Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice — Homeland Security

Almost a quarter of a million people work in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security across the United States, doing their best to protect their country. Homeland security roles can range from the aviation industry to border security to emergency response agencies and offer students various career opportunities.

About Salem’s Homeland Security Bachelor’s Degree

At Salem University, the Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice degree with a specialization in Homeland Security prepares students for a career in law enforcement and emergency management with a focus on protecting the U.S. from internal and external threats. Students gain crucial knowledge in areas of homeland security that include emergency management, civil defense and incident command, all of which can better prepare you for entry-level positions within this industry. A Bachelor’s in criminal justice degree can also be a great stepping off point toward getting your Master of Science in Criminal Justice.

We’ve designed our bachelor’s degree curriculum with the goal of providing a high-quality education that prepares you for lifelong learning. We aim to develop your leadership and problem-solving skills and encourage our students to read critically, ask appropriate questions, gather information, and apply critical analysis. And we do all of this within a framework that fits into your current life and responsibilities with our unique, one-course-a-month schedule.

What Can I Do With a Bachelor’s Degree in Homeland Security?

A bachelor’s in criminal justice with an emphasis in homeland security can help you prepare for entry-level employment in careers like:

• Parole/Probation Officer (Adult or Juvenile)
• Police Officer (State, County or Local)
• Correctional Officer
• Correctional Counselor
• Case Manager (jail/prison)
• Fish and Game Warden
• Security Guard
• State Trooper
• Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agent
• Private Detective

You could also qualify for a position as an agent with various federal agencies like the FBI, DEA, ATF, Secret Service, US Marshals, and Immigration & Customs Enforcement. Many of these agencies have divisions that deal with homeland security issues specific to that agency and often in collaboration with other criminal justice organizations.

What Will I Learn in Salem’s Bachelor’s Degree in Homeland Security?

The curriculum of our Bachelor’s in criminal justice with a homeland security specialization degree program emphasizes learning critical thinking and ethical decision-making skills within the broader concepts of constitutional law, crisis intervention, international and domestic terrorism, forensics, and corrections. We’ve designed our homeland security course studies to incorporate a global view by exploring diverse perspectives on politics and justice systems. We want you to understand not just the basics but also the history and philosophy behind the criminal justice system and where it can grow and evolve in the future. All of this is brought together in a capstone course that gives you the opportunity to set up and manage an actual sporting event.

In your specialized Homeland Security courses, you’ll cover topics like:

• An overview of the basic principles of homeland security, including a history of it in the U.S., terrorism, natural disasters, legal foundations, emergency preparedness, and intelligence gathering
• The principles of emergency management, emergency planning, and risk assessment and their foundation in national, state, and local requirements
• Modern management theory within the criminal justice landscape and the application of those techniques, including civil liability, political power, and ethics
• Contemporary trends and issues in criminal justice, homeland security, and special police operations, with a focus on how criminal justice is changing and the direction of future challenges
• National approaches to critical incident management of disasters and incidents according to the National Response Framework (NRF), the National Incident Management System (NIMS), and the Incident Command System (ICS)

What Homeland Security Classes Will I Take?

The Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice degree program with a specialization in Homeland Security requires the completion of 75 foundational and elective credits, as well as 30 core criminal justice credits that include:

• CJU205 Criminal Law
• CJU210 Criminal Evidence and Constitutional Procedure
• CJU230 Criminal Investigation and Forensics
• CJU233 Crisis Intervention
• CJU242 Domestic Violence
• CJU270 Terrorism
• CJU405 Constitutional Law
• CJU408 Criminal Justice Research and Statistics
• CJU440 Ethics in Criminal Justice
• CJU499 Capstone

You’ll also take 15 credits in the Homeland Security specialization:

• CJU447 Homeland Security
• CJU448 Emergency Management
• CJU449 Criminal Justice Management
• CJU450 Special Topics
• CJU451 Incident Command and Management

How Long Will It Take to Get My Homeland Security Bachelor’s Degree?

On average, a full-time student can earn a Bachelor’s in criminal justice degree with a specialization in Homeland Security training in approximately 40 months. However, we recognize every student is different, with different circumstances. Please contact one of our admissions advisors to discuss your specific questions and goals.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 15th, 2023 at 9:51 pm and is filed under . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.