According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) 2024 Homeland Security Threat Assessment, domestic and foreign adversaries regularly target the nation’s critical infrastructure to disrupt services and steal sensitive information. Those looking to compromise national security are adapting and evolving their techniques, increasingly turning to cybercrime, as demonstrated by the Volt Typhoon threat targeting U.S. infrastructure, government and defense organizations.
As threats to the homeland evolve, the demand for homeland security and national security professionals with up-to-date skills and knowledge grows. This article explores how a Master of Studies in Law (MSL) from The George Washington University Law School can prepare students to enter or advance in national security careers by adding legal expertise to their resumes. It focuses on the program curriculum, essential skills students can gain, potential career opportunities, and how to apply to the program.
Apply Legal Knowledge to Critical Government Operations
Choose From Three Concentrations; Study Part-Time or Full-Time
What Is the MSL Program at GW Law?
GW Law’s MSL is a graduate-level law degree designed for non-lawyers pursuing careers that require advanced legal skills and knowledge. The program prepares students to lead conversations and initiatives involving legal and regulatory matters. It offers part-time and full-time options, both online and on campus, enabling students to choose the pace and modality that works best for them. It provides a robust curriculum (with three industry-relevant concentrations), respected faculty experts, academic peers from across the globe, and over 33,000 alumni for networking, advice, and career development.
Skills Acquired in the Online MSL Program
The MSL program develops skills in critical focus areas relevant to security careers and the DHS’s five mission areas, including:
- Legal acumen: GW Law MSL students will better understand the current legal landscape and foundational legal concepts upon graduation. They will also have the skills to identify and articulate legal aspects of problems and communicate legal risks to non-lawyers.
- Critical thinking: MSL students learn to solve problems through a legal framework and come to understand how the law allows different outcomes.
- Communication skills: The GW Law MSL program helps students develop the necessary communication skills to interact with internal and external stakeholders. Through asynchronous assignments and live classes, students learn how to express complex ideas succinctly and write persuasively in a well-organized format for varied audiences.
- Ethics and compliance: Ethics are crucial to national security operations. GW Law MSL students consider ethics from a legal perspective. They learn about the compliance requirements of various legal mechanisms, including those aimed at protecting confidential government data, intellectual property, and consumer privacy. They also learn about managing cybersecurity risks. Students may also take a course focusing on anti-corruption law.
National Security-Related Curriculum Highlights and Concentrations
GW Law’s MSL program offers specialization in three focus areas. The concentration options are:
- Government Procurement Law, which equips students with a richer understanding of how procurement systems operate, both in the United States and abroad, and exposes students to varying perspectives on emerging issues in the law. GW Law has the No. 1 government procurement law program in the country, if not the world.
- National Security & Cybersecurity Law, which focuses on the internet and technologies, including how sophisticated cyber actors and nation-states exploit vulnerabilities, steal information and money, and develop methods to disrupt, destroy, or threaten essential services. Students learn from leading experts on cyber law issues, including professors from the National Security Agency and the CIA.
- Government Procurement & Cybersecurity Law, which explores the legal reasoning and policy interpretation skills that procurement professionals employ in federal agencies, private firms, and other industry settings. According to Associate Dean of Government Procurement Law Jessica Tillipman, “We need cybersecurity specialists who understand government procurement. There’s a real demand for it.”
All three concentration options include coursework designed to help students prepare for homeland security, defense, intelligence, and law enforcement careers. Courses such as National Security Law and Foreign Access to U.S. Technology aim to equip students with the skills to navigate national and international security law and understand the legal measures and policies necessary to combat terrorism and threats from non-state actors. Courses such as Cybersecurity Law and Policy, Consumer Privacy and Data Protection, and Information Privacy Law help students understand the legal aspects of cybersecurity threats and data protection.
Career Opportunities in National Security with an MSL
The Department of Defense, security agencies, the Department of Homeland Security, and private contractors are among employers seeking professionals with backgrounds in the law and security operations and management. Specific job roles potentially available to MSL graduates include:
- Policy analyst: A policy analyst develops and evaluates policies to address national security threats, conducts research, collaborates with stakeholders, and ensures compliance with federal regulations. These professionals play a crucial role in strategic planning, risk assessment, and the implementation of effective security measures.
- Intelligence specialist/analyst: These professionals collect, analyze, and disseminate intelligence related to national security threats. Using their legal and national security knowledge, they identify potential risks, provide actionable insights to support decision-making, and collaborate with various agencies to enhance homeland security efforts.
- Compliance officer: Compliance officers help ensure that security agencies and government departments adhere to federal laws, regulations, and internal policies. They conduct audits, oversee regulatory compliance, develop and implement compliance programs, and address violations to mitigate legal and operational risks.
- Special security officer (SSO): Special security officers in the military oversee the operation of all command Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities (SCIFs). SSOs in other governments oversee security for similarly high-security operations, such as Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) programs and Special Access Programs (SAPs).
Many GW MSL graduates hold positions in prominent government agencies, including the DHS and the Department of Defense, in roles like the ones listed above.
How to Get Started with the GW Law Master of Studies in Law Program
GW Law’s MSL program prepares you for a national security career. It features an industry-relevant curriculum with three concentration options designed to help you develop critical competencies, including legal acumen, critical thinking and communication skills, and in-depth ethics knowledge. Upon graduation, GW Law MSL students are prepared to pursue various national security roles, including positions as policy analysts, intelligence specialists and compliance officers.
If you’re ready to take the next step towards a homeland security career, explore the GW Law MSL program and connect with an enrollment adviser for one-on-one advice. In addition to providing information about the program and its concentration options, enrollment advisors can help you prepare a competitive application to improve your likelihood of gaining admission.