M.S. in Homeland Security Management
Designated by Congress as a US Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence, the Homeland Security Management Institute (HSMI) provides an exceptional graduate-level education to working professionals as well as to those aspiring to a career in the Homeland Security or Homeland Defense fields. The Nation's premier graduate program in the Homeland Security and Homeland Defense field, the Institute offers a fully online 36-credit Master of Science degree in Homeland Security Management. Our curriculum provides advanced knowledge, insight, and skills in homeland security management to law enforcement professionals, emergency managers, fire fighters, homeland security specialists, HazMat experts, military personnel, government and public safety officials, and corporate security professionals as well as students new to the field. HSMI graduates are among the best-trained and most sought-after law enforcement officers, managers and executives in the world.
The Homeland Security Management Institute's exceptional faculty, outstanding curriculum and solid commitment to the highest academic and professional standards ensure a rigorous and academically challenging graduate education that is designed and delivered by professionals for professionals.
Admissions Requirements
Applicants to the Advanced Certificate in Homeland Security Management must meet the following requirements for admission. Applications for admission are accepted on a rolling basis.
- Application for Admission
- A bachelor's degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0 from an accredited college or university or successful completion of another Master's degree. Applicants who have attended institutions outside the United States must hold a degree equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree. The Homeland Security Management Institute recognizes that many highly motivated experienced and qualified homeland security professionals may not have fulfilled all the requirements for a bachelor's degree. The program will consider special accommodations for exceptional applicants who have not completed their bachelor's degree and wish to enroll in the Advanced Certificate program. Exceptional applicants typically possess outstanding expertise and credentials, a unique level of practical experience, or a particularly exceptional skill set. The Institute's policy is to carefully monitor these students and their progress, and special requirements may be imposed to ensure their academic success.
- Official copies of your undergraduate and/or graduate transcripts from any college(s) or universities you have attended.
- Two professional letters of recommendation
- Personal Statement/Essay
- Students for whom English is a second language must submit official score results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The required minimum acceptable TOEFL score is: 79 Internet-based (213 computer-based or 550 paper-based) or minimum IELTS score: 6.5.
NOTE: If you have been accepted to the M.S. in Homeland Security Management program, you do not need to re-apply for admission if you wish to pursue the Advanced Certificate in Homeland Security Management.
Submitting an Application for Admission
It is recommended that an Application for Admission to the Advanced Certificate in Homeland Security Management program be submitted at least one month prior to the start of classes. All applications and requested materials (i.e., transcripts, letters of recommendation, personal statement) should be submitted to the LIU Riverhead Graduate Admissions Office.
To apply for admission, please follow these steps.
1. Long Island University Online Application for Admission
Applicants must complete the Long Island University Online Application for Admission. The application can be obtained by clicking on the above link or selecting the Apply Now button in the upper right-hand corner of this page. A print version of the Application for Admission can be downloaded from our website in the Forms & Documents section. You can also request that a graduate application be mailed to you by calling 631-287-8010 or e-mailing riverhead@liu.edu.
2. Transcripts
Submit official undergraduate and/or graduate transcript with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Applicants who will have not completed their degrees prior to admission should submit a transcript without the final semester's grades. Such applicants may be accepted pending receipt of their final degree noted transcripts. Submit one copy of official transcripts from all other institutions attended, including other graduate programs.
International students should refer to the International Admissions website for transcript requirements.
3. Letters of Recommendation
Submit two (2) professional letters of recommendation utilizing the Homeland Security Management Institute's Letter of Recommendation form. This form may be found and downloaded from the Forms and Documents section of the website. The two professional letters of recommendation should address your potential for success in the profession and your ability to complete a graduate program. Letters of recommendation should be from an academic source, preferably a professor or academic official who is familiar with your academic history and achievement. If you have been out of school for several years, recommendations may come from your employer or supervisor. The references should be given the Letter of Recommendation signed by you, along with a stamped envelope addressed to:
Office of Admissions
LIU Riverhead
Long Island University Building
121 Speonk-Riverhead Road
Riverhead, New York 11901-3499
4. Personal Statement/Essay
You may use the essay portion of the online application to address your reasons for pursuing the program and what you expect to gain from it. Please include information about your background and professional experience in the essay. You may submit this statement as part of the Online Application for Admission, or follow at a later date as a hard copy. Contact the Office of Admissions at 631-287-8010 or riverhead@liu.edu to make arrangements if you prefer submit your personal statement/essay via email or mail.
5. International Students
In addition to the requirements listed above, international applicants must submit official score results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The required minimum acceptable TOEFL score is: 79 Internet-based (213 computer-based or 550 paper-based) or minimum IELTS score: 6.5. International students whose native language is English, or who have attended for at least two years an accredited College or University where the only medium of instruction is English, may have the English Language proficiency requirement waived. The waiver is determined on an individual basis following a review of the student's application.
Need Help With Your Admissions Application?
If you have any questions about the admissions application process or requirements, please contact the main LIU Riverhead office at 631-287-8010 or via email at riverhead@liu.edu.
