MIT SSP Security Studies Program

What MIT SSP Security Studies Program does

The MIT Security Studies Program (SSP) is a graduate-level academic research and education program within MIT's Department of Political Science and School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, established in 1976 and now in its 50th year. The program delivers PhD education in security studies, international relations, and political science, while operating an integrated research and convening enterprise centered on three institutional pillars: the core SSP faculty and curriculum, the Center for Nuclear Security Policy (CNSP), and the Wargaming Lab. CNSP houses the program's nuclear security and nonproliferation research, including multiple fellowship tiers (Stanton Fellows, Nuclear Security Junior Fellows, International Nuclear Policy Fellows, Senior Nuclear Fellows), while the Wargaming Lab develops strategic simulations for defense and security analysis.

SSP serves a narrow set of constituents: incoming doctoral students, a small incoming PhD cohort (eight graduates in the 2026 class), four named fellowship populations (Nuclear Security, National Security, European Security, and Military Fellows), Stanton and senior fellows, and an external policy community that engages through public programming. Public programming is substantial and recurring: a weekly Wednesday Seminar series, Eurasia Seminars, Statecraft Seminars, Special Seminars, and Starr Forums (co-hosted with the MIT Center for International Studies) form a continuous content engine. The Early Warning Newsletter and a YouTube channel distribute research output beyond the MIT campus.

The program is not a commercial entity and does not generate product or service revenue. Operating funding flows through MIT's institutional budget, externally awarded research grants, and donor contributions, with named endowment support such as the Pierre and Amy Chao pledge underwriting the annual Doolittle Award. SSP's distribution and reach depend on MIT's brand, faculty media and policy access, and an extensive partnership network spanning Harvard's Belfer Center, Carnegie Endowment, Brookings, CSIS, RAND, SIPRI, Stimson, Eurasia Group, and the U.S. Air Force (through the Doolittle Award). Faculty including Barry Posen, M. Taylor Fravel, Roger Petersen, Vipin Narang, Caitlin Talmadge, Charles Glaser, Mariana Budjeryn, and Carol Saivetz carry substantial individual reputations in international security scholarship, and alumni move into tenure-track academic posts, U.S. and allied government agencies, and major think tanks.

Name

MIT SSP Security Studies Program

Legal name

MIT Security Studies Program

Website

https://ssp.mit.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Short description

MIT's Security Studies Program is a 50-year-old graduate research and education program delivering PhD training in international security, nuclear policy, and strategic studies, anchored by the Center for Nuclear Security Policy and Wargaming Lab.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education - Security Studies

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Military Graduate & Postgraduate Institutions (STEM/Defense Research) (EDAHAOAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Security Sector Governance & Police Reform (BPADAGAI), Security Diplomacy & Defense Cooperation (Arms Control, Counterterrorism) (BPAIAIAH)

Keywords

• Graduate security studies
• International security research
• Nuclear security policy
• Strategic studies education
• Political science PhD

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. MIT Institutional Funding: As an academic program within MIT's School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, SSP is funded through MIT's institutional budget, research grants, and donor contributions. The Doolittle Award is endowed through a generous pledge from Pierre and Amy Chao (MIT SB 1988) to sustain the Doolittle award event.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The MIT Security Studies Program (SSP) is a graduate-level academic research and educational program at MIT offering a PhD in political science with a focus on international security, nuclear policy, and strategic studies. The program supplements degree education with specialized research centers (Center for Nuclear Security Policy, Wargaming Lab), multiple fellowship programs (Nuclear Security, National Security, European Security, Military, Stanton), and ongoing public seminar series.

Product overview

MIT Security Studies Program (SSP) is an academic graduate education and research program at MIT. The core offering is the PhD program in security studies and political science, supplemented by specialized research centers including the Center for Nuclear Security Policy (CNSP) and Wargaming Lab. SSP provides ongoing public programming through multiple seminar series: Wednesday Seminars (weekly research presentations), Eurasia Seminars, Statecraft Seminars, Special Seminars, and Starr Forums. The program also offers fellowship opportunities, publishes research, and distributes an Early Warning Newsletter. This is a traditional academic program structure, not a commercial software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PhD Program in Security Studies Doctoral degree program in political science with specialization in international security, nuclear policy, and strategic studies, offered through MIT's Department of Political Science for prospective graduate students.
• Center for Nuclear Security Policy (CNSP)

