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Deciding which college to attend can be a daunting task. For many, it will be the most important decision that they make in their lives. To make an informed decision, you have to consider a lot of variables, such as cost of attendance, financial aid, student/teacher ratio, academics, student life, and more. These factors will either positively or negatively impact the quality of education that you receive.
Do you want to acquire a master’s degree in homeland security, but don’t know what institution you should attend? Well, if you are as ambitious as I was in my late teens, then you want to attend a top school, instead of an average or mediocre one. Fortunately, we have already done the legwork for you. To help you find the right school for your interests and goals, we’ve compiled a list of 2022’s best master’s in homeland security programs.
What institution did we forget? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
Saint Joseph’s University is a private Roman Catholic institution. The university has a master’s degree in criminal justice with a specialization in homeland security. It is a 30-credit master of science (MS) degree, consisting of four core classes, four focused classes, and two additional electives. The degree program does not require the completion of a thesis. Sample classes consist of:
- Federal Criminal Justice
- White-Collar Crime
- Mental Health and The Law
- Forensic Financial Analysis
Candidates should have a bachelor’s degree from selected regionally sanctioned colleges or institutions and a minimum GPA of 2.8. There are six start times for the degree program in January, March, May, July, August, and October.
Northeastern University has over 1,600 academic faculty and staff members and a learner population of around 25,000. Northeastern has a master of arts degree in homeland security. The degree program can typically be completed in two to three years, studying either part-time or full-time. Classes from the degree program consist of:
- Technology for Homeland Security
- Intelligence for Homeland Security
- Multidisciplinary Approaches to Homeland Security
- Crisis Communication
Learners finish the degree program by either taking the topics in homeland security class or by completing an original thesis project. Learners can finish the degree program using a co-op system, along with engaging in experiential learning in the classroom. Learners may also finish independent study projects to focus on their academic or professional interests. The degree also includes opportunities for learners to concentrate in emergency management, geospatial services, organization and infrastructure continuity, and port security.
Tulane University has around 14,000 learners and 1,200 academic faculty and staff members. Tulane University has a master of professional studies degree program in homeland security studies. Learners may finish the degree program online or via a combination of online and on-campus classes. Classes from the degree program consist of:
- Emergency Management
- Intelligence Analysis/Critical Thinking
- Cyber Threats and Homeland Security
- Law and National Security
Learners are not required to finish a thesis as a part of the degree program. Learners must finish a total of 10 graduate classes (30 credits), which contain a maximum of two independent study classes.
Certain elective classes within the degree program are offered only on campus and not in online formats.
Successful candidates generally have a 3.0 mean in all classwork taken. Candidates may be conditionally admitted and required to take undergraduate classwork before being fully admitted. In-residence learners may substitute department classes with endorsed substitutes such as crisis and emergency communication in the Global Environmental Health Science department.
Bellevue University has a learner body of around 10,000 and an endowment of $28 million. Bellevue has a master of science degree in security management. The degree program comprises 36 credit hours of study and is offered online and on campus. Along with homeland security projects, learners also finish two security management projects. The degree program has classes such as:
- Critical Infrastructure
- Homeland Security Projects One and Two
- Cyber-Security and Information Protection
- Vulnerability Assessment and Risk Analysis
Candidates must hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree from a regionally sanctioned college or institution. They must also have sustained a minimum GPA of 2.5 or better in their most recent 60 credit hours of classwork. Graduates from the degree program have pursued careers in computer and information analysis as well as information security analysis.
Purdue University has more than 200 undergraduate programs, over 69 masters and doctoral programs along with professional degrees in pharmacy and veterinary medicine. At around 40,000 learners, Purdue has the second-largest learner population in the state of Indiana and also sustains the fourth largest international learner population of any institution in the country. Purdue has a master of science degree in homeland security and emergency management. Learners finish a total of 55 credits via classes such as:
- Critical Issues in Terrorism
- Risk, Vulnerability, and Capability Assessment Methods
- Crisis Intervention
- Academic and Professional Communications in Public Safety
Learners finish the degree program by completing an applied research capstone project, which teaches learners about applied research before focusing on their original project. Learners are limited to attending one class per term; there is a pre-set class progression for the first two years in the degree program. Purdue Global’s programs are not intended to meet any specific state’s licensure or licensure prerequisites.
