Courses

Foundation for understanding homeland security history, the development of homeland security policies and organizations, and current management approaches.

This course will examine the social, political, legal, and ethical issues that arise in the context of homeland security.

Provides an overview of the domestic and global issues related to homeland security.

Investigates the role economic, political, and social factors play in determining patterns of international and domestic terrorism and terrorist activity.

Surveys the history, evolution, strategies, techniques, tools, and contemporary issues related to counterterrorism in the world today. The course has a comparative focus, examining both U.S. counterterrorism and counterterrorism in other states and contexts. The course makes use of specific case examples of counterterrorism and engages normative/ethical debates on counterterrorism.

Introduces students to the various resources and analytical techniques available to terrorism and counterterrorism experts today. It introduces them to the major sources of data on terrorist groups, terrorist incident reports, risk climates, and legal and criminal justice data surrounding terrorism and counterterrorism. It provides students with critical data-gathering and analysis skills useful to practitioners and engages them in reporting and threat-briefing exercises.

Provides a comprehensive summary of the factors that promote the radicalization process, as well as the theoretical and practical foundations of efforts at counter-radicalization and de-radicalization.

Analysis of political terrorism as a violent alternative for peaceful change and traditional warfare in the nuclear age.

Fundamentals of Homeland Security provides foundational knowledge about homeland security policy, strategy, organization, and legal issues in the U.S. context.

A survey of traditional and contemporary conceptual frameworks and theoretical approaches for the analysis of international relations.

Principles of American foreign policy; processes of policy formulation; roles of the President, Congress, the State Department, and other government agencies.

The course will address international cooperation in homeland security, compare select national approaches, and teach related practical methods of analysis.

Provides an overview of the homeland defense mission and defense support of civil authorities during disasters, and the distinctions between the two.

This course assesses the controlling authorities that pertain to homeland security, from the U.S. Constitution to major federal statutes, court decisions, and executive directives.

The application of cultural geography in the intelligence analysis and synthesis process by identifying prominent threats to civil security.

This seminar provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted nature of disaster communication across phases of a disaster.

The Capstone serves as the culmination experience for the option. Students work closely with the capstone course instructor to write an original research paper on a counterterrorism topic of their choice. Each student is responsible for creating a project that articulates a research question, surveys relevant literature and scholarship, and analyzes data to test hypotheses. In addition, students work closely with the other students enrolled in the course through collaborative activities and extensive peer review.