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple faculty and alumni serve as advisors to government agencies and appear in major media outlets
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

36 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• MIT Center for International Studies (CIS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIS co-sponsors many SSP events including Starr Forums on international affairs topics. The two programs frequently collaborate on public events and policy discussions, particularly on Russia, Ukraine, and broader international security issues.
• MIT Political Science DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSSP operates as part of MIT's Political Science Department, with shared faculty, graduate students, and academic infrastructure. PhD degrees are conferred through the department.
• MISTI MIT-Eurasia ProgrammajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsors events on Russia, Eurasia, and related topics. Elizabeth Wood serves as Co-Director of MISTI MIT-Eurasia. Joint programming on Eurasian security issues.
• Belfer Center for Science & International Affairs (Harvard)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsors the Grand Strategy, Security, and Statecraft Speaker Series. Joint events with Harvard's international security program on topics including China, the Middle East, and grand strategy.
• International Security Program at Belfer CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners on the Grand Strategy, Security, and Statecraft Speaker Series, bringing together scholars from MIT and Harvard for public lectures on international security topics.
• MIT Russia ProgrammajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsors events on Russia and Eurasian affairs. Programs include Focus on Russia seminar series and joint events on Russian foreign policy.
• MIT ROTCsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsors events connecting military training and leadership with academic research on security studies.
• MIT Innovation InitiativesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsored the 'Accelerating Innovation: University, U.S. Military, and Private Sector Partnerships' event exploring defense innovation ecosystems.
• MIT International Science and Technology Initiatives (MISTI)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners on international programs and student exchanges that support global security research and education.
• Schmidt FuturessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-Founder Eric Schmidt participated in SSP's Accelerating Innovation event on university-military-private sector partnerships. Schmidt Futures supports innovation in national security technology.
• USAF-MIT AI AcceleratorsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMIT-affiliated program connecting AI research with Air Force innovation needs. Daniela Rus serves as USAF Director. Demonstrates SSP's engagement with defense technology innovation.
• MIT Lincoln LaboratorysupportingTechnology or IntegrationMIT's federally funded research and development center. Bernadette Johnson participated in SSP's innovation event. Collaboration on defense technology and national security research.
• MIT CSAIL (Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory)supportingTechnology or IntegrationMIT's AI and computer science research hub. Daniela Rus (CSAIL Director) participated in SSP innovation events. Potential for interdisciplinary security research in AI and autonomous systems.
• Eurasia GroupsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSenior analyst Ali Wyne from Eurasia Group participated in SSP's Starr Forum on US-China relations. Eurasia Group provides global macro policy analysis.
• Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSSP faculty (Taylor Fravel) contributes to CSIS research on Chinese military. CSIS features SSP scholarship on China strategy, military modernization, and regional security.
• Graham Allison / Destined for War ProjectsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHarvard's Belfer Center Director gave SSP talk on Thucydides's Trap and US-China competition. Features prominently in discussions of great power rivalry.
• U.S. Air ForcemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual Doolittle Award presentation honors Air Force leadership. Gen. C.Q. Brown, Jr. received the 2021 award. SSP connects military innovation heritage with academic research.
• Carnegie Endowment for International PeacemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMariana Budjeryn is affiliated with Carnegie. Joint events on Chernobyl's 40th anniversary. Both institutions feature nuclear policy experts and co-host policy discussions.
• Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured Mariana Budjeryn in SIPRI talk on Chernobyl's 40th anniversary and nuclear security challenges. SIPRI is a leading independent international peace research institute.
• Brookings InstitutionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVanda Felbab-Brown from Brookings participated in SSP Starr Forum on Afghanistan. Caitlin Talmadge co-authored Brookings analysis on Iran. SSP-Brookings engagement on Middle East and security policy.
• Michael O'HanlonsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrookings senior fellow collaborated with SSP's Caitlin Talmadge on airpower and regime change analysis for Brookings publication on Iran.
• Real Clear DefensesupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerVipin Narang and SSP-affiliated experts published nuclear deterrence policy recommendations. Real Clear Defense features SSP scholarship and policy analysis.
• Journal of Strategic StudiessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMariana Budjeryn published her article on global nuclear order and Soviet collapse in this peer-reviewed journal. Taylor & Francis academic publication partnership.
• New Books NetworksupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured Charles Glaser's 'Retrench, Defend, Compete' on academic podcast. New Books Network promotes new scholarship to policy and academic audiences.
• Amherst CollegesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessor Eleonora Mattiacci interviewed Charles Glaser for New Books Network. Cross-institutional academic engagement on international relations theory.
• Stimson CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBeenish Pervaiz (Stanton Nuclear Security Fellow) published analysis for Stimson's South Asian Voices. Stimson supports SSP fellows in policy research.
• RAND CorporationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZachary Burdette (SSP alum) co-authored RAND report on China decision-making. RAND frequently partners with academic security scholars on defense policy research.
• Zachary BurdettesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSSP alumnus who is a policy researcher at RAND Corporation. Bridging academic training and policy research on China national security decision-making.
• Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) China PowermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTaylor Fravel contributed to CSIS analysis of Xi Jinping's military purges. CSIS database on Chinese military personnel supports the research. Major policy research partnership.
• Harvard Ukrainian Research InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCarol Saivetz is a Research Associate. Joint engagement on Ukraine research including Starr Forums. Harvard-MIT collaboration on Russian and Ukrainian affairs.
• Harvard Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian StudiesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCarol Saivetz is a Research Associate at Harvard's Davis Center. Cross-institutional research on Russian foreign policy and Eurasian security.
• European Security Program PartnerssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSSP's European Security fellowship program and related research engage European scholars and institutions on transatlantic security, NATO, and European defense policy.
• Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service (Georgetown)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeidi Urben serves as Professor of the Practice. Joint engagement on civil-military relations and national security strategy through academic and policy channels.
• Asia Society Policy InstitutesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerKevin Rudd (former Australian PM) leads the Asia Society Policy Institute. Gave SSP talk on US-China relations and his book 'The Avoidable War.'
• U.S. National Security Council (former officials)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormer NSC officials participate in SSP events as speakers and discussants, bringing practitioner perspectives to academic discussions on security policy.
• Academic Publishers (Cornell, Princeton, Oxford, Cambridge)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSSP faculty publish extensively with major university presses including Cornell University Press (Posen, Glaser), Princeton (Allison), Oxford (Petersen), and Cambridge (multiple).

