Homeland Security Degree
A number of universities and colleges around the country are now offering Bachelor degrees in Homeland Security. Many of these programs have state of the art equipment and a close relationship with a number of agencies to provide each student an internship as part of their education. The combination of state-of-the-art classroom instruction and initiation to the real world offered by many programs is a great opportunity to see how important your coursework is to what you may be doing when you graduate.
Many programs offer different concentrations so you can focus your pursuit of a Homeland Security Degree on the areas that interest you the most. For example, you may be able to concentrate in general Homeland Security, or Homeland Security with an emphasis in Cyber Security. Whether you choose a specialty or not, you generally will need to complete the same basic core courses. However, specialty track degrees can take longer to complete and can require more specialized training.
What Homeland Security Degree Courses Will I Take?
Basic courses to obtain a homeland security degree include general core classes that introduce students to the basics of English, composition and the humanities, in particular psychology and sociology. Mathematics and physical sciences are a part of most tracks. Some schools and specialties allow you to select the mathematics and science courses you want to take form a long list, while other schools or specializations have specific requirements, such as completion of Calculus, Analytical Geometry or Physics.
While each program is different, core classes required to obtain a Homeland Security degree generally include those classes necessary to prepare you in all aspects of homeland security. For example, core classes may include Fundamentals of Transportation Security, Industrial Security, Terrorism, Business Skills, Fundamentals of Emergency Management, Critical Infrastructure and Risk Analysis, Homeland Security Law and Policy, Emerging Topics, and Environmental Security.
Many programs also require you to do an internship or a special project. The internship should be in the area of concentration for the degree. If you are obtaining a general degree, you may be able to do an internship in terrorism or emergency management, depending on your interests and skill level.
Homeland Security Degree Career Opportunities
Following graduation, most students have the opportunity and training to be able to find employment with law enforcement agencies at the state or federal level. Most agencies have changed their organizational charts to include Homeland Security officers. These employees act as the interface or liaison between the agency and the Office of Homeland Security.
Administrative or management roles within your employer’s agency may also require you to use your talents as an agent on the front lines of public interactions. The exact nature of your job will depend on where you go to work and the specialty you obtained while pursuing your Homeland Security degree.
Graduates with a B. S. in Homeland Security degree can expect to have a starting salary of about $40,000 per year. The demand for people with your training should likely be high. Not only are most agencies with in the government looking for homeland security specialists but companies in the private sector are as well. For example, you may qualify for a number of jobs within five different agencies, including the FAA, TSA, FBI, US Customs and US Border Patrol. These agencies have an estimated need for more than 25,000 people to fill openings or expected openings in the near future.
