MCIIS
by Kristan Wheaton
1. Strengths
1.1. Uniqueness
1.2. professors with contacts to internships
1.3. generalists, good in many areas
1.4. experienced instructors
1.4.1. State Dept
1.4.2. CIA
1.4.3. US Army
1.4.4. Press
1.4.5. Business ops
1.4.6. Marketing
1.4.7. Adjuncts
1.5. high job placement rate for graduates
1.6. Reputation
1.7. Liberal Arts school
1.8. diverse student backgrounds
1.9. All three major intel disciplines
1.9.1. Business
1.9.2. Law enforcement
1.9.3. national security
1.10. school encourages internships
1.11. selectivity in student selection
1.12. highly competent faculty
2. Weaknesses
2.1. Located in Erie, PA
2.1.1. outside DC
2.2. generalists, not experts in a field
2.3. Marketing Power
2.4. tuition price
2.4.1. lacks state funding
2.5. Program not well known outside intel circles
2.6. weaker focus currently on CI
2.7. Faculty ratio to demand
2.8. open source only
2.9. Little formal training in Intelligence Software/Applications
2.10. no specialization
3. Opportunities
3.1. Increased interest in intelligence
3.2. Emerging field - Academically
3.3. mercyhurst College willing to provide more academic spaces to program
3.4. leadership in intelligence education
3.5. growing alumni population in IC
3.6. present original research
3.7. networking with intel professionals
3.8. Intel Related Associations
3.8.1. SCIP
3.8.2. ISA
3.8.3. IALEA
3.9. growing recognized need for intel
3.10. cirat
3.11. developing relationships with intel agencies, businesses, law enforcement agencies
3.12. Economic Recovery Act might encourage more people to attend college
3.13. Possible role for analysis in social sector organizations, (non-profits, NGOs)
4. Threats
4.1. Other Higher Ed Institutions with similar programs
4.1.1. Embry Riddle
4.1.2. Georgetown
4.1.3. George Mason
4.1.4. DNI CAE
4.1.5. Etc.
4.2. Economic forces
4.3. reliant on demand of intell professionals (fed budget cuts to intel may hurt us)
4.4. IC Analyst Training Programs
4.4.1. CIA
4.4.2. jmic
4.4.3. dni