Skip navigation
Search
Search
Covert Action, HUMINT and the Psychology of Intelligence Elicitation at University of Buckingham - UCAS

University of Buckingham

Degree level: Postgraduate

Covert Action, HUMINT and the Psychology of Intelligence Elicitation (Taught)

Course options

2023 - 20242024 - 2025
Apply

There are other course options available which may have a different vacancy status or entry requirements – view the full list of options

Find your student digs

The buzz of campus halls, student housing in town, or your own private living space? Discover which accommodation is right for you.
View accommodation

Open days

13Jul
Copy of University of Buckingham - Open Day
Postgraduate

Course summary

Home of the two-year degree, the University of Buckingham, based in the South East of England, is ranked 6th for Student Satisfaction in the UK (National Student Survey, 2020). We are proudly independent and not-for-profit, and offer courses in Allied Health, Business, Computing, Education, Humanities, Law, Medicine, Psychology and Security and Intelligence. We are one of the few universities in the UK that offer September and January start dates for almost all of our courses. Based in Buckingham on a riverside campus, we are only 20 minutes’ from Milton Keynes central station and a short drive from Bicester, Aylesbury, Banbury and Northampton. There is free parking on-site and we are within easy reach of London and Oxford. Our award-winning small class tutorials ensure every student is known by name and supported throughout their studies, including by dedicated personal tutors. As pioneers of the two-year degree, we offer a condensed version of the traditional three-year degree, meaning you can gain a full honours degree and complete your studies a whole year earlier. Alternatively, you can complete both your undergraduate and master’s degree with us in just three years: saving you time and money. Course Highlights

  • Enhances opportunities to develop a professional career in the intelligence and security sectors
  • Outstanding flexibility – study offered part time and full time AND by way of distance learning
The programme welcomes both holders of first degrees or those who have the relevant professional experience Pre-recorded lectures enable the student to decide the best time to study Learning supported by former practitioners and leading international experts who work with NGO’s Governments and security sectors worldwide If successful in the PGCert, the opportunity to migrate to Master’s programme Programme qualifies for ELCAS funding Tutorial design enables quality small group student-lecturer engagement. Inclusive access to BUCSIS sponsored national intelligence conferences Opportunity to study at the world-leading Buckingham Centre for Security and Intelligence Studies (BUCSIS) To survive, states require effective intelligence collection and covert action capabilities, yet both attract significant controversy. This course will critically and systematically analyse aspects of these capabilities and the attendant practice that are designed to mitigate threats to the state. More specifically, it will explore the state’s use of covert action as a way of limiting or avoiding war, stifling the hostile intentions of enemies, and assisting in progressing the aims of foreign policy. It will explore the types of covert action historically deployed by states, from propaganda to political violence to paramilitary action. It will offer a framework for evaluating the success or otherwise of covert action in an ethical context. It will do this by anchoring the study to real-world case studies while discussing covert actions relationship with national security, civil liberties and wider international power-relations. Safety, survival and prosperity in an uncertain world, also demands actionable intelligence. Good intelligence can address threat ambiguity. It can assist policymakers in making hard choices in complex and dynamic circumstances. Intelligence can provide clarity over the nature of an adversary’s threat and inform the selection of the most appropriate operational or strategic response.

Modules

Module 1: Covert Action Understanding and defining covert action Disinformation, propaganda and fake news Political Action – regime change and election interference Covert paramilitary action Assassinations and targeted killings Covert Action case studies – UK, USA and Russia, China Module 2: Human Intelligence (HUMINT) HUMINT and the law Informants – identification, recruitment and deployment Undercover policing Online HUMINT Cooperating or assisting offenders Community intelligence Operational ethics and HUMINT use Module 3: The Psychology of Intelligence Elicitation Detecting lies and deceit Interview models Characteristics of good intelligence Ethics of interrogation Use of non-coercive elicitation techniques Motivations for source cooperation

Assessment method

Assessment is constituted by a number of written assignments, including essays on big-picture issues; and short policy-paper exercises submitted online. Tutor support is provided throughout, and there are opportunities to attend workshops and symposia in person at the university for those who are able to do so. Each student will be assigned a personal tutor with whom online contact, advice and assistance with course work can be accessed throughout the programme. In addition to online contact, students can also take advantage of optional physical workshops at the university for those who are able to attend.

Qualified teacher status (QTS)

To work as a teacher at a state school in England or Wales, you will need to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS). This is offered on this course for the following level:

  • Course does not award QTS

Entry requirements

The minimum entry level required for this course is as follows: a first or second-class honours degree from a recognised university or, a recognised professional qualification and/or with relevant work experience Mature Students Age is no barrier to learning and we welcome all applications from suitably qualified students.

English language requirements

Postgraduate English Language Requirements

https://www.buckingham.ac.uk/international/english-language-requirements/postgraduate-language-requirements/

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

EU £3163 Whole course
International £3163 Whole course
England £3163 Whole course
Northern Ireland £3163 Whole course
Scotland £3163 Whole course
Wales £3163 Whole course
Channel Islands £3163 Whole course
Republic of Ireland £3163 Whole course

Additional fee information

The course fee for applicants from the MOD is £2,500.

Sponsorship information

The University would like to encourage students – both undergraduates and postgraduates – to come to Buckingham regardless of their financial circumstances. The bursaries and scholarships we offer are awarded on merit and/or on financial need. You may only accept one University award. All awards are subject to your meeting the University’s academic entry requirements and abiding by the University’s rules and regulations. To be eligible to apply for a scholarship you will need to have been offered a place to study at Buckingham. For details of our current range of scholarships and bursaries please see our website: https://www.buckingham.ac.uk/admissions/scholarships

Covert Action, HUMINT and the Psychology of Intelligence Elicitation at University of Buckingham - UCAS