Certificate programsMontclair State launches homeland security certificate program
Beginning in fall 2016, Montclair State University will offer a fully online certificate program in Homeland Security aiming to prepare students for careers in what the school describes as “a growing and dynamic field.” The program will be taught by security professionals and practitioners, and it will accommodate up to forty students who already hold a bachelor’s degree. The school says that the application fees will be waived for those registering for the first cohort to begin this September.
Beginning in fall 2016, Montclair State University will offer a fully online certificate program in Homeland Security aiming to prepare students for careers in what the school describes as “a growing and dynamic field.” The program will be taught by security professionals and practitioners, and it will accommodate up to forty students who already hold a bachelor’s degree.
Montclair State says that the launch of the program reflects societal and global changes since 9/11, which have created a new need for security management in the United States.
“We no longer live in an insulated bubble,” says Norma Connolly, deputy chair of Montclair State’s Department of Justice Studies and the program’s coordinator. “We now recognize that terrorism isn’t our nation’s only threat – today we also need to focus on emergency management and preparation. This is a reality of 21st-century life.”
The 12-credit program addresses such challenges with four courses: Fundamentals of Homeland Security; Intelligence and Homeland Security; Bioterrorism and Homeland Security; and Current Issues in Homeland Security. Students will take two consecutive eight-week courses in the fall semester and again in the spring semester, to earn the certificate in a single academic year.
“The Homeland Security Certificate provides our many students interested in employment in the homeland security area with an additional academic credential and a skill set for potential employment,” explains Connolly. “Graduates in Justice Studies and other related fields can go immediately into the workforce but still continue their studies, while professionals in other sectors can gain the training and credential they need to make a career change and enter this expanding industry. Since this is a strictly online program, we hope to reach a large pool of students – both from New Jersey and around the nation.”
“Students who earn the Homeland Security certificate will gain crucial insights into emergency management, criminal investigations and intelligence,” says Justice Studies Professor Christopher Martinez. “When they sit down for job interviews, they’ll be able to intelligently discuss current issues and how to mitigate them.”
Martinez pulled from his own experience as a Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agent and senior manager to develop online content for the program’s four courses. ”I hope to bring the lessons and textbooks to life through first-hand experiences and industry cases.”
Montclair State notes that career opportunities in homeland security exist in both the public and private sectors. These positions range from security management specialists and intelligence analysts, to adjudication officers, emergency planners, and special agents.
The school adds that the application fees will be waived for those registering for the first cohort to begin this September. Learn more by visiting www.montclair.edu/online/online-programs/homeland-security-cert/
