Undergraduate Security Studies

About the Security Studies Program

As a homeland security major, you will take classes in a variety of disciplines, from engaging in risk assessment, planning and analysis, to protecting critical infrastructure and key assets. Disciplines also include gathering and analyzing intelligence; assessing domestic and international terrorist threats; preventing and detecting weapons of mass destruction; and establishing appropriate critical incident response and management. In addition, you will take classes in the sociocultural aspects of human conflict. For corporate security majors, the curriculum will prepare you to critically analyze an organization’s security needs and find creative solutions to solve complex security issues. You will take classes needed to perform risk assessments, secure physical infrastructure, engage in personnel/executive protection, provide emergency plans and business continuity, prevent and detect fraud, and investigate security breaches.

What Can I Do With a Security Studies Degree?

If you want to secure people, infrastructure and assets in either the public or private sectors, then homeland or corporate security (private security/organizational security) is the perfect major. Most entry-level homeland security professionals protect national infrastructures, including airports, borders, seaports and waterways; prepare for and respond to natural disasters and terrorist acts; or gather and analyze financial, geospatial or open-source intelligence in both private and public sector work environments. You may find work in federal, state and local law enforcement; the military; public safety roles; and other state and local governmental agencies. Employers may include the Department of Homeland Security, FBI, Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Custom Services, U.S. Coast Guard, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Air Marshal, ATF, CIA, Secret Service, or the Transportation Security Administration. The corporate security/organizational security concentration at SRU prepares you for a variety of careers in private security management. Positions include security specialist, chief security officer, legal investigator, special agent/FBI agent, private investigator, director of loss prevention, security consultant/director and management officer. The corporate security/ fraud concentration prepares you for a variety of careers in both the private and public sectors. Positions include fraud examiner, fraud analyst, fraud investigator, bankruptcy analyst, U.S. postal inspector, compliance officer, special agent/FBI agent, intelligence, and internal auditor.

Why Choose a Security Studies Degree?

• National and state ranked program
  Our homeland security program was ranked sixth in the nation in the “Top Bachelor’s Degree Programs in Homeland Security” by Study.com, and it ranked in Source 2021 Best Colleges by Niche as one of the Best Colleges with Homeland and Security and Disaster Management Degrees in Pennsylvania. The Homeland Security program recently ranked ninth in College Rank’s “35 Best Bachelors Degree in Homeland Steve Recca, Director of the University & Agency Partnership Program from the Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense & Security, conducted the five-year review of both Homeland and Corporate Security. Mr. Recca concluded “Based on my experience directing the Department of Homeland Security’s academic partnership program, SRU’s HCS program ranks among the best organized and highest quality programs in the country.”
• Experienced faculty
  You will be taught by faculty who are academically qualified and work in security-related disciplines. Faculty offer real-life examples, industry experience, and research to enhance your learning experiences. Our faculty-practitioners also mentor students for careers, graduate school, and internships.
• Specialized Security Degrees are in Demand
  Homeland security and private security employers now require specialized knowledge and skills-post 9/11 not offered by course offerings in other academic disciplines.