Earning A Degree In Homeland Security

article by Public Service Degrees | December 13, 2011

The Department of Homeland Security is a division in the federal government that is responsible for protecting our country from any threat that we may face. The department was created after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 and has grown tremendously ever since. It has expanded so much so, in fact, that now colleges are beginning to offer degrees in homeland security to provide men and women the academic knowledge that will prepare them for a career in various governmental programs.

Over 300 colleges are now offering some type of degree program in homeland security and with the number of applicants constantly increasing; there will probably be a number of additional programs added within the next several years. Most students who graduate with a degree in homeland security end up working for government agencies, defense contractors and private companies. Graduates with these degrees go on to design gas masks, create emergency management plans in case of a natural disaster, stopping massive viruses from attacking vital technological systems, inspecting mail and cargo that comes into the country and much more.

The homeland security degree was created to be a broad area of learning in order to prepare students for several different aspects of protection from terrorists, smugglers and other criminals. Most graduates that hold this degree will be trained in a number of national defense areas including terrorism, threat analysis, homeland defense and emergency planning and response. Some programs stress classes in criminal justice management and administration of government organizations because most of the jobs these graduates will have will be within these sectors.

In addition to law enforcement and criminal justice courses, students will be taught the administrative skills essential to direct teams and departments in recognizing and defusing threats to the country's security. The curriculum for each program may varies from school to school; however, most homeland security students take courses in criminal psychology, terrorism, disaster response and weapons of mass destruction, criminal investigation, constitutional law, ethics, political science, criminal justice system, operational theories, functions of the Department of Homeland Security, social issues, environmental issues, economic issues, and many other courses designed to give students the analytical and managerial skills necessary to work for the government programs such as the Department of Homeland Security.

This new degree program also gives people an opportunity to get more training in order to get a higher level position and to move up the ranks at a faster pace, then someone who does not have any form of a higher education. In almost all cases, in order to move up the ladder within homeland security field, experience is the main component that is looked at; however, a degree is also very important too. New candidates are usually hired at the entry level, but exceptions are sometimes made for those with previous law enforcement or military experience. Continuous training is also very important for this field, especially for positions that require a use of a firearm. People with a homeland security position usually take a variety of safety classes and training on a regular basis in order to them updated on all of the current techniques and tools used within their field.

So if you are interested in earning a degree in homeland security there are several options you can take. One of them is earning your degree from a school that offers an online program. Online degree programs are great for those people who are already working a full-time job, have a family, or have other commitments that prohibit them from earning their degree in a traditional college atmosphere on a college campus. Online degrees are usually cheaper then earning a traditional degree and can often takes less time to complete. There is really not a difference in the quality of education that you will be receiving either. Students who chose the online program will still take the exact same classes as the traditional campus student and the level of curriculum will be the same as well. Another advantage of the online degree programs is that you can choose to attend a college that is not anywhere near you. This allows you to choose a school based off of the program that fits your needs and specializations best.

Public Service Degrees has recognized the demand for online degree programs and has teams up with a number of regionally accredited colleges to offer a wide variety of online degrees at all levels. We specifically offer several homeland security degrees such as a BA social and criminal justice in homeland security, MBA in homeland security and MS criminal justice in homeland security policy and coordination, just to name a few. If you are interested in learning more about these homeland security degree programs, as well as a variety of other public service degrees please visit our website at publicservicedegrees.com