安全研究领域涉及战争的原因，预防，进行，终止和后果。它还着重于战争的准备。该领域特别关注美国的外交和国防政策以及过去和现在的其他大国和中等强国。该领域适合那些对美国的国防政策感兴趣的人以及对部队在国际政治中扮演和已经扮演的角色感兴趣的人。要求学生发展军事分析，技术评估和战略推理方法的能力，以帮助塑造美国军队的规模和组成。这些相同的方法被证明有助于理解其他大国和中等大国的军事行为。过去和现在的全球和区域国际军事竞赛在几门课程中受到了关注。当前关注的特殊问题包括恐怖主义，叛乱，内战和人道主义军事干预。
The field of Security Studies addresses the causes, prevention, conduct, termination, and consequences of war. It also focuses on preparation for war. The field is particularly concerned with the Foreign and Defense policies of the United States, and other great and middle powers, past and present. The field is appropriate for those interested in U.S. defense policy and those interested in the role that force plays and has played in International Politics. Students are expected to develop competence in methods of military analysis, technology assessment, and strategic reasoning that help shape the size and composition of U.S. military forces. These same methods prove useful in understanding the military behavior of other great and middle powers. International military competitions, global and regional, past and present, receive focused attention in several courses. Special issues of current interest include terrorism, insurgency, civil wars, and humanitarian military intervention.