The Master of Science in Homeland Security is a 36-credit program designed for current and future homeland security professionals who seek mid- to upper-level leadership positions in this emerging discipline. The program addresses complex issues that homeland security leaders will encounter in a rapidly evolving and increasingly uncertain national and global security environment.
The overarching goal of the program is to provide America with highly educated and skilled homeland security professionals. This is accomplished by immersing students in a collaborative learning environment that focuses on interdisciplinary strategic issues, the application of theory, and the development of critical thinking skills. Students learn innovative problem-solving methodologies as they advance their research, analytical, and interpersonal skill sets. Learning activities span a wide array of individual and collaborative homeland security-related writing assignments, presentations, debates, and projects that foster a deeper understanding of our nation’s security needs.
As students embark upon their educational journey, they are introduced to a carefully designed and ordered curriculum that keeps students actively learning while participating in highly relevant coursework. Many of the program’s instructors are current or former homeland security professionals with broad experience and exemplary credentials. The curriculum is designed by a core cadre of homeland security and education professionals for those planning careers in the public, private, domestic or international homeland security-related fields.
The program includes a core set of curriculum elements that will encourage students to think, analyze, and communicate about homeland security. The program’s strategy is to provide students a strategic, theoretical, and practical understanding of pertinent homeland security issues that will challenge student assumptions about homeland security. Course titles include: Introduction to Homeland Security, Intelligence Issues in Homeland Security, Critical Infrastructure Protection, Asymmetric Threats to the American Homeland, Modern Security Technologies, Graduate Research in Homeland Security, Emergency Management in Homeland Security, Comparative Homeland Security, Psychology of Terrorism, Special Topics in Homeland Security, and a Capstone course that culminates the educational experience. These courses frame a unique and broad-based curriculum that takes into consideration the types of issues that today’s homeland security leaders will encounter.
In twenty-first century America, homeland security professionals are expected to work more collaboratively with colleagues,
businesses, government agencies, and international allies. Because the need to work in teams and create synergy is more prevalent today than ever, the program admits students into small learning cohorts of no more than thirty. In this fashion, students progress through the curriculum as a group and share learning experiences simultaneously. This shared, network-based environment maximizes a group’s educational experience while forming a body of knowledge and support that students can draw upon when needed. An added benefit of the cohort model is the development of lasting personal and professional relationships in the student group. These relationships are carried into the workforce and thereby help to create networks of highly educated homeland security professionals.
Courses are offered in a hybrid model that provides adult learners a great deal of convenience, accessibility, and connectivity to content, resources, and instructors. Each class meets in a physical classroom for eight, three-hour sessions for a total of 24 contact hours. Students attend classes on Saturdays (day classes) and Wednesday evenings. Classes are arranged in the following format:
Session 1 Saturday 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Session 2 Saturday 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Session 3 – 6 Weeknights 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Session 7 Saturday 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Session 8 Saturday 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
In addition, students are expected to complete weekly online assignments in GullNet (Endicott’s password protected, asynchronous learning management system) where coursework, online assignments, forums, and reading materials are available to students 24/7. On their own schedule, and from any internet-connected computer, students can access course materials, complete online assignments, interact with classmates, and correspond with instructors. This network-based learning model provides students a multidimensional and collaborative learning environment that stimulates thinking, broadens perspectives, and exposes students to competing viewpoints.
By the time students complete this 18-month, highly relevant, and rigorous graduate-level educational program, they will possess the necessary knowledge, research, and interpersonal skill sets to lead America’s homeland security effort.
Program Goals
The Program is designed to achieve the following:
- To provide America with highly educated homeland security professionals who can think and act critically, pragmatically, and strategically about a wide array of complex homeland security issues.
- To provide students an innovative and forward-thinking curriculum that synthesizes homeland security-related competencies, concepts, methodologies, practices, and strategies with a network-based, collaborative learning environment facilitated by the use of technology.
- To provide students the knowledge and skills sets that enable them to design, implement, and evaluate homeland security-related strategies, policies, and plans at any level of government or business.
- To provide a curriculum that prepares students to continue their education at the doctoral level.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the Homeland Security Program, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate the ability to think and act critically, pragmatically, and strategically about homeland security.
- Understand, articulate, and influence the multidisciplinary and multivariant architecture of homeland security.
- Design, implement, and evaluate homeland security-related strategies, policies and plans at any level of government or business.
- Construct the inter- and multi-disciplinary relationships needed to better prevent and mitigate the impact of terrorism or disaster upon a community, region, state, or nation.
- Assist elected officials at any level of government to construct more effective prevention and response plans to terrorism, catastrophic accident, and natural disaster.
- Advance homeland security knowledge, methodology, and thinking in such a way that America’s infrastructure and citizenry will be more secure against 21st century threats.
- Identify and assess potential terror, accident, and disaster threats to the American homeland.
Required Courses
|
Course Sequence and Credits
|
| HLS 505 |
Introduction to Homeland Security |
3 cr. |
| HLS 525 |
Intelligence Issues in Homeland Security |
3 cr. |
| HLS 510 |
Asymmetric Threats to the American Homeland |
3 cr. |
| HLS 568 |
Psychology of Terrorism |
3 cr. |
| HLS 540 |
Modern Security Technologies |
3 cr. |
| HLS 532 |
Critical Infrastructure Protection |
3 cr. |
| HLS 530 |
Graduate Research in Homeland Security |
3 cr. |
| HLS 542 |
Emergency Management in Homeland Security |
3 cr. |
| HLS 550 |
Project Management for Homeland Security Leaders |
3 cr. |
| HLS 562 |
Comparative Homeland Security |
3 cr. |
| HLS 577 |
Special Topics in Homeland Security |
3 cr. |
| HLS 590 |
Capstone: Application of Knowledge |
3 cr. |
| |
|
|
| Total Credit Requirements |
36 cr. |
Admission Requirements
- Return the completed application along with a non-refundable fee of $50.00; make checks payable to Endicott College. Please remember to sign and date the application.
- Arrange to have the following sent along with your application or under a separate cover to the Van Loan School of Graduate and Professional Studies, 376 Hale Street, Beverly, MA 01915
- Complete, official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate course work.
- Two letters of recommendation.
- A 250 – 500 word essay addressing your motivations for homeland security study, including how you see the Endicott College Homeland Security program as part of your professional and personal goals.
- Complete resume.
- All students for whom English is not a first language must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Code: 3369. For information on applying for the test, see the TOEFL website at www.toefl.org or write to TOEFL, Box 899, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA.
Graduation Requirements
In order to graduate, students must successfully complete all of the required assignments and courses. Additionally, students must meet the following criteria:
- A minimum G.P.A. of 3.0 must be maintained. Students receiving grades lower than B- for six credits will be placed under academic review. Students will be placed under academic probation if their G.P.A. falls below 3.0. Continued unsatisfactory academic progress may lead to dismissal or loss of financial aid.
- A grade of C- or lower is not acceptable student performance. Students receiving a grade of C- or lower may repeat the course once.
- If a student receives a failing grade, he/she may retake the course and earn a new grade. The new grade will be calculated into the student’s grade point average.
- Students must complete the program within a maximum of seven years of coursework from the date of the first class in the program.
For additional information please contact:
Michael D. Andreas
Director, Homeland Security Studies
Van Loan Building, Office 104
(978) 232-2740 | mandreas@endicott.edu