Homeland Security Degree Programs Online
Find Degrees in Homeland Security
Homeland security professionals fill a wide range of safety, disaster prevention, anti-terrorist and other important roles in United States society. The Department of Homeland Security is the third largest federal agency, employing over 200,000 individuals in the effort to keep citizens safe from a wide variety of threats.
Although the field is relatively new, it shares common elements with both public and private career paths that are standards of U.S. life. It is common for homeland security professionals to interact with police, fire fighters, government officials and other organizations that share the responsibility for both public and private safety measures.
Degree programs in homeland security and related fields offer intense training in the broad spectrum of skills required to perform safety and security duties in government or private industry. Online degree programs offer a convenient way for working students to gain the expertise necessary to move into this challenging career field.
Is a degree in homeland security right for you?
Although it is common for military and police officers to look into homeland security as a promising career move, this does not mean that the industry requires a background in criminal justice or the armed forces.
Anyone who has an interest in public or private security is an excellent candidate for a homeland security degree.
What are the requirements?
Degree programs do require candidates to earn a high school diploma and may also require that they have completed the following courses while in high school:
- four years of English
- three years of mathematics
- three years of social studies or history
- two years of science
- two years of a second language
Some degree programs may require a certain number of college credits or an associates degree in order for candidates to enroll. You should check each program's entry requirements to be sure that you meet them before applying. If you do not meet the entry requirements, call the school and ask if they might be able to help you get the requisite courses.
Homeland Security Degree Programs
What will I learn?
Each degree program in homeland security is different. Some lean heavily toward anti-terrorist curriculum, while others concentrate on crisis management or information security. Context can also change dramatically from one program to the next - with certain degrees more appropriate for the private sector and others maintaining a government focus.
You will want to evaluate each degree program you are considering independently. Request information about your favorite programs and be sure to ask as many questions as possible before you begin the application process.
Here are some of the items you may cover during the course of a homeland security degree program:
- the United States Department of Homeland Security - how it operates, its initiatives, programs, agencies and historical responses to national threats and disasters
- methods and technologies for protecting data and other digital assets
- terrorism and the methods used to prevent terrorist attacks
- loss prevention strategies and techniques
- emergency planning
- disaster preparedness and recovery
- how to interact effectively with emergency response personnel, such as police, fire fighters, and emergency medical services
- crisis management
- risk analysis
- security system evaluation
Some programs may also include foundation courses in political science, psychology, sociology and criminal justice.
What is the career outlook?
Opportunities exist at all levels of government and the private sector. Overall, homeland security and its related disciplines provide a rapidly expanding career field.
As stated above, the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the third-largest federal agency. Billions of dollars are spent each year on the department's staffing and infrastructure. Over 200,000 people are employed by the DHS.
For more information about U.S. Department of Homeland Security jobs, please visit http://www.dhs.gov/xabout/careers
If you do not intend to work for the government, career paths in corporate America are still numerous. Jobs in the private sector include loss prevention, network security, security evaluation and planning, disaster recovery and risk analysis. Many consulting firms hire trained security specialists and handle corporate needs on an outsourced basis as well.
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