Spring 2024
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Fall 2024
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Online Master of Science in Counter-Terrorism and Homeland Security
Online Master of Science in Counter-Terrorism and Homeland Security
Program Length:
24 Months
Credit Hours:
36
Total Classes:
12
Cost per Credit:
$1,922
What are the program
start dates?
At a Glance
Shape Policy to Fight Global
Terrorism
Prepare to excel as a homeland security specialist in top roles in government and private agencies.
In our online MS in Counter-Terrorism and Homeland Security program, you’ll be educated by the same professionals our entire nation looks to when examining topics such as national security law and policy, counter-terrorism, cybersecurity, and the causes of political violence — the same issues you’ll study throughout your program. Their insider perspective expands your learning experience.
Coursework builds strong interdisciplinary skills and expertise in terrorism as a social and psychological phenomenon and delivers a unique focus on national and international law enforcement. Topics are updated regularly to reflect emerging trends, so you will always learn the most current information.
You will graduate as an effective researcher and intelligent consumer of research, knowing how to develop strategic, policy-based security solutions at all levels of government with the analytic writing skills needed to present them in front of members of the intelligence community.
Program Objectives
Keep Your Fellow Citizens Safe
Instructors, who are experts in their fields, help you step into the ever-changing, challenging world of homeland security and counter-terrorism. Graduates of the program will be able to:
Spot and Analyze Security Issues
Analyze and discuss national and homeland security problems through the application of acquired knowledge of criminology, social science, legal systems, policy, terrorism studies, and intelligence analysis.
Develop Public Policies and Programs
Formulate, evaluate, and communicate public policies and programs related to counter-terrorism while using acquired analytic frameworks and methodological skills, including statistics, economics, criminology, and law.
Provide Solutions to Threats
Apply empirical and data-driven solutions to analyze domestic and international threats to U.S. homeland security.
Solve Policy Challenges
Apply acquired skillsets, expertise, and values to real-world policy problems in a collaborative manner.
Program Rankings
See How We Set the Standard
Learn From Experts
Coursework is developed and taught by intelligence professionals with decades of experience and industry connections.
Get Personalized Attention
Faculty lead small classes and remain dedicated to your success. As industry experts, the are ever ready to answer questions and mentor you throughout the program.
Build Valuable Experience
You will build real-world experience throughout your courses that will make you stand out in the interview process.
A Top-Ranked Online MS
AU was recognized by Princeton Review, Best Colleges 2023,
with the title of College Gets High Marks. It also ranked:
RANKED
#11
Homeland Security & Emergency Management Program — U.S. News & World Report, America’s Best Colleges 2023
Admission to American University’s online Master of Science in Counter-Terrorism and Homeland Security requires an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university.
Applicants will need to submit the following:
- Completed Application
- Statement of purpose
- Official transcripts
- Two letters of recommendation
- $55 Application Fee*
- Résumé
*The application fee is typically waived if the application file is complete within a three-week period.
Online Merit Scholarships
$12,000 — No Separate Application Required
Prospective students who have a cumulative 3.0 GPA or above (on a 4.0 scale) in their undergraduate program, or those with five or more years of active-duty experience in the military (regardless of their GPA score), can qualify for the Online Merit Scholarship in award amounts up to $12,000.
As part of your application process, your academic history and military experience will be reviewed to see if the scholarship can be applied; there is no separate application to fill out.
You will be notified of the scholarship status when you’re admitted to the program, or shortly thereafter.
To receive the scholarship, which is applied equally across the fifth through eighth courses of the program, you must remain in good academic standing.
Gain Experience from Nationwide Leaders
In our online MS in Counter-Terrorism and Homeland Security program, you will learn directly from the same voices our nation looks to in times of a homeland security crisis. Your instructor’s expertise ensures you receive a quality online learning experience that offers practical, real-world knowledge that reflects the latest thinking on essential counter-terrorism and homeland security issues. You will connect with real-world leaders in the optional residency, build experience in your internship, and be ready to step into the fast-paced world of intelligence once you graduate.
Learn more about how you may fit into the world of intelligence from the experts who are living it day-to-day.
We invite all students in our MS in Counter-Terrorism and Homeland Security program to come campus once a year. This unique opportunity gives you an insider’s perspective of the national security policy world and builds on concepts and ideas discussed in your online courses.
These few days are packed with personalized visits and private tours with our friends and contacts in places like capitol hill and the pentagon.*
You can talk one-on-one with professionals:
- In the organizations
- On a career panel
- At networking dinners
This intensely packed experience also gives you the opportunity to further friendships with peers in the program and connect personally with your instructors.
*The sponsoring U.S. Government agency will have certain policies and procedures that visitors must follow in order to access and visit these sites. These procedures may include the sponsoring agency conducting a brief background check using Personal Identifying Information (PII). The program director will coordinate that process; however, AU cannot guarantee access to students for one or all agencies. Students who are not cleared as visitors will be provided an alternate experience.
As an intelligence research analyst, it’s vitally important that you know how to complete research and analyze data. Aside from individual assignments throughout the coursework in the program, we dedicate two full courses to research and analysis. You start with the foundations of effective research as you learn the “why” and the “how” of theory and then move on to how to complete research and develop its outcomes using STATA, a statistical software for data science.
