CADS/RIT Programs

Marine life is not the reason one expects to hear when asking a graduate student in counterterrorism what led him to the RIT-CADS Professional MS Program. However, it laid the unlikely foundation for Chris Johnston’s relocation to Washington, DC.

“I had been interested in federal law enforcement, but what really sparked my interest in counterterrorism was September 11th, 2001,” recalls Johnston. “I was helping train dolphins and whales at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, and there was a small air field nearby. I noticed that after September 11, people would look out of the big glass windows that overlooked the air field, and if they saw a plane in the sky, people would just lose interest in whatever we were talking about. You think to yourself, ‘Is that going to be another terrorist attack?’ I knew I wanted to be doing that kind of work. It was a very clear moment for me.”

Marine life is not the reason one expects to hear when asking a graduate student in counterterrorism what led him to the RIT-CADS Professional MS Program. However, it laid the unlikely foundation for Chris Johnston’s relocation to Washington, DC.

“I had been interested in federal law enforcement, but what really sparked my interest in counterterrorism was September 11th, 2001,” recalls Johnston. “I was helping train dolphins and whales at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, and there was a small air field nearby. I noticed that after September 11, people would look out of the big glass windows that overlooked the air field, and if they saw a plane in the sky, people would just lose interest in whatever we were talking about. You think to yourself, ‘Is that going to be another terrorist attack?’ I knew I wanted to be doing that kind of work. It was a very clear moment for me.”

Johnston, who earned his B.S. in biology and subsequent teaching certification at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, enrolled in the RIT-CADS program in September 2006, and was quickly impressed. “I really like the small classes,” he says. “I also really like that [the program] is flexible with scheduling, as to what our interests are.” Although his expectations were high, Johnston was nonetheless surprised by his instructors’ knowledge. “…the depth of personal experience in the field,” he explains. “I was a little worried that they’d just be a bunch of academic types, but they are up to their eyeballs in this stuff!”

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About the program:

What is the relationship between the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and the Center for Advanced Defense Studies (CADS)?

WASHINGTON, 20 September 2005 -- The Center for Advanced Defense Studies (CADS) hosted a reception yeasterday to launch the Center’s new interdisciplinary Masters of Science program, a collaboration between CADS and the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). CADS Chairman Dr. Newton Howard led the reception. Taught at the Center’s Washington, DC facilities by ten experts and faculty members, the program focuses on counter-terrorism, cyber security, and chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) defense. Attended by RIT representatives and students of the MS program, the reception focused on recent and future developments between the two institutions.

The strategic and tactical dangers posed by increasingly violent and indiscriminate non-state actors and terror-sponsoring states demand new skill sets on the part of decision-makers, planners, first responders, elected officials and the private sector.

The Center for Advanced Defense Studies (CADS) has teamed with the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) to offer cross disciplinary degrees featuring concentrations in Cyber Security, CBRNE Defense and Counterterrorism. Courses are taught in Washington, DC by CADS experts and faculty members, featuring distinguished guest speakers from the government, academia, and the private sector.

Teaching schedules are flexible, accommodating full- and part-time students as well as working professionals (1-week intensive course and weekend classes).

• The Masters of Science (MS) program is currently accepting applications. Find out more on the program webpage.
• Graduate certificate programs (4 courses) will be available shortly. Students enrolled in the MS programs may be granted the opportunity to use their course credit toward completion of a graduate certificate.
• The interdisciplinary graduate degree (4-12 courses) program in Paris is currently accepting applications.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page, available here.