Frequently Asked Questions

What Kind of Program Is It?

Homeland security refers to the measures that are taken to prevent terrorist attacks and mitigate casualties and damage when they occur. The M.S. in Criminal Justice with a specialization in Homeland Security Policy and Coordination curriculum is designed to prepare you to create programs and procedures that could help ensure public safety. You will have opportunities to explore criminal justice theories and emergency preparedness methods while being presented with an overview of terrorism in its various forms. Program topics include national and international crime, cyberterrorism, and bioterrorism.

What Are the Prerequisites?

You should be interested in furthering your knowledge of the criminal justice system and learning about terrorism-related legislation in order to pursue a career or advancement opportunities in homeland security, law enforcement, courts, or corrections. As an applicant to Walden University's master's programs, you should hold a bachelor's degree or higher; you may need to complete additional requirements for some programs.

What Are the Course Requirements?

To earn this degree, you must complete 61 quarter credits, which consist of a one-credit foundation course, 45 credits of core courses, and 15 credits of specialization courses. Estimated time to completion is 21 months. Time to completion may vary by student, depending on individual progress and credits transferred, if applicable.

Course Requirements

• Foundations of Graduate Study
• The Nature of Crime and Criminology
• Controversies in Criminal Justice
• Organizational Management and Leadership
• Criminal Justice Research
• Ethics and Social Justice
• Special Populations
• Technological Solutions and 21st Century Crime
• Victimology
• Applied Communications
• Public Policy Implications of Terrorism Legislation and Policies
• Terrorism: A Systemic Approach for Emergency Preparedness
• Critical Incident Planning and Leadership

What Could I Do After I Graduate?

Career Options

As a graduate of this program, you could have the skills and knowledge to pursue higher-level responsibilities related to your existing career in the criminal justice field, if applicable. You might pursue opportunities in such areas as law enforcement, intelligence analysis, business continuity, cybersecurity, human rights advocacy, emergency management, counterterrorism research, disaster relief, or international peacekeeping. Positions you could pursue include:

• Federal law enforcement professional
• Emergency management specialist
• Consultant
• Security analyst

Career options may require additional experience, training, or other factors beyond the successful completion of this degree program.

Advanced Degrees

You might consider continuing your education and pursuing a doctoral degree if you would like to prepare to conduct criminology research or teach criminal justice and related programs within colleges and universities. At the doctoral level, courses could explore criminological theories, statistics, and research methods.

Degrees listed are not institution-specific but constitute a sampling of continuing education options for graduates. Degree options that graduates could pursue include:

• Doctor of Philosophy in Criminal Justice
• Doctor of Philosophy in Criminal Justice and Criminology