engaging content, and classmates that challenge students to develop critical thinking skills necessary to become future world leaders. [The faculty] have taken genuine interest in advancing my career goals providing letters of recommendation, resume development, and extensive discussion on potential career paths.”
Timothy Spencer (Criminal Investigator, USMC)
“The MA in Global Security has been a transformative journey that has reshaped my understanding of the world, international affairs, and future career goals. It has broadened my concept of security, exposed me to the intricate web of global relations, and provided a clear direction for my professional aspirations. It didn't just teach me about specific security concepts; it provided me the framework to understand any security environment.”
John E. Oliveira (President, Applied Forensic Solutions)
“The MAGS program succeeded in teaching this old dog new tricks. It has taken my worldly experiences on the ground and has provided political context to those experiences. I am no longer that private waiting in my muddy foxhole anxiously pondering what we are doing there. I am now the old warrior sage filled with knowledge and confidence.”
Sara Freisem
“The program’s commitment to practical and policy focused assignments helped me develop the skills needed to enter the job market. Policy memos I completed in the courses prepared me for writing samples on several job applications, and the knowledge I gained through case studies and the topics it covered is a huge asset as I begin my career. Thanks to the MA in Global Security program, I feel confident in my job search and my future.”