Students

PICT8044 – Intelligence Analysis

2021 – Session 2, Special circumstances

Session 2 Learning and Teaching Update

The decision has been made to conduct study online for the remainder of Session 2 for all units WITHOUT mandatory on-campus learning activities. Exams for Session 2 will also be online where possible to do so.

This is due to the extension of the lockdown orders and to provide certainty around arrangements for the remainder of Session 2. We hope to return to campus beyond Session 2 as soon as it is safe and appropriate to do so.

Some classes/teaching activities cannot be moved online and must be taught on campus. You should already know if you are in one of these classes/teaching activities and your unit convenor will provide you with more information via iLearn. If you want to confirm, see the list of units with mandatory on-campus classes/teaching activities.

Visit the MQ COVID-19 information page for more detail.

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Course Convenor
Jon Cottam
jon.cottam@mq.edu.au
By Appointment
Jon Cottam
jon.cottam@mq.edu.au
Melanie Brand
melanie.brand@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MPICT or MCPICT or GradDipPICT or GradDipCPICT or PGCertPICT or GradCertPICT or GradCertCPICT or MPICTMIntSecSt or MCPICTMIntSecSt or MIntSecStud or GradDipIntSecStud or GradCertIntell or MIntell or MCyberSec or MSecStrategicStudMIntell or MIntellMCrim or MIntellMCyberSec or MIntellMCTerrorism or MSecStrategicStudMCyberSec or MCyberSecMCTerrorism or MCyberSecMCrim or admission to BSecStudMIntell
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This unit provides students with a deeper appreciation of the complexities of intelligence analysis and exposure to the analytical tools and methodologies that will help them better understand and potentially contribute as intelligence professionals. In a globalised and dynamic security environment, students will be challenged to consider newer asymmetric threats and risks as well as more traditional military and security challenges in an analytical context. Students will apply what they have learned to conceptualise, design, and build intelligence analytical products, providing real-world focus and experience.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Identify the reasoning and cognitive processes involved in transforming incomplete information into intelligence knowledge.
  • ULO2: Analyse individual and group dynamics in organisational settings.
  • ULO3: Create intelligence products using a range of intelligence analytical tools and approaches, while applying academic research and writing skills.
  • ULO4: Evaluate a diverse and evolving body of academic literature and case studies on intelligence analysis.
  • ULO5: Assess the professional, legal and ethical obligations of the intelligence profession.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Weekly Engagement Quiz 20% No Weeks 2-11
Constructive Engagement 5% No Weekly, Weeks 2-13
Analytical Case Study Critique 25% No Monday of Week 5
Advanced Analysis Brief 20% No Monday of Week 9
Advanced Analysis Paper 30% No Monday of Week 13

Weekly Engagement Quiz

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 25 hours
Due: Weeks 2-11
Weighting: 20%

Engagement Quizzes cover subject matter in Weeks 2-11.

Quizzes will assess student understanding of topics covered in weekly recorded lectures and required readings for that week.

This unit requires a consistent level of student engagement with the lecture and reading subject matter throughout the course. Engagement will be demonstrated (and assessed) through participation in weekly quizzes on both the lecture material and required readings.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify the reasoning and cognitive processes involved in transforming incomplete information into intelligence knowledge.
  • Analyse individual and group dynamics in organisational settings.
  • Evaluate a diverse and evolving body of academic literature and case studies on intelligence analysis.
  • Assess the professional, legal and ethical obligations of the intelligence profession.

Constructive Engagement

Assessment Type 1: Performance
Indicative Time on Task 2: 19 hours
Due: Weekly, Weeks 2-13
Weighting: 5%

This assessment task is designed to promote student engagement, not only with the lecture materials and required readings, but through other readings, monitoring world events and in the context of presented questions, constructively engaging in considered and critical discussion with other students, moderated by the lecturer or tutor.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify the reasoning and cognitive processes involved in transforming incomplete information into intelligence knowledge.
  • Analyse individual and group dynamics in organisational settings.
  • Create intelligence products using a range of intelligence analytical tools and approaches, while applying academic research and writing skills.
  • Evaluate a diverse and evolving body of academic literature and case studies on intelligence analysis.
  • Assess the professional, legal and ethical obligations of the intelligence profession.

Analytical Case Study Critique

Assessment Type 1: Case study/analysis
Indicative Time on Task 2: 25 hours
Due: Monday of Week 5
Weighting: 25%

This task requires students to analyse and report on a specific, real world assigned case study, demonstrating an understanding of the intelligence analytical techniques involved. It is designed to provide students working on small teams, insight into more complex intelligence analytical challenges and challenge them to identify the intelligence processes at work.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify the reasoning and cognitive processes involved in transforming incomplete information into intelligence knowledge.
  • Analyse individual and group dynamics in organisational settings.
  • Evaluate a diverse and evolving body of academic literature and case studies on intelligence analysis.

Advanced Analysis Brief

Assessment Type 1: Professional writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 25 hours
Due: Monday of Week 9
Weighting: 20%

This task requires students to build a briefing presentation on an assigned analytical topic, employing intelligence research and analysis to evaluate and assess capabilities, vulnerabilities and risks, as well as opportunities and projected future developments. Students will gain experience in brief preparation, intelligence research and analytical assessment.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify the reasoning and cognitive processes involved in transforming incomplete information into intelligence knowledge.
  • Create intelligence products using a range of intelligence analytical tools and approaches, while applying academic research and writing skills.
  • Evaluate a diverse and evolving body of academic literature and case studies on intelligence analysis.

Advanced Analysis Paper

Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: Monday of Week 13
Weighting: 30%

This task requires students to prepare an in-depth analytical intelligence assessment using a real world assigned case study. This exercise will challenge the student to write a detailed intelligence estimate using predominately intelligence preparation of the environment and other analytical approaches to write a comprehensive special analytical product.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify the reasoning and cognitive processes involved in transforming incomplete information into intelligence knowledge.
  • Create intelligence products using a range of intelligence analytical tools and approaches, while applying academic research and writing skills.
  • Evaluate a diverse and evolving body of academic literature and case studies on intelligence analysis.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

UNIT REQUIREMENTS AND EXPECTATIONS

  • You should spend an average of 12 hours per week on this unit. This includes listening to lectures prior to seminar or tutorial, reading weekly required materials as detailed in iLearn, participating in Ilearn discussion forums and preparing assessments.
  • Internal students are expected to attend all seminar or tutorial sessions, and external students are expected to make significant contributions to on-line activities.
  • In most cases students are required to attempt and submit all major assessment tasks in order to pass the unit.

 

REQUIRED READINGS

  • The citations for all the required readings for this unit are available to enrolled students through the unit iLearn site, and at Macquarie University's library site.  Electronic copies of required readings may be accessed through the library or will be made available by other means.

 

TECHNOLOGY USED AND REQUIRED

  • Computer and internet access are essential for this unit. Basic computer skills and skills in word processing are also a requirement.
  • This unit has an online presence. Login is via: https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/
  • Students are required to have regular access to a computer and the internet. Mobile devices alone are not sufficient.
  • Information about IT used at Macquarie University is available at  http://students.mq.edu.au/it_services/

 

SUBMITTING ASSESSMENT TASKS

  • All text-based assessment tasks are to be submitted, marked and returned electronically.  This will only happen through the unit iLearn site. 
  • Assessment tasks must be submitted as a MS word document by the due date.
  • Most assessment tasks will be subject to a 'TurnitIn' review as an automatic part of the submission process.
  • The granting of extensions is subject to the university’s Special Consideration Policy. Extensions will not be granted by unit conveners or tutors, but must be lodged through Special Consideration: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/my-study-program/special-consideration

 

LATE SUBMISSION OF ASSESSMENT TASKS

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – 10 marks out of 100 credit will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted seven days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments - e.g. quizzes, online test

 

WORD LIMITS FOR ASSESSMENT TASKS

  • Stated word limits include footnotes and footnoted references, but not bibliography, or title page.
  • Word limits can generally deviate by 10% either over or under the stated figure.
  • If the number of words exceeds the limit by more than 10%, then penalties will apply. These penalties are 5% of the awarded mark for every 100 words over the word limit. If a paper is 300 words over, for instance, it will lose 3 x 5% = 15% of the total mark awarded for the assignment. This percentage is taken off the total mark, i.e. if a paper was graded at a credit (65%) and was 300 words over, it would be reduced by 15 marks to a pass (50%).
  • The application of this penalty is at the discretion of the course convener.

 

REASSESSMENT OF ASSIGNMENTS DURING THE SEMESTER

  • Macquarie University operates a Grade Appeal Policy in cases where students feel their work was graded inappropriately: http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html
  • In accordance with the Grade Appeal Policy, individual works are not subject to regrading.

 

STAFF AVAILABILITY

  • Department staff will endeavour to answer student enquiries in a timely manner. However, emails or iLearn messages will not usually be answered over the weekend or public holiday period.
  • Students are encouraged to read the Unit Guide and look at instructions posted on the iLearn site before sending email requests to staff.

Unit Schedule

Weekly schedule:

Week 1

 

 Course organisation, learning approach, assessment, rationale; Managing complexity – setting the scene

 

Week 2

 

 Understanding Self

 

Week 3

 

 Understanding Relationships

 

Week 4

 

 Intelligence analytical tools – Internal (structured analytic techniques)

 

Week 5

 

 Intelligence analytical tools – Manufactured

 

Week 6

 

 Intelligence analytical approaches – All-Source Fusion

 

Week 7

 

 Intelligence analytical approaches – Intelligence Preparation of the Operational Environment (IPOE)

 

Week 8

 

 Intelligence analytic focus areas - Criminal & Policing Intelligence

 

Week 9

 

 Intelligence analytic focus areas – Counter-Insurgency (COIN)

 

Week 10

 

 Intelligence analytic focus areas – Force Protection and Physical Security

 

Week 11

 

 Intelligence analytic focus areas – Regulatory Intelligence

 

Week 12

 

 Dealing with the long future – Futures Intelligence

 

Week 13

 

 Professionalism – organisations & framework of service - managing intelligence & managing self

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to help you improve your marks and take control of your study.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Changes since First Published

Date Description
03/08/2021 Update to late submission penalty

Unit information based on version 2021.01R of the Handbook