AUSTIN, Texas — National security in the 21st century is more complex and consequential than ever. Rising powers, non-state actors, cyber threats, hybrid warfare and technological disruption have created a dynamic environment—one where national security professionals must think strategically, lead decisively and respond in real time to emerging challenges.
The Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin, the state’s top-ranked public policy school for more than 50 years, is responding to that need with a new Master of National Security degree program. Designed for students of all backgrounds—including recent bachelor’s graduates, mid-career professionals, active military members and veterans—who want to lead in one of today’s most urgent and fast-evolving fields, the program will welcome its first cohort in Fall 2026, with applications opening September 1, 2025.
Four-star Admiral William H. McRaven (Ret.), who commanded special operations teams that brought Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden to justice in separate missions, contributed to the new program’s curriculum and will teach it as a professor of national security for the LBJ School.
“Now is the perfect time to pursue a master’s degree in national security,” McRaven said. “Whether you’re a military officer or a civilian, national security and geopolitics are now players in every decision you’re going to make. The sooner you learn it, the sooner you understand it, the better you’re going to be able to lead—whether in business or in government—at any level.”
Students will learn directly from national security practitioners, including former military leaders like McRaven, as well as senior intelligence officials and cabinet-level policymakers who have shaped U.S. strategy. The curriculum, which integrates emerging technologies and emphasizes hands-on experience, will be based in Austin—one of the nation’s most innovative and fastest-growing cities.
Austin is also a major center for military innovation, hosting several key U.S. Department of Defense organizations, including the Army Applications Lab, Army Futures Command and research centers for the Air Force, Navy and Defense Innovation Unit. These military units already work directly with UT researchers and local tech companies to address national security challenges, and those collaborations should expand with the Army’s recent decision to create a new Transformation and Training Command in Austin by merging Army Futures Command with the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) to unify force development, training and modernization.
Students will also benefit from UT Austin’s research ecosystem as one of the nation’s top 10 public universities with annual research expenditures that exceeded $1 billion last year. This includes opportunities to engage with the Clements Center for National Security, which integrates diplomatic and military history into strategic leadership training, as well as the Strauss Center for International Security and Law, which focuses on interdisciplinary approaches to global security. Both centers are affiliated with the LBJ School and will play a key role in shaping the program’s academic and experiential foundation.
The LBJ Master of National Security is designed to prepare graduates for impactful careers across the public, private and nonprofit sectors. From intelligence analysis and cyber operations to crisis response, emerging tech policy and special operations, alumni will lead at the intersection of innovation, security and global affairs. Potential employers include the CIA, FBI, Department of Defense and military, State Department, national labs, tech firms, think tanks and international organizations.
“America faces adversaries with rapidly evolving capabilities fueled by advances in AI, robotics, hypersonic weapons, and misinformation,” said JR DeShazo, dean of the LBJ School. “With a future-focused curriculum, unmatched access to mentors and a location at the crossroads of innovation and policy, we’re building the national security talent pipeline to prepare our state and nation to meet our security needs of tomorrow.”
Master of National Security Program Highlights
- Cutting-Edge Curriculum: Develop the analytical skills and strategic foresight needed to address emerging technologies, data-driven decision-making and innovative policy approaches.
- Real-World Problem Solving: Tackle actual security challenges through crisis simulations, policy exercises and interdisciplinary research.
- Strategic Location: Gain access to defense innovation, technology partnerships and government leadership in Austin.
- Career-Ready Training: Build a professional portfolio and network across intelligence, defense, technology and policy sectors.With its launch, the Master of National Security will position UT Austin as a leading force in preparing the next generation of national security professionals. Built on the strengths of the LBJ School, the program combines access, expertise and opportunity—meeting a national need with Texas ambition.
For more information: https://lbj.utexas.edu/nationalsecurity
About the LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin
The LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin is one of the nation’s premier public policy schools, uniquely positioned within a top-tier research university, the State Capitol and one of America’s most innovative cities. Founded in 1970 by President Lyndon B. Johnson to expand access to the halls of power, the school offers a range of nationally ranked degree programs that prepare students to take on society’s most pressing challenges. The LBJ School also provides career development and leadership training to emerging policy leaders and operates numerous research centers that develop solutions to complex local, state, national and global challenges.
