A New Degree Program at CCU – The Bachelor of Science in Homeland Security

Today’s homeland security field is a complex one. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security defines its mission as being one that is “committed to relentless resilience, striving to prevent future attacks against the United States and our allies, responding decisively to natural and man-made disasters, and advancing American prosperity and economic security long into the future.” This mission is multi-faceted, with unique needs and challenges. To meet those challenges, the field needs professionals who are committed to giving back to their chosen profession and to contributing to their communities and their country. To be effective, CCU knows professionals need tools and knowledge to help them. After considerable research into many of the important aspects of the field, and after looking into programs offered at other colleges and universities, CCU is proud to offer the - Bachelor of Science in Homeland Security degree program.

For this, the faculty and academic staff designed a new undergraduate program in homeland security, that offers students the opportunity to examine the history, theory, research, best practices, and factors impacting the field of homeland security today. To effectively cover these diverse aspects of the field, we designed courses in the areas of homeland security, leadership and organizational behavior, criminal behavior and investigation, terrorism, cybercrime, forensics, disaster planning, security management, intelligence, and foreign policy.

This degree program is designed to challenge students to develop a solid foundation related to homeland security, to explore the many facets impacting the field, and to develop an understanding of the present state of affairs and future trends affecting this complex profession and field of study. Together, the courses look at many of the overarching missions identified by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in their strategic plan to: “Counter Terrorism and Homeland Security Threats; Secure U.S. Borders and Approaches; Secure Cyberspace and Critical Infrastructure; Preserve and Uphold the Nation's Prosperity and Economic Security; Strengthen Preparedness and Resilience; and Champion the DHS Workforce and Strengthen the Department.”

Since 9/11, the field of homeland security has grown considerably over the past two decades. The Department of Homeland Security website currently identifies career opportunities in “the areas of cybersecurity, information technology, intelligence, law enforcement, business operations/mission support, immigration, travel security, prevention and response, and emergency management.” At CCU, we wanted to develop a program that would benefit our graduates and help to make them competitive in marketplace. We think our new program provides the academic preparation to do just that.

To help prepare candidates for the field, CCU’s Bachelor of Science in Homeland Security degree program requires fourteen major courses designed to challenge students to meet the following program objectives:

• Examine best practices for addressing security management issues, disaster planning, and crisis situations.
• Demonstrate knowledge of key concepts in the areas of cybersecurity, intelligence, and counterintelligence.
• Evaluate the role of investigative techniques, evidence collection, criminal behavior, and criminal justice research methods related to homeland security.
• Analyze theoretical approaches to leadership and organizational behavior.
• Evaluate key concepts and theories related to homeland security utilizing critical thinking as demonstrated by academic writing.
• Examine program content in relation to ethical reasoning, social responsibility, global citizenship, and civic engagement.

In addition, students complete general education courses in the areas of science, social sciences, fine arts/humanities, and basic subjects of math, English, U.S. Government and U.S. History and electives. Together, the major courses, general education and electives provide students with a solid undergraduate education.

If the Bachelor of Science in Homeland Security degree program sounds like it might be of interest to you, we invite you to contact our Admissions Department – [email protected] for additional information.

Source – Department of Homeland Security – www.dhs.gov

Note: California Coast University’s educational programs are not designed to meet any specific employment, licensing, or governmental requirements.