CIA University CIA University ( CIAU ) is the primary education facility of the U . S . Central Intelligence Agency ( CIA ) . Founded in 2002 and located in Chantilly , Virginia , the school holds courses on various intelligence - related subjects , ranging from chemical weapons manufacturing to foreign languages . Students include CIA new hires , experienced officers , support staff , and individuals from other U . S . intelligence agencies . CIAU does not issue degrees . History . The CIA was founded in 1947 and in 1950 created its first training establishment , the Office of Training and Education . In the 1990s , following the end of the Cold War , budget cuts forced the CIA to drastically reduce the size and scope of its education programs . During his tenure as Director of Central Intelligence , George Tenet decided the agency needed an expanded training program in order to help retain talented staff . Tenet authorized the creation of a new training school soon after the September 11 , 2001 terrorist attacks , and thus CIAU was established in 2002 . Today , the CIAU campus is located within the Dulles Discovery office buildings in Chantilly , Virginia , which were constructed in 2007 and 2010 . Courses . CIAU is the primary education facility of the CIA , working in partnership with the National Intelligence University , and serving as a hub that links other CIA education programs , such as the Sherman Kent School for Intelligence Analysis . It does not issue degrees . The school holds between 200 and 300 courses each year . Each course typically runs for two weeks or less , except for the basic training of new hires ( designated " CIA 101 " ) , which lasts several weeks , and language courses , which run between 21 and 44 weeks . CIA officers receive training throughout their agency careers , and course offerings are continuously updated to keep pace with current events . Courses are held in a traditional classroom setting or may be conducted either online , via videoconference , or through podcast s . Subjects taught at the school have included chemical weapon s manufacturing , communication skills , defensive driving , dirty bomb s , geography of critical regions , information technology , intelligence community , money laundering , project management , terrorism , weapons of mass destruction , weapons proliferation , and weapons training . Additionally , 16 language courses are taught at the school . At one time , students were taught how to draft the President ' s Daily Brief ( PDB ) ; however , responsibility for producing the PDB was transferred from the CIA to the Director of National Intelligence in 2005 . Students and faculty . CIAU trains agency new hires as well as experienced intelligence officers , including intelligence analysts , intelligence operations officers , and intelligence scientists and engineers . The school also trains CIA support officers , such as those in finance , human resources , or logistics . Up to 15 percent of the school ' s enrollment consists of employees from other U . S . intelligence agencies such as the Defense Intelligence Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation . CIAU does not enroll spies , whom are typically foreign individuals not considered intelligence officers . The school ' s faculty consists of professional educators along with intelligence experts drawn from within the agency . Many of the school ' s case studies and exercises are drawn from the CIA ' s historical experience .