The University of Massachusetts Lowell has over 18,000 learners and more than 1,000 academic faculty and staff members. The university has an endowment of $84.8 million and a campus of 150 acres.
U-Mass Lowell has a security studies degree program, which may be finished as a master of arts (MA) or masters of science (MS) degree. Learners have the option of concentrating in homeland defense, which contains core classes such as:
- Research Design
- Intelligence Analysis: Policy and Practice
- Contemporary Security Studies
- Scientific and Technological Dimensions of National Security
The degree program concludes with a security studies capstone research paper class to be finished in the learner’s final semester. The other concentrations available in the security studies degree program consist of industrial and economic security, international security, cybersecurity, and critical infrastructure protection.
Applications to the degree program are reviewed and accepted year-round, and learners may begin the degree program in the spring, summer, or fall. Candidates should have majored in a STEM field.
Pennsylvania State University has an endowment of over $3.6 billion and a learner population of almost 100,000, including nearly 15,000 postgraduate learners. Penn State has a master of professional studies degree program in homeland security via its online World Campus. Learners select among a base multidisciplinary degree program or select a specialty area. Sample classes from the degree program consist of:
- Homeland Security Administration
- Homeland Security: Social and Ethical Issues
- Violence, Threats, Terror, and Insurgency
The degree program requires the completion of 33 credits of classwork. At least 24 of these credits must be earned at Penn State, and at least 18 must be at the 500 or 800 level.
Learners may transfer a maximum of 10 graduate credits into the degree program. If the full number of transfer credits is used, then the overall credit prerequisite for the degree increases to 34 credits. Learners must meet all prerequisites for graduation within five years of beginning the degree program.
Towson University has eight distinct colleges with 20,000 total learners. Towson’s learner population is comprised of mostly undergraduates, and they have 1,600 academic faculty and staff members.
Towson has a master of science degree program in integrated homeland security management. The entire degree program is delivered online; learners take a minimum of 36 credit hours. Classes from the degree program include:
- Team Building and Leadership Skills
- Planning, Prevention, and Risk Management
- Strategic and Tactical Planning
- Critical National Infrastructures
Learners take five core classes before focusing on concentration classes and their final capstone project.
Available concentrations in the degree program consist of information assurance, health readiness, and security policy. Candidates should hold a bachelor’s degree in a related field such as political science or health science. They should also have at least three years of post-bachelor experience working in health, information technology, security, or related issues.
Sam Houston State University has more than 20,000 learners and almost 70 distinct graduate degree programs. Sam Houston has a master of science degree program in homeland security studies, which may be finished either online or on campus. Learners complete 36 credit hours of study and may start in the fall or spring. Classes in the degree program consist of:
- Global Perspective in Homeland Security
- Unconventional Threats
- Foundations of Homeland Security
- Critical Infrastructure Protection
Learners may either finish three electives and an internship or four electives and the core classwork.
The degree program culminates with a capstone experience research project class that requires a portfolio of reflexive elements on homeland security doctrine. Learners may also choose to work on an original thesis instead of the capstone or internship. Learners must submit an academic writing sample that demonstrates the capacity to write at the graduate level.
Eastern Kentucky University has around 16,000 learners and about 700 academic professors. The institution has an endowment of a little over $60 million. Eastern Kentucky has a master of science (MS) degree program in safety, security, and emergency management. The degree is available online, requiring a total of 36 credit hours. Learners take core classes and then select a concentration from the following opportunities:
- Emergency Management and Disaster Relief
- Corporate Security Operations
- Occupational Safety
Learners finish the degree program either via a capstone applied research project or a holistic examination. Candidates are expected to hold at least a bachelor’s degree from a sanctioned institution and have a minimum GPA of 2.5. Learners below this GPA prerequisite are required to take the GRE and submit their scores. Learners who have already earned a recognized graduate degree from a sanctioned institution will be exempt from the GRE prerequisite.
