National Security Studies, M.S.
New Jersey City University (NJCU) offers a Master of Science (M.S.) in National Security Studies as a jointly designated National Center of Academic Excellence (effective for 2009-2014, extended to 2018, and renewed in 2018) by the National Security Agency and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Post-9/11 era, current and future leaders from all aspects of public safety, including law enforcement, security, fire service, emergency management, business, and public health, understood the concepts, theories, and methods applicable to contemporary risk, terror, and vulnerability. With this degree, students will be pursuing NJCU’s educational avenues to allow them to function effectively in what is seen as a new terror environment. In our program, students will be able to develop the competencies crucial to collaborate and coordinate with various organizational levels and disciplines in National Security.
New Jersey City University has demonstrated a long history of contemporary educational offerings in the field of security. It was the only institution of higher education in the State of New Jersey offering a bachelor’s degree in security, years prior the 9/11 tragedy. In considering the needs of current and future professionals in the field of Security, NJCU has initiated a strategy emphasizing prevention over response to create a common defense: a resilient generation of security professionals prepared to cope with a multitude of potential crises and scenarios.
The Professional Security Department has developed rigorous, comprehensive academic programs incorporating intellectual debate, inclusion of diverse backgrounds, development and demonstration of critical, practitioner-based competencies to be the vehicle of change with specialized experience and diverse security views.
The degree programs are designed for practicing security leaders, as well as for those students who seek careers in this field. Courses are offered at New Jersey City University's main campus to be fully completed online through distance-learning.
Admissions Requirements
Admission to the master’s in National Security Studies program requires that the applicant:
1. Has completed a bachelor’s degree and
2. Has met all the minimum requirements of the Graduate Studies Office
Program Requirements
Duration & Structure: 12 courses, Total 36 credits.
Pre-Requisites: Confirms professional knowledge/experience to concepts in prior degree.
Core Courses (15 credits): Covers essential national security concepts.
Fundamental Electives (6 credits): Builds experiential knowledge.
Specialized National Security Courses (9 credits): Focuses on advanced security strategies.
Capstone (6 credits): Specialized Field Project, Thesis or Examination of practical application of culminating experience or research-based study.
Specializations
Students must elect one of the following options:
National Security
Develop the ability to analyze the global complexities and implications of National Security policy, procedures, and operations with courses such as “Counterintelligence” and “Contemporary Counterterrorism.”
Corporate Security
Develop the ability to analyze and synthesize organizational continuity, emergency response and risk management policy and procedures with courses such as “critical incident command and response.”
Information Assurance/Cyber Security
Develop the ability to analyze and apply principles of information assurance/cyber security with courses such as “security and privacy of information and information systems,” and “information security strategy and policy development.”
Capstone
Students must elect one of the following options
Thesis
As practical fulfillment of a master’s degree, the student has the option of completing a thesis. This option requires 30 credits of course work, plus an additional 6 credits of thesis supervision and the production of a master’s thesis of publishable quality.
Specialized Field Project
As practical fulfillment of a master’s degree, the student has the option of completing a culminating project. This option requires 30 credits of course work, plus an additional 6 credits of project supervision.
Final Comprehensive Examination
As practical fulfillment of a master’s degree, the student has the option of completing the comprehensive examination. This option requires 36 credits of course work.
Program Requirements
Duration & Structure: 12 courses, Total 36 credits.
Pre-Requisites: Confirms professional knowledge/experience to concepts in prior degree
Core Courses (15 credits): Covers essential national security concepts.
Fundamental Electives (6 credits): Builds experiential knowledge.
Specialized National Security Courses (9 credits): Focuses on advanced security strategies.
Capstone (6 credits): Specialized Field Project, Thesis or Examination of practical application of culminating experience or research-based study.
36-credit program
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses: | 15 | |
| SECU 600 | National Security | 3 |
| SECU 605 | Corporate Security | 3 |
| SECU 610 | Cyber Security | 3 |
| SECU 615 | Graduate Research Methods I | 3 |
| SECU 620 | Research Methods II | 3 |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Specialization (Select one area): | 9 | |
| NATIONAL SECURITY | ||
| SECU 625 | Counterintelligence | 3 |
| SECU 630 | Domestic Terrorism and Extremist Groups | 3 |
| SECU 635 | Contemporary Counterterrorism | 3 |
| CORPORATE SECURITY | ||
| SECU 640 | Critical Incident Command and Response | 3 |
| SECU 645 | Corporate Threat Definition and Vulnerability Analysis | 3 |
| SECU 650 | Organizational Crisis Management | 3 |
| INFORMATION ASSURANCE/CYBER SECURITY * | ||
| SECU 655 | Computer Security Topics | 3 |
| SECU 660 | Security, Privacy of Information and Information Systems | 3 |
| SECU 665 | Information Security Strategy and Policy Development | 3 |
- *
Students who complete the Information Assurance/Cybersecurity concentration and the core course, SECU 610, will be certified as Cyber Defense Graduate Officers under the authority of the National Security Agency, a certification program for information security professionals.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Culminating Experience (Master's Thesis plus six additional elective credits) | 12 | |
| SECU 670 | Thesis I | 3 |
| SECU 675 | Thesis II | 3 |
| SECU XXX Security Elective Course | 6 | |
OR
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Specialized Field Project (plus six additional elective credits): * | 12 | |
| SECU 680 | Specialized Field Project | 6 |
| SECU XXX Security Elective Course | 6 | |
- *
The Specialized Field Project must be approved by a faculty committee and the Dean of the College of Professional Studies.
OR
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Final Comprehensive Exam (plus 12 additional elective credits): ** | ||
| SECU XXX Security Elective Course | 12 | |
- *
To earn the degree, students must first fulfill all course requirements and then pass the Final Comprehensive Exam.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Additional Elective Courses | ||
| SECU 661 | Global Threat Assessment: Public & Private Sectors | 3 |
Upon completion of the National Security Studies Master program, students will be able to:
- Understand the importance of the role policy plays in the development of governmental, non-governmental and private sector organizational goals and objectives regarding national security initiatives (AN)
- Demonstrate an understanding of national, corporate, and cyber theories and practice to analyze critical national security strategies (SWOT)
- Demonstrate superior executive level communication skills in both written and oral communications (COM)
- Critique organizational decisions made to eventually play a role in governmental, non-governmental, and private sector organizations (TM)