News Release
College playing lead role in homeland security education
June 16, 2009
Security Penn State Harrisburg is playing a lead role in the University’s homeland security education efforts throughout the Commonwealth.
The college’s School of Public Affairs is the academic home for Penn State’s new postbaccalaureate certificate in Homeland Security and Defense which will offer its first course in the fall 2009 semester.
The 12-credit, four-course program will be taught by Penn State Harrisburg faculty and delivered online exclusively through Penn State’s World Campus. It is designed for persons who either want to enhance their professional careers in homeland security or enter the profession. The program, which is policy focused, stresses:
- The major legislation shaping homeland security policy;
- The key actors and their interactions;
- The planning and organizational imperatives related to homeland security; and
- Specific homeland security issues confronting Pennsylvania.
Aimed at developing the skills that the Department of Homeland Security considers vital for leadership positions in homeland security and defense-related professions, the certificate program was created for a range of students such as law enforcement, emergency management officials, first responders, and the National Guard.
The course sequence in the program will begin with Introduction to Homeland Security, Strategic Planning and Organizational Imperatives in Homeland Defense and Security, Multifaceted Approaches to Homeland Security, and culminates with Homeland Security and Defense in Practice (Pennsylvania-specific) or students may select a substitute course on terrorism or natural disasters.
The Naval Postgraduate School’s Center for Homeland Defense and Security was the catalyst to developing a national program addressing security needs. The University’s partnership with the NPS led to the creation of the certificate.
Enrollment is now available in the program by accessing the World Campus Web site at www.worldcampus.psu.edu. At Penn State Harrisburg, the contact for information is program coordinator Dr. Jeremy Plant, 717-948-6045 or jfp2@psu.edu.