Postgraduate Certificate in Covert Action, HUMINT and the Psychology of Intelligence Elicitation
Develop your security and intelligence career with this postgraduate course, exploring varied modules via Buckingham's prestigious teaching.
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Course overview
About the Course
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Jan 2025 (Full-time)
| Module | Type | Credits | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Covert Action | Core | 20.00 | 7 |
| Human Intelligence (HUMINT) | Core | 20.00 | 7 |
| Psychology of Intelligence Elicitation | Core | 20.00 | 7 |
Jan 2025 (Part-time)
| Module | Type | Credits | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Covert Action | Core | 20.00 | 7 |
| Human Intelligence (HUMINT) | Core | 20.00 | 7 |
| Psychology of Intelligence Elicitation | Core | 20.00 | 7 |
Sep 2025 (Full-time)
| Module | Type | Credits | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Covert Action | Core | 20.00 | 7 |
| Human Intelligence (HUMINT) | Core | 20.00 | 7 |
| Psychology of Intelligence Elicitation | Core | 20.00 | 7 |
Sep 2025 (Part-time)
| Module | Type | Credits | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Covert Action | Core | 20.00 | 7 |
| Human Intelligence (HUMINT) | Core | 20.00 | 7 |
| Psychology of Intelligence Elicitation | Core | 20.00 | 7 |
Jan 2026 (Full-time)
| Module | Type | Credits | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Covert Action | Core | 20.00 | 7 |
| Human Intelligence (HUMINT) | Core | 20.00 | 7 |
| Psychology of Intelligence Elicitation | Core | 20.00 | 7 |
Jan 2026 (Part-time)
| Module | Type | Credits | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Covert Action | Core | 20.00 | 7 |
| Human Intelligence (HUMINT) | Core | 20.00 | 7 |
| Psychology of Intelligence Elicitation | Core | 20.00 | 7 |
Course Highlights
- Enhances opportunities to develop a professional career in the intelligence and security sectors
- Outstanding flexibility – study offered part time and full time AND by way of distance learning (i.e., online learning)
- The programme welcomes both holders of first degrees or those who have the relevant professional experience
- Pre-recorded lectures enable the student to decide the best time and day to study
- Learning supported by former practitioners and leading international experts who work with NGO’s Governments and security sectors worldwide
- If successful in the PGCert, the opportunity to migrate to Master’s programme
- Programme qualifies for ELCAS funding
- Tutorial design enables quality small group student-lecturer engagement.
- Inclusive access to BUCSIS sponsored national intelligence conferences
- Opportunity to study at the world-leading Buckingham Centre for Security and Intelligence Studies (BUCSIS)
- Opportunity to transfer and convert Postgraduate Certificate to the MA Covert Action, HUMINT and the Psychology of Intelligence Elicitation programme subject to approval from Programme Lead
To survive, states require effective intelligence collection and covert action capabilities, yet both attract significant controversy. This course will critically and systematically analyse aspects of these capabilities and the attendant practice that are designed to mitigate threats to the state. More specifically, it will explore the state’s use of covert action as a way of limiting or avoiding war, stifling the hostile intentions of enemies, and assisting in progressing the aims of foreign policy. It will explore the types of covert action historically deployed by states, from propaganda to political violence to paramilitary action. It will offer a framework for evaluating the success or otherwise of covert action in an ethical context. It will do this by anchoring the study to real-world case studies while discussing covert actions relationship with national security, civil liberties and wider international power-relations.
Safety, survival and prosperity in an uncertain world, also demands actionable intelligence. Good intelligence can address threat ambiguity. It can assist policymakers in making hard choices in complex and dynamic circumstances. Intelligence can provide clarity over the nature of an adversary’s threat and inform the selection of the most appropriate operational or strategic response.
Accordingly, this course will also explore the use of an established collection discipline, that of human intelligence (HUMINT). It will examine the application of HUMINT in both national security and serious crime operating environments. Aligned to this study of HUMINT is the tradecraft associated with the elicitation of intelligence. The course will undertake a scientific approach to understanding of how and why people are willing to cooperate with the state in terms of the provision of human intelligence. It will investigate the evidence base for techniques adopted to elicit intelligence that aim to maximise the volume and quality of intelligence, interviewee recall and accuracy and the avoidance of deception and deceit.
This Postgraduate Certificate in Covert Action, HUMINT and Psychology of Intelligence elicitation programme builds upon the success of the Centre of Security and Intelligence Studies at Buckingham (BUCSIS) which has established itself as one of the world leaders in educational provision in this subject area. Both the centre and the university at large offer a very diverse environment. With students coming to Buckingham from over 80 countries, it is an ideal situation to learn about matters of international concern and to discuss them with people from differing cultural backgrounds.
Entry Requirements
The minimum entry level required for this course is as follows:
- a first or second-class honours degree from a recognised university OR
- a recognised professional qualification and/or with relevant work experience. If you are uncertain whether your professional experience qualifies, please contact the programme lead Dr Ian Stanier via email ian.stanier@buckingham.ac.uk, or contact directly on +4401280820179.
Mature Students
Age is no barrier to learning and we welcome all applications from suitably qualified students.
International Students
We are happy to consider all international applications and if you are an international student, you may find it useful to visit our international pages for details of entry requirements from your home country.
The University is a UKVI Student Sponsor.
English Levels
If English is not your first language, please check our Postgraduate English language requirements. If your English levels don’t meet our minimum requirements, you may be interested in applying for our Pre-sessional English Language Foundation Programmes.
Enhanced Learning Credits Scheme (ELCAS)
The University of Buckingham is an approved learning provider for the MOD. The programme is an approved course – (ELCAS Provider I.D. 1460.)
Selection Process
Wherever possible, you will be invited to the University to meet the Admissions Tutor for an informal interview and to have a tour of our campus. Alternatively, if you are not able to attend in person, the interview may be by way of Microsoft Teams, email or phone. If the Admissions Tutor has any queries about your application, you may be contacted by Microsoft Teams, email or phone.
Our Admissions Team will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Call us on +44 (0)1280 820227 or email: admissions@buckingham.ac.uk. If you would like to speak about the course content, email the programme lead, Dr Ian Stanier ian.stanier@buckingham.ac.uk, or contact directly on +4401280820179.
Student Contract for prospective students
When you are offered a place at the University you will be notified of the student contract between the University and students on our courses of study. When you accept an offer of a place on the course at the University a legal contract is formed between you and the University on the basis of the student contract in your offer letter. Your offer letter and the student contract contain important information which you should read carefully before accepting an offer. Read the Student Contract.
Teaching & Assessment
What does the programme deliver?
The programme comprises of three modules of ten weeks each, covering: Covert Action, Human Intelligence (HUMINT) and the psychology of intelligence elicitation. These run respectively from January to September (January entry) – September to June (September entry). The programme is delivered using an online Virtual Learning Environment, through which multimedia resources are accessed. Assessment is constituted by a number of written assignments, including essays on big-picture issues; and short policy-paper exercises submitted online. Tutor support is provided throughout, and there are opportunities to attend workshops and symposia in person at the university for those who are able to do so.
Each student will be assigned a personal tutor with whom online contact, advice and assistance with course work can be accessed throughout the programme. In addition to online contact, students can also take advantage of optional physical workshops at the university for those who are able to attend.
A summary of the indicative module content is listed below:
Module 1: Covert Action
- Understanding and defining covert action
- Disinformation, propaganda and fake news
- Political Action – regime change and election interference
- Covert paramilitary action
- Assassinations and targeted killings
- Covert Action case studies – UK, USA and Russia, China
- Covert cyber activity
Module 2: Human Intelligence (HUMINT)
- HUMINT and the law
- Informants – identification, recruitment and deployment
- Undercover policing
- Online HUMINT
- Cooperating or assisting offenders
- Community intelligence
- Operational ethics and HUMINT use
Module 3: The Psychology of Intelligence Elicitation
- Detecting lies and deceit
- Interview models
- Characteristics of good intelligence
- Ethics of interrogation
- Use of non-coercive elicitation techniques
- Motivations for source cooperation
Fees & Scholarships
The fees for this course are:
| Start | Type | First Year | Total cost |
|---|---|---|---|
Jan 2025 Full-time (26 Weeks) | UK | TBC | £3,163 |
| INT | TBC | £3,163 | |
Jan 2025 Part-time (9 Months) | UK | N/A | £3,163 |
| INT | N/A | £3,163 | |
Sep 2025 Full-time (26 Weeks) | UK | TBC | £3,163 |
| INT | TBC | £3,163 | |
Sep 2025 Part-time (9 Months) | UK | N/A | £3,163 |
| INT | N/A | £3,163 | |
Jan 2026 Full-time (26 Weeks) | UK | TBC | £3,163 |
| INT | TBC | £3,163 | |
Jan 2026 Part-time (9 Months) | UK | N/A | £3,163 |
| INT | N/A | £3,163 |
N/A = Not applicable
The University reserves the right to increase course fees annually in line with inflation linked to the Retail Price Index (RPI). If the University intends to increase your course fees it will notify you via email of this as soon as reasonably practicable.
Course fees do not include additional costs such as books, equipment, writing up fees and other ancillary charges. Where applicable, these additional costs will be made clear.
The course fee for applicants from the MOD is £2,500.