Security Studies (PhD)

The Security Studies doctoral program is designed to produce specialists capable of analyzing and communicating security issues to policy makers, the general public, the government, and academia.

Many graduates will work in military and other governmental organizations, international corporations, and agencies that deal with security. Others will seek employment in research and teaching in institutions of higher education.

The PhD degree consists of 56 credit hours beyond the master's degree. A master's degree is required for admission to the program with at least 30 credit hours of master's level work (including both coursework and thesis hours). The 59 credit hours consist of 17 credit hours of required courses, 15 credit hours of restricted electives, 9 hours of unrestricted electives (including courses offered in other departments, research, independent study, and internship), and a minimum of 15 credit hours of dissertation work.

Total Credit Hours Required: 56 Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Master's Degree

Program Prerequisites

An earned master's degree or it's equivalent in Political Science, International Politics or International Relations, or related discipline. The Graduate Program Director will evaluate the suitability and applicability of MA degrees in other disciplines for admission purposes.

Application Requirements

Application Deadlines

Financial Information

Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see the College of Graduate Studies Funding website, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.

Fellowship Information

Fellowships are awarded based on academic merit to highly qualified students. They are paid to students through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on instructions provided by the College of Graduate Studies. Fellowships are given to support a student's graduate study and do not have a work obligation. For more information, see UCF Graduate Fellowships, which includes descriptions of university fellowships and what you should do to be considered for a fellowship.