The degree program is designed mainly to meet the needs of the Ministry of Defense of the Czech Republic. It represents a continuation of the Security and Defence bachelor degree program (the Decision on Granting Accreditation of the Bachelor Degree Program Ref. No.: NAU-61/2019-14) and reflects the existing social demand for university education of experts in the sphere of defense and security. The degree program has been designed in cooperation with the Ministry of Defense of the Czech Republic. Its graduates are expected to be employed within the defense department (as civilian employees, civil servants or professional soldiers) or within other public and private institutions involved in the sphere of defense and security. The degree program is also designated for personnel in need of higher qualification in security disciplines. Graduates of the degree program shall attain competences applicable at intermediate or higher management levels in organizations involved in defense and security on local, national or international scale.

The aim of the Security and Defence follow-up master´s degree program with professional orientation is to educate graduates possessing theoretical knowledge, skills and competences in the area of crisis management, military art and security threats. Especially developing abilities to prevent, prepare, plan, solve and eliminate impacts of potential military and non-military dangers is being emphasized within the degree program. In addition, the degree program focuses on acquiring the abilities to generalize theoretical knowledge and practical experience in security environment.

The degree program meets the standards of master´s degree programs in the Security Disciplines area of education, whereas the fundamental thematic fields are the following:

• Crisis Management,
• Military and Non-Military Security Threats.

The degree program is constructed as a degree program without specializations. To attain the declared knowledge, skills and competences, an internship represents an integral part of the study plan, preferably arranged in cooperation with the defense department, and practical training aimed at verification of the ability to cope with selected security threats endangering population, property or environment in given territory. Furthermore, the study plan includes elective courses (type B) that enable students to acquire more detailed knowledge and skills in selected topics of the security and defense area.

The degree program is to be conducted both in the full and part time forms.

The entire degree program shall be carried out in close cooperation with the Ministry of Defense of the Czech Republic – internships or practical training of selected topics are to be conducted and supervised by selected personnel of the Ministry of Defense.

Graduates of the degree program are to be equipped with the required scope of knowledge of security threats and procedures of their management. Graduates of the degree program are predetermined to be employed in public or private sector organizations involved in national security and defense. The graduates are educated also with regards to applied research in the area of security and defense.

a) Professional knowledge:

• In the area of crisis management, security and defense, the graduates:

• Reproduce concepts and terms in the area of crisis management, security, defense and intelligence under conditions of the Czech Republic,
• Are familiar with and interpret structure of national security system and competences of its individual components incl. their relations,
• Explain the system of crisis management in organizations, especially in public sector,
• Know and describe documentation of crisis management (crisis plans, crisis preparedness plans and emergency plans),
• Describe and explain potentialities of prevention and minimization of selected military and non-military threats,
• Explain current security situation and security threats in selected territories, incl. attributes of their impacts on the Czech Republic,
• Define intelligence cycle and its phases,
• Define methods and capacities of the four essential intelligence branches – HUMINT, SIGINT, IMINT and OSINT,
• Explain possibilities of funding in emergency and crisis situations,
• Know and interpret key tasks of civil protection,
• Understand and explain competences and responsibilities within the integrated rescue system,
• Describe procedures of coping with selected emergency and crisis situations.

• In the area of military art, the graduates:

• Interpret fundamental classification of military art and explain connections among its components,
• Are familiar with the contents of key national defense related doctrinal and strategic documents of the Czech Republic,
• Describe classification of wars and conflicts,
• Explain typology of military operations and their characteristics,
• Know rules and principles of military operations,
• Explain the notion and nature of peace operations,
• Describe organization of the Czech defense department, esp. the Czech Armed Forces, NATO and EU.

• In the area of principles and procedures of decision-making under uncertainty and risk, the graduates:

• Explain contemporary approaches to management, focused on management in public administration,
• Are aware of the methods suitable to support decision-making under uncertainty and risk,
• Know principles of decision-making process, principles of making a decision and communication a decision under risk at the level of an individual, a team and a system,
• Explain principles involved in recognition, decision-making and information sharing under crisis situations or emergency incidents,
• Know and explain methods of collection and evaluation of qualitative and quantitative data in the area of security and defense.

• In the area of fundamental legal acts, the graduates know areas of public law aimed at constitutional stipulation of the Czech Republic security and on external and internal security of the Czech Republic.
• In the area of resources management, the graduates are aware of basic principles allocation of resources for national defense.
• The graduates know terminology in the area of security and defense in English language.

b) Professional skills: 

• In the area of crisis management, security and defense, the graduates:

• Participate in elaboration of components of crisis plans, crisis preparedness plans and emergency plans,
• Organize and plan selected activities in the area of civil protection when dealing with emergency incidents or crisis situations,
• Describe styles of management of intelligence from the point of view of a customer and coordination of activities of intelligence services;
• Discuss contemporary security threats and rationalize current security situation,
• Elaborate parts of analyzes and recommendations for security management of a territory or an organization,
• Analyze procedures of resolution of particular emergency incidents and crisis situations,
• Design procedures of funding prevention, resolution and elimination of emergency incidents and crisis situations.

• In the area of military art, the graduates:

• Argue armed forces mission, role and employment in the context of implementation of the Czech Republic security and defense policy,
• Distinguish military operations and conflicts,
• Argue reasons for military operations.

• In the area of principles and procedures of decision-making under uncertainty and risk, the graduates:

• Process qualitative and quantitative data for national security system,
• Apply qualitative and quantitative methods for decision-making under uncertainty and risk or for prediction of hazardous phenomena,
• Analyze decision-making processes under uncertainty while specifying requirements of national security and defense,
• Apply principles and rules of decision-making and communication process under risk.

• In the area of fundamental legal acts, the graduates search for selected provisions of fundamental legal acts in the area of public law.

• In the area of resources management, the graduates assess national defense issues in the context of main economic-security relations and principles of national defense funding.

c) General competences:

Graduates: 

• Properly apply and develop knowledge in the area of national security and defense,
• Are able to apply general knowledge and skills in order to understand contemporary security situation,
• Are able to utilize electronic legal information systems,
• Apply decision-making processes under uncertainty and risk,
• Are able to act within crisis management bodies at local or national level,
• Are able to participate in elaboration of crisis and emergency documentation or assess their parts,
• Are able to participate in organizing, planning and verifying of crisis preparedness,
• Are able to manage teams and lead subordinates with emphasis on providing security and defense,
• Are able to collectively resolve and defend professional measures in the area of security and defense,
• Are able to effectively communicate during resolution of emergency events and crisis situations,
• Are able to communicate in English language, incl. professional communication in given branch.