Arrange to submit official college transcripts from all colleges attended to:
Office of Admissions
LIU Riverhead
Long Island University Building
121 Speonk-Riverhead Road
Riverhead, New York 11901-3499
Degree Requirements
Homeland Security Core Courses (15 credits)
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HSMI 500 - Introduction to Homeland Security Management |
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HSMI 520 - Constitutional Issues in Homeland Security Management |
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HSMI 530 - Domestic and International Terrorism |
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HSMI 540 - The Intelligence Function in Homeland Security Management |
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HSMI 550 - Homeland Security and the Private Sector |
Course Descriptions
Advanced Certificate in Homeland Security Management (15 credits)
HSMI 500 – Introduction to Homeland Security Management
This introductory course surveys the major policies, practices, concepts and challenges confronting practitioners in the complex field of Homeland Security Management. The course provides an overview of various threats to domestic security from terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, and other related risks and vulnerabilities, examining the government and private sector organizations, strategies, and systems involved in protecting against and responding to these threats. Using a case study approach, the course focuses on the managerial, political, legal and organizational issues related to crisis planning and response, the National Incident Management System, risk assessment and mitigation, communications and technology systems, medical and public health emergencies, and infrastructure protection.
3 credits
Note: This course is part of the core for the Master of Science and required for the Advanced Certificate.
HSMI 520 – Constitutional Issues in Homeland Security Management
This course provides students with an overview of the various statutes, case law, and Constitutional issues governing the activities of practitioners involved in the Homeland Security enterprise at the federal, state and local levels. These issues and bodies of law are of critical importance to Homeland Security practitioners and policymakers, and the course considers their important social, ethical, and political implications. The central focus of the course is on the question of how to balance the goals, objectives and activities of effective Homeland Security against the compelling need to preserve and extend fundamental American civil liberties. The course examines the Constitutional and legal framework of the Homeland Security enterprise, discusses specific Constitutional issues and cases as they apply to Homeland Security, and considers the relationship between Homeland Security policies and the preservation of civil liberties. It examines the effectiveness of various court decisions and legislation including the USA PATRIOT Act in preventing and responding to the threat of terrorism as well as their role in shaping the development of Homeland Security agencies, policies, strategies, and infrastructure.
3 credits
Note: This course is part of the core for the Master of Science and required for the Advanced Certificate.
HSMI 530 – Domestic and International Terrorism
This course provides an in-depth examination of the threat of terrorism and its impact on the Homeland Security enterprise by exploring the overall phenomena of terrorism as well as the complex motivations, ideologies, goals and tactics of various domestic and international terrorist groups. Cultural, religious and economic influences on terrorism will be considered. Students will analyze these groups in light of historical, contemporary and potential future acts of terrorism in order to refine their knowledge of terrorism prevention, detection, response and investigation. The course focuses upon such topical issues as state terrorism, political terrorism, revolutionary terrorism, religious and apocalyptic violence, weapons of mass destruction, and terrorist tactics and targeting, as well as the practical strategies and approaches of counterterrorism.
3 credits
Note: This course is part of the core for the Master of Science and required for the Advanced Certificate.
HSMI 540 – The Intelligence Function in Homeland Security Management
This course acquaints students with the concepts and practices involved in the process of collecting, analyzing and evaluating intelligence and in managing the intelligence function, as well as the influence of intelligence in shaping homeland security decision-making at the federal, state and local levels. It examines the structures, roles, and interactions of the foreign and domestic intelligence communities, the intelligence gathering and analysis capabilities of criminal justice and private sector entities, and the use of intelligence processes to support homeland security investigations, planning, and policy formulation. Based in a case study approach, students in this course will develop an understanding of intelligence tradecraft and the analytic and research skills used in intelligence work, as well as an appreciation for the ethical, Constitutional, and civil liberties issues involved. Specific topics considered include open source intelligence, assessing the reliability and validity of information, intelligence sharing, covert and counterintelligence operations, Homeland Security managers as both producers and consumers of intelligence, and the future of homeland security intelligence.
3 credits
Note: This course is part of the core for the Master of Science and required for the Advanced Certificate.
HSMI 550 – Homeland Security and the Private Sector
This course explores the relationships and interactions between various private-sector institutions and public-sector Homeland Security organizations at the federal, state and local levels. It examines the specific roles, responsibilities, and vulnerabilities of private-sector entities in protecting critical infrastructure as well as in preventing, deterring, and responding to crises. Among the institutions and organizations considered are public utilities, the private security industry, mental health workers, hospitals and biomedical facilities, the public health sector, chemical and hazardous materials companies, shipping and transportation companies, airlines and airports, the financial services industry, and information technology and telecommunications companies. Particular emphasis is paid to mitigating and managing the threat of nuclear, biological, chemical and radiological (NBCR) weapons.
3 credits
Note: This course is part of the core for the Master of Science and required for the Advanced Certificate.
Academic Advising
Current and prospective students are encouraged to review our courses and degree requirements detailed in both our Master of Science and Advanced Certificate web pages. If you require additional advisement and/or registration assistance, please contact the Faculty Academic Advisor Dr. Vincent Henry with any and all programmatic and advising related concerns at vincent.henry@liu.edu. For all Blackboard and other technical support issues, please contact the LIU IT Department at it@liu.edu 516-299-3300.
CONTACT
LIU Riverhead
631-287-8010
riverhead@liu.edu