All Intelligence Analysis Majors will be encouraged to serve as summer interns at an intelligence agency or company as part of their degree. The Intelligence Analysis Program has been structured so that successful students will be strong competitors for internships. Students will have appropriate assistance (where possible) to help secure an internship in an area appropriate to their chosen specialty. Students seeking internships at corporations or businesses should employ the Handshake system. Students seeking internships from intelligence agencies will be advised how to proceed once they are in the major.

Senior leaders in many fields, including the military, the civilian side of the government, law enforcement, and the corporate world express a desire to have employees who can help in making tough decisions by being outstanding at critical thinking, researching, writing, and briefing.

A recent survey quoted in The Chronicle of Higher Education noted that most employers were looking to hire people with "a demonstrated capacity to think critically, communicate clearly, and solve complex problems" as well as having "ethical judgment and integrity; intercultural skills; and the capacity for continued new learning."

Graduates who have mastered such skills and abilities, as offered in the Intelligence Analysis Program, will find many opportunities in a wide variety of fields; and those who have majored in IA have found interesting jobs, where they can make a significant contribution, in a wide variety of fields.  The number and type of entry level positions, however, depends on many factors, such as budgets and changing missions, that are outside of the control of JMU.  In addition, students hoping to be considered for such jobs, which as noted elsewhere are extremely competitive, have to exhibit character traits such as teamwork, resourcefulness, self-reliance, and initiative, among many others.

Read about The Education Impact on Broadening Intelligence Career Options.