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The graduate core curriculum at the College recognizes the centrality of analysis, but
also recognizes the wider context in which the analyst operates. The curriculum has been
under review for the past two years, and certain changes are planned for introduction during
Academic Year 1998-99 (See Table).
The core curriculum is supplemented by a number of elective courses which enable the
student to examine each of these core areas more deeply and to gain a basic introduction
into the various specialty areas — regional, transnational, S&T — in which intelligence
analysts typically work. Because of the long years required to acquire the in-depth knowledge,
including languages, in these various specialty areas, the Intelligence Community
must rely on other academic institutions, highly-focused recruitment policies, and wellstructured
on-the-job development to obtain the specialized knowledge bases required for
the effective accomplishment of its mission.
INTELLIGENCE TRAINING
Training is also a useful means of introducing an increased number of intelligence professionals
to some of the skills required by analysts. Mobile training teams are often used,
because it costs less to send two instructors to the field than to send thirty people to Washington,
DC. But a week of analytical training, though of value, is clearly inadequate. It
needs to be supplemented by an ongoing, structured program of required readings and
writing. Using old-fashioned technology, that could be done by correspondence courses.
Using more modern communications technology, computer-based instruction could be
provided via Intelink. Such a program is not without cost, for computer-based instruction
is very expensive to develop; each hour of instruction takes several hundred hours of
development time. Instructors of intelligence analysis would have to be trained in the
development of computer-based instruction, and then they would have to be free from
teaching to develop the programs. Once developed, computer-based instruction has to be
maintained and updated, and the instructors must have time to interact with students over
Intelink. At the receiving end, students would need the time to complete time-consuming
courses, Improving analytical instruction by this means is feasible, but the cost is not
inconsequential.
FINALLY: THE NEED TO MAINTAIN A
COMMITMENT TO THE ANALYST
Beyond education and training, there always needs to be bureaucratic incentives to
become and remain an analyst. Some analysts may be drawn into management sectors
of the Intelligence Community. Indeed, such movement should be encouraged, because
having former analysts serving in leadership positions — leaders who know the world
of analysis — can only benefit the overall intelligence effort. Those who do flourish in
analytical capacities, however, should be assured that they can have full and rewarding
careers helping their agencies succeed in achieving the national security objectives of
the nation’s policymakers.
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