Scale indicators4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Columbia Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies: Columbia SIPA's security studies research and graduate training institute. Comparable in mission to SSP — academic research on international security, nuclear policy, and great-power competition feeding policy and academic careers.
• Princeton School of Public and International Affairs: Princeton's graduate and policy program in international affairs with strong security-studies offerings. Overlaps with SSP in faculty research areas, PhD training, and policy community pipeline.
• Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS): Johns Hopkins SAIS is a leading policy-oriented graduate school with a substantial security-studies curriculum and policy-practitioner faculty. Comparable to SSP in graduate training for careers in government and policy institutions.
• Yale Jackson Institute for Global Affairs: Yale's graduate program and research hub in international affairs with growing security-studies faculty. Overlaps with SSP in producing scholars for academia and government roles.
• Georgetown Center for Security Studies (CSS): Georgetown Walsh School's graduate and executive security studies program with strong ties to the civil-military community. Directly competes with SSP for graduate students interested in US national security and grand strategy, and shares faculty connections (e.g., Heidi Urben).
• Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC): Stanford FSI's security studies center combining political science, nuclear policy, and emerging-technology research. Directly comparable to SSP in mission, fellowship structure, and policy-community engagement.
• Harvard Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs: Harvard Kennedy School's flagship security and international affairs research center, running the International Security Program and Grand Strategy program. The closest direct peer to MIT SSP, with overlapping faculty (Graham Allison), joint speaker series, and identical target audience of policymakers, media, and graduate students.

Broad incumbents

• RAND Corporation: Major defense and security policy think tank that employs SSP alumni (e.g., Zachary Burdette) and co-produces research on China decision-making. Less academic than SSP, but a major destination for its graduates and a frequent research partner.
• Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Global think tank with nuclear and international-security programs staffed by SSP affiliates (Mariana Budjeryn). Comparable to SSP in publishing scholarly policy analysis and co-hosting events, though oriented to applied policy rather than graduate education.
• Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS): Major bipartisan policy research organization focused on national security and foreign policy. SSP faculty (Fravel) contribute to CSIS China Power research, making it a closely linked policy-output partner and a major employer of SSP-trained scholars.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MIT_SSP
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@mitsecuritystudiesprogram5272
• Facebookfacebook.com/MIT.SSP
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/mit-ssp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about MIT SSP Security Studies Program