Course Information
SemesterCourse Unit CodeCourse Unit TitleT+P+LCreditNumber of ECTS CreditsLast Updated Date
1SBU535Security and Intelligence Studies3+0+03730.12.2025
Course Details
Language of Instruction Turkish
Level of Course Unit Master's Degree
Department / Program Political Science and International Relations (Non-Thesis)
Type of Program Formal Education
Type of Course Unit Elective
Course Delivery Method Face To Face
Objectives of the Course The objective of this course is to examine the scope, processes, and applications of intelligence, as well as its role in strategy formation, within the context of intelligence and security.
Course Content The course will first examine the concept of strategy and its development, explore the fundamentals of strategy formulation, and focus on its relationship with intelligence. The conceptual dimension and different inputs/outputs of the selected different dynamics will be examined, primarily with the guidance of the instructor, and students' solutions to the problems determined on a weekly basis will be listened to.
Within this framework, the topics specified in the course plan will be examined in the form of discussions in class. A student-centered approach will be adopted in the course, giving priority to students' ideas and assessments. Therefore, it is important to come to class prepared. The aim is not to memorize theories and concepts, but to critically examine different perspectives. Consequently, at the end of the course, students are expected to apply different perspectives to events and examine the possible outcomes.
Each student will prepare for the week's topic before coming to class. They will conduct research on the question of the week and discuss the problem based on a draft plan. There will be no class in the eighth week; students will write a 1000-1200-word academic essay at home based on the exam paper given in the seventh week. Students will choose a term paper topic in the third week and propose it to the instructor. The term paper will be prepared by writing an academic article of 5000-7000 words on the approved topics. The term paper will be evaluated as a final exam. Strategy development and intelligence practice will be conducted in the 11th and 12th weeks of the course based on the specified case studies, while the presentation and discussion of students' term papers will take place in the 13th, 14th, and 15th weeks of the course.
Course Methods and Techniques Seminar and discussion-based course.
Prerequisites and co-requisities None
Course Coordinator None
Name of Lecturers Associate Prof.Dr. Murat Aslan murat.aslan@hku.edu.tr
Assistants None
Work Placement(s) No

Recommended or Required Reading
Resources Merve Seren, Stratejik İstihbarat ve Güvenlik, (Ankara: Orion, 2017)
Course Notes At the end of the course, students will have acquired the following competencies: PY-1 Basic concepts and theories, PY-4 Multi-disciplinary studies, PY-5 Independent study, PY-6 Responsibility.

Course Category
Social Sciences %100

Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods
Activities are given in detail in the section of "Assessment Methods and Criteria" and "Workload Calculation"

Assessment Methods and Criteria
In-Term Studies Quantity Percentage
Assignment 1 % 40
Final examination 1 % 60
Total
2
% 100

 
ECTS Allocated Based on Student Workload
Activities Quantity Duration Total Work Load
Course Duration 15 3 45
Hours for off-the-c.r.stud 15 3 45
Assignments 15 3 45
Presentation 5 3 15
Mid-terms 1 10 10
Practice 2 10 20
Project 1 15 15
Final examination 1 15 15
Total Work Load   Number of ECTS Credits 7 210

 
Course Learning Outcomes: Upon the successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
NoLearning Outcomes
1 PY-1 Basic concepts and theories, PY-4 Multi-disciplinary studies, PY-5 Independent work, PY-6 Responsibility-taking skills

 
Weekly Detailed Course Contents
WeekTopicsStudy MaterialsMaterials
1 INTRODUCTION: COURSE OVERVIEW
2 THE EMERGENCE OF THE CONCEPT OF STRATEGY Discuss the influence of the concept of strategy, which took shape in ancient and medieval times, on contemporary concepts of international relations. Can it be argued that we are still living in ancient times? Merve Seren, Stratejik İstihbarat ve Güvenlik, (Ankara: Orion, 2017), pp. 21-42.
3 MODERN, COLD WAR, AND CONTEMPORARY STRATEGIC THINKING Discuss the transformation of strategy formulation and its concept, and present your perspective by envisioning its transformation in the future. Submit a topic proposal for the article you will prepare as your term paper. Merve Seren, Stratejik İstihbarat ve Güvenlik, (Ankara: Orion, 2017), pp. 43-94.
4 STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT PROCESS Examine the relationship between the strategy formulation process and the decision-making process. Review the literature on strategy formulation.
5 STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT PROCESS Examine the relationship between strategy development and intelligence.
6 A BRIEF HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF INTELLIGENCE Discuss the interaction between intelligence and warfare concepts in the context of historical processes. Does intelligence provoke warfare? Merve Seren, Stratejik İstihbarat ve Güvenlik, (Ankara: Orion, 2017), pp. 95-146.
7 INTELLIGENCE IN THE MODERN ERA How does the transformation of intelligence and its current stage affect the direction of competition and cooperation among states? How does this impact affect individuals and society? Merve Seren, Stratejik İstihbarat ve Güvenlik, (Ankara: Orion, 2017), pp. 147-222.
8 MIDTERM EXAM (TAKE HOME)
9 THE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK (THEORY) OF INTELLIGENCE Can intelligence be explained by a theory? If so, what kind of theoretical framework can explain intelligence in the most comprehensive way? Merve Seren, Stratejik İstihbarat ve Güvenlik, (Ankara: Orion, 2017), pp. 223-248.
10 INTELLIGENCE PRODUCTION PROCESS Can traditional intelligence production methods contribute sufficiently to strategy-making efforts? If not, what innovations should be made in intelligence production methods? Merve Seren, Stratejik İstihbarat ve Güvenlik, (Ankara: Orion, 2017), pp. 249-270.
11 VARIETIES OF INTELLIGENCE How are the disciplines observed in intelligence efforts diversifying when considering the transformations in contemporary life? Merve Seren, Stratejik İstihbarat ve Güvenlik, (Ankara: Orion, 2017), pp. 271-321
12 STRATEGY AND INTELLIGENCE Analyze and critique the relationship between intelligence and strategy development. Merve Seren, Stratejik İstihbarat ve Güvenlik, (Ankara: Orion, 2017), pp. 322-351
13 SEMINAR
14 SEMINAR
15 SEMINAR
16 FINAL SUBMIT THE STRATEGY YOU HAVE DEVELOPED.

 
Sustainable Development Goals
Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes
P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 P7 P8 P9 P10 P11
All 3 2 4 5
C1 3 3 4 2

  Contribution: 1: Very Slight 2:Slight 3:Moderate 4:Significant 5:Very Significant