Information Operations and Open Source Intelligence

Catalog description

This course explores Information Operations and the increasing role it plays in military, political, and international affairs. It provides a detailed understanding of the history, tools, and methods employed by U.S. and its adversaries to influence the thinking of target audiences, including the role cyber plays in enabling its transmission and feedback. The course examines these operations from the military, civilian, business, and internet paradigms, as well as the continuous information collection of individuals by governments and corporations. Additionally, this course will provide an understanding of Information Operations at all levels of implementation, including strategic communication and public diplomacy. The course also provides students an understanding of the importance of and how to analyze Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT). Students will apply their knowledge of Information Operations to the analysis of open-source materials to better prepare them to develop assessments of the validity, perspective, and accuracy of such reports.