Welcome from the Director
Welcome to the Global & National Security Policy Institute at the University of New Mexico! If you aim to contribute to, improve, or learn about global and national security policy, you have come to the right place.
Who we are and what we do
GNSPI’s mission is to serve those who serve our global and national security needs. Whether you are a security professional at the labs, military, law enforcement, or a contractor—or are seeking to break into the security field—we can help you level up.
We contribute to global and national security by developing leaders who are skilled at analyzing, improving, and communicating policy on a wide range of interconnected security issues. We provide the intellectual basis for thinking critically, acting ethically, and communicating persuasively in pursuit of effective policy to address the world's many global and national security challenges.
GNSPI leverages our location at a fascinating national security nexus. Headquartered on UNM’s main campus in Albuquerque, we bring together wide-ranging expert faculty from across our Carnegie-designated Research 1 University and senior practitioners from New Mexico’s premier labs to provide a state-of-the-art curriculum. From engineering, law, business, medicine, and social science, we’ve developed a truly interdisciplinary approach to solving security challenges.
Our courses cover everything from nuclear security to global public health security. In the core curriculum, students learn foundational policy analysis skills, US national security strategy, the psychology of human decision-making, and the foundations of national security law. Students can dive deep into the policy challenges of technology through courses on cybersecurity, directed energy weapons, and artificial intelligence. They build a holistic view of global security with courses on food, energy, and climate security.
Our Professional Master of Science in Global and National Security (PMS-GNS) degree is built for working professionals. The PMS-GNS is offered through an accelerated, online program of 8-week intensive courses, with most classes delivered asynchronously. Ambitious students can earn their degree in a single calendar year, while those with busier schedules can take one course at a time and finish in 26 months. We understand that flexibility is the key for military and security professionals whose workloads can vary at unpredictable times.
For undergraduate aspiring security professionals, we offer a major in Liberal Arts and Integrative Studies with a Global and National Security (LAIS-GNS) concentration and a certificate in National Security and Strategic Analysis (NSSA). Both programs prepare students for global and national security careers by coupling critical thinking and analytical skills with global security knowledge and cross-cultural competency.
We also serve the broader University and local community with public education programming. In the fall, we offer an annual Distinguished Lecture Series, bringing senior practitioners into conversation with our community. Our quarterly Security Speaker Series provides expert talks about relevant security topics to our student body and community partners.
Please join our vibrant and growing community in any form that suits you. Prospective students can call or email us to set up a meeting. To stay informed, you can subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on LinkedIn for program updates and event announcements. For anything else, please feel free to contact me directly via email.
Sincerely,
Philip Hultquist, PhD
Director, Global and National Security Policy Institute
Professor of Practice, Department of Political Science
