OpenAcademy® Course Descriptions

Analyst Training: Writing, Analysis, and Preparing Briefings
Instructor: Mark Lowenthal
This is a two-day course designed for students to begin developing analytic skills for any intelligence-related or analytical function. This course examines the role of intelligence in the policy process (within government or business), then offers an introduction to analytic skills, beginning with critical thinking and reading, writing analysis, and preparing and presenting successful briefings. Much of what is required for good analytical writing takes place before the analyst actually begins to write.  The scoping and planning of the intelligence analysis therefore are major areas of emphasis in this course, as well as issues of format, length, word selection, etc.  The course is designed to get analysts off to a good start in as little time as possible, recognizing that there are important time constraints in such training and that much will also be learned on the job.  This course is eligible for CEUs from George Mason University.

Intelligence Budget Process
Instructor: Ronald Marks
In this two-day course students will be given a detailed understanding of the intelligence budget process, examining both how the budget is created in the Executive branch, primarily in negotiations between Defense and Intelligence, and then how the budget moves through Congress, and the actual expenditure of funds. This course is extremely helpful to those who are new to the budget process and to those who have programmatic responsibilities that are influenced by federal budget decisions.   Over the two days the instructor will present several modules including Intelligence Resources and Funding; Key Players in Defense and Intelligence Resource Management; Resource Data Structure; the Congressional Budget Process and Oversight of Intelligence; and Budget Execution. This course is eligible for CEUs from George Mason University.