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CMIST Graduate Course Offerings

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84-603 International Human Rights

This mini-course surveys the causes of human rights violations around the world and the internal and external forces that combat them. The course begins by asking how political scientists conceptualize and measure human rights; we also review the origins and evolution of…

84-604 Analysis of Current US National Security Priorities

This discussion-based course will examine the headlines in international relations, defense, national security, and homeland security. We will follow major news stories, breaking down media coverage to go deeper, conducting our own unique analysis as a group but also…

84-605 The Future of Warfare

Warfare is constantly evolving. Throughout history, technological developments have hastened the evolution in the character, nature, and types of wars being fought. In the contemporary conflict environment, the prospect of large-scale conflict between near-peer states is…

84-606 Latin American Politics

The world’s most unequal region is an area of contrasts. Ethnically diverse, stable and tumultuous, young and old, urban and rural, learned and illiterate, prosperous and poor, independent yet dependent. The disparities that have characterized the region since…

84-609 American Political Divides and Great Debates

This course explores political polarization in the United States. It’s not just learning about the extent of political polarization; it’s about active engagement in analyzing some of the most contentious issues facing the nation today, such as the 2nd…

84-612 Terrorism in Sub-Saharan Africa

The spread and growth of terrorism on the continent of Africa has increased substantially over the last decade; this mini is an introduction to the major terrorism groups that operate in sub-Saharan Africa. Throughout the course, we will examine the nexus of the terrorist…

84-619 Civil-Military Relations

Why do militaries (people with guns) ever obey civilians (people without guns)? Can we have a military strong enough to protect civilians, yet not so strong as to ignore or subvert civilian authority? What is the dividing line between civilian and military spheres of…

84-622 Nonviolent Conflict and Revolution

How can everyday people promote justice, equality, and democracy? Throughout history, many have looked to armed struggle and revolutionary violence. But over the course of the last century, nonviolent "people power" movements -- from Gandhi's salt march to the Arab Spring…

84-623 War and Peace in the Contemporary Middle East

This course examines the drivers of war and peace in the contemporary Middle East. It is structured around a series of key debates about different facets of conflict and violence in the region, such as the causes of rebellion, the reasons resistance groups use terrorism,…

84-625 Contemporary American Foreign Policy

This course provides a survey of American foreign policy since World War I as a means of explaining why American foreign policy looks the way it does today. We will cover topics such as America's perennial battles between isolationism and internationalism, the creation of…

84-627 Who Really Runs America?: Subnational Governance and Policymaking

Most discussions of American politics revolve around the federal government, despite the fact that states and localities account for the vast majority of policymaking and elected officials in the US, overseeing such central aspects of our daily lives as education, public…

84-628 Military Strategy and Doctrine

While major interstate warfare has markedly declined since World War II, recent events illustrate that the causes and dynamics of major war remain some of the most important topics in international politics. This course will survey how the causes, conduct, and termination…

84-629 Asian Strategies

What are the strategies of leading Asian countries?  How do they intend to pursue their economic, political, and military goals in the years ahead?  What role will technology and information play in advancing their strategic objectives?  These…

84-633 Law of US Democracy

This course will examine democracy from a legal perspective. It will include sections on civil rights, and in particular minority voting rights. It will also cover legal and constitutional constructs, like the Elections Clause, how and when a state can restrict ballot…

84-641 Transnational Criminal Networks & International Security

COURSE CANCELLED Since the end of the Cold War, threats to national and international security have become more varied and diffused.  Some of these threats are subtle and insidious rather than overtly military in character. This course will explore the rise of…

84-649 Digital Diplomacy: Cybersecurity Challenges and Global Governance

In an increasingly interconnected world, the realms of cybersecurity and diplomacy are inextricably linked. This course provides a comprehensive examination of how cyber threats and digital technologies impact international relations and global security. Students will…

84-650 A Strategist's Introduction to Artificial Intelligence

How do AI technologies influence politics, governance, and conflict? This course provides an overview of AI technologies, beginning with unpacking the term 'artificial intelligence' itself. Students will examine AI applications and their implications in political and…

84-652 Representation and Voting Rights

What does it mean to be represented? Who is represented, who is not? What is the nature of that representation? In practice, does representation result in policy congruence? This course will explore the concept of representation, what it means in theory, and how…

84-655 Democracy’s Data: Analytics and Insights into American Elections

In the aftermath of the 2024 US presidential election, understanding the intricacies of electoral processes has become paramount. This course offers a unique blend of political science and data analytics, specifically focusing on the American electoral system. It places a…

84-656 Applied Political Data Analytics

This course introduces students to data analytics in political science, with a focus on developing practical data skills for applied research and real-world problem solving. Students will acquire foundational Python programming skills for analyzing and visualizing…

84-658 Money, Connections, and Power: Interests and Influence in the US

This course explores the range of actors who seek to influence policymaking in the US, including individuals, issue groups, unions, businesses, professional associations, and subnational governments. It would begin by considering political outcomes to determine whose…

84-662 Diplomacy and Statecraft

Diplomacy and statecraft are the driving forces behind foreign policy and international politics. Students are first introduced to the concepts, theories, and history of international negotiation and modern diplomacy. Students examine key historical cases and profile…

84-663 Click. Hack. Rule: Understanding the Power & Peril of Cyber Conflict

This course explores the multifaceted landscape of cyber conflict across three distinct layers of the Internet: the cyber-physical layer, the software layer, and the application layer. The course will investigate the strategic use of these Internet layers by governments,…

84-665 The Politics of Fake News and Misinformation

This course analyzes the drivers and dynamics of fake news and misinformation in social and political life. From conspiracy theories about COVID and climate change to misinformation about political violence and conflict, how can we characterize fake news and misinformation…

84-666 The 21st-Century Presidency: Expanding Powers, New Challenges

The president is undisputedly at the center of the US government: the most powerful and prominent person in the country (and quite possibly the world), endowed with vast policymaking authority and broad latitude to set the national agenda. When creating the Constitution,…

84-667 The Politics of Antisemitism

The course examines the phenomenon of antisemitism in contemporary international politics. Antisemitism is an old form of prejudice, but concerns about its growth and consequences are very present in the news today. Meanwhile, the term has also become something of a…

84-668 Technology Ethics

This course provides an introduction to technology ethics. Churchill once complained that war, once "cruel and magnificent," had been "completely spoiled" due to the involvement of scientists in creating new military weaponry. Scientific-military collaborations are hardly…

84-669 Decision Science for International Relations

Decision science studies how people make decisions, in order to learn from their wisdom and help them to do better.  The course focuses decision science on high-stakes decisions in health, safety, environment, technology, and national security.  It…

84-670 Nuclear Security and Arms Control

This course introduces students to the importance and challenges of implementing safeguards surrounding nuclear energy and arms control. Students will learn the history of nuclear and conventional weapons proliferation, assess the effectiveness of current treaties export…

84-671 International Governance of Artificial Intelligence

How do global institutions seek to govern AI? This course examines AI policy from an international perspective, beginning with a concise technical overview of AI that clarifies its functions. It then outlines the existing and future regulatory challenges that governments…

84-672 Space and National Security

Space systems contribute a great deal to America's security, prosperity, and quality of life. This course examines how space-based services provide critical support to military and intelligence operations and contribute to national security more broadly. The course is…

84-673 International Law

This course introduces students to the fundamentals of international law. Although its efficacy is often debated, states regard international law as essential for regulating their international affairs. International law is largely built on consensus, without a global…

84-674 An Introduction to Technology and War

"Advancements" in military technology over time have enabled countries to kill quickly, with pinpoint precision, and on a massive scale from thousands of miles away. Today, emerging technologies also empower state and non-state actors to use lethal force via remote control…

84-675 Geopolitics of Innovation

If technology is applied knowledge, knowledge is power. This course explores how national power is derived from scientific and technological advancements, impacting the global geopolitical landscape. Students will be introduced to topics such as innovation theory, along…

84-680 US Grand Strategy

This class examines different philosophies of US strategy toward other countries and how US strategies impact people in other times and places. By doing so, students are both exposed to different ideas about US foreign policy than they may have otherwise, along with how…

84-683 National Cyber Policy & Strategy

The decisions nations make in cyberspace have profound implications for both prosperity and sovereignty. The internet is a digital thread tying together peoples. The nature of our participation in this ecosystem is determined by policy makers. Cyber policy mirrors the…

84-687 Remote Systems and the Cyber Domain in Conflict

For most of human history, warfare took place face-to-face or in close proximity using weapons like rocks, swords, spears, bow and arrows, and firearms. However, the development of technologies like missiles, drones, and the internet have changed the character of warfare…

84-689 Terrorism and Insurgency

This course provides an introduction to terrorism, insurgency, and civil war, covering the causes, dynamics, consequences, and policy responses to these forms of political violence. Insurgent and terrorist groups are some of the most important actors behind security…

84-690 Social Media, Technology, and Conflict

This course will examine the role that social media and technology have had on conflict at multiple levels, both between and within nations. Interconnectedness has expanded dramatically and continues to expand, allowing the formerly disconnected—individuals with…

84-693 The US Congress: Legislative Progress or Paralysis?

Seemingly everyone across the political spectrum agrees that Congress is broken: paralyzed by conflict between and within the parties, out of touch with the needs and concerns of the American people, and incapable of acting swiftly or competently to address the…

84-703 Employing Qualitative and Quantitative Methods in Policy Analysis

Employing Qualitative and Quantitative Methods in Policy Analysis, will provide a qualitative understanding of quantitative methods in the professional context of policy analysis. Skillsets to be developed in this course are the analysis and visualization of data along…

84-720 Advanced International Security

This seminar is a graduate-level introduction to the field of international security. The course focuses on issues concerning the conduct of war and military strategy, surveying both classic texts and recent works on important security policy issues. The course has three…

84-781 MITS Capstone Project

In this required capstone project MITS students are expected to meet with their assigned teams as often as needed to finalize project outcomes, while providing timely updates to the project advisor. Registration in the MITS Capstone Project course is limited to those…

84-791 Policy Seminar I

CMIST regularly brings diplomats, scholars, policymakers, journalists, and other thought leaders to the university to address major issues facing the United States and the world.  CMIST graduate students will enroll in the three-unit Policy Seminar in their first…

84-792 Policy Seminar II

The Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy & Technology (CMIST) will host several lectures and speaker series that address topics spanning the intersection of security and technology, international relations, political science, and more. We will bring senior leaders to…

84-794 Policy Seminar IV

The Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy & Technology (CMIST) will host several lectures and speaker series that address topics spanning the intersection of security and technology, international relations, political science, and more. We will bring senior leaders to…

84-799 Graduate Thesis

Master of Science in International Relations and Politics students are expected to dedicate a minimum of eighteen hours per week to work on the thesis for the duration of the semester. The student is expected to meet regularly (once per week, on average) with the thesis…
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