A major in homeland security can help you develop the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed for management and leadership in homeland security. The coursework has been developed by practitioner-scholars who work in a variety of homeland security roles and is designed to provide you with a global outlook, interpersonal skills, leadership abilities, and awareness of current issues in domestic and international security. You’ll use actual homeland security information, taken straight from governmental sources, in your assignments.
This program is also available as a minor.
About the Homeland Security Bachelor's Degree
In your courses, you'll focus on the security issues of homeland security, including international and domestic terrorism, infrastructure protection, strategic planning, international relations, intelligence operations, and evaluation. You'll also learn about ethics, research and technology, legal and political issues and leadership. Management competencies covered include strategic planning, legal awareness, aspects of intelligence and international relations, ethics, decision making, and supervision.
What You'll Learn
Through your coursework, you will learn how to
- Lead, manage, and motivate others, developing their knowledge and skills, to establish and achieve strategic and operational homeland security goals and interface with internal and external audiences
- Manage technology and information for the protection and recovery of critical infrastructure/information in a hostile or emergency environment
- Navigate the financial, personnel, legal, and political information of public or private organizations to identify, evaluate, and address organizational needs, requirements, and resources
- Research, analyze, and synthesize complex intelligence information using various methods to formulate risk assessments and responses to emerging threats
- Communicate, negotiate, and educate strategically and tactically across cultural boundaries with diverse partners and stakeholders within homeland security
- Write concise and succinct policy, planning, and procedure documents for a variety of audiences to support homeland security operations
Coursework Examples
In past projects, students have had the opportunity to
- Identify a homeland security issue
- Analyze how the issue should be addressed
- Present possible solutions, including implementation steps and recommendations
Homeland Security Bachelor's Degree Requirements
Our curriculum is designed with input from employers, industry experts, and scholars. You'll learn theories combined with real-world applications and practical skills you can apply on the job right away.
Courses in the Major
- HMLS 302
- HMLS 310
- HMLS 406
- HMLS 408
- HMLS 414
- HMLS 416
- PSAD 410
- PSAD 414
- PSAD 416
- HMLS 304
- HMLS 495
Related required Course
Note: The following related required courses for the major are listed under general education courses and may be applied to general education or elective requirements.
- IFSM 300
Electives
The bachelor's degree in homeland security requires 46 credits of minor and/or elective coursework.
General Education Requirements
Since some recommended courses fulfill more than one requirement, substituting courses for those listed may require you to take additional courses to meet degree requirements. Consult an advisor whenever taking advantage of other options. See information on alternate courses (where allowable) to fulfill general education requirements (in communications, arts and humanities, behavioral and social sciences, biological and physical sciences, mathematics, and interdisciplinary issues).
Research and Computer Literacy Courses
- PACE 111M
or PACE 111P
or other PACE 111 course
(to be taken in first 6 credits) - LIBS 150
or CAPL 398A
or other general education elective - IFSM 300
(related requirement for the major)
Communications Courses
- WRTG 111
or WRTG 291
or other writing course - WRTG 112
- SPCH 100
or other communication, writing, or speech course - WRTG 394
or other advanced upper-level writing course
Math Course
- MATH 105
or other approved math or statistics course
Arts and Humanities Courses
- HIST 142
or HIST 157
or other arts and humanities course - HUMN 100
or foreign language course or other arts and humanities course
Behavioral and Social Science Courses
- ECON 201
or PSYC 100
or other behavioral and social science course - GVPT 170
or other behavioral and social science course
Biological and Physical Sciences Courses
- BIOL 101
and BIOL 102
or other paired science lecture and laboratory courses - NUTR 100
or BIOL 160
or other science lecture course
Career Preparation
This program is designed to help prepare you for management work in security risk assessments, operational recovery management, and strategy development to protect people, facilities, and critical infrastructure.
About the Faculty
Additional Information
Educational Relationship
An articulation agreement between UMUC’s Undergraduate School and Graduate School allows eligible students who complete their undergraduate degree at UMUC with a major in homeland security to reduce their total coursework for the Master of Science in Management or the Master of Science in Information Technology with a specialization in homeland security management at UMUC by 6 credits (two courses) and complete both degrees with a total of 150 credits of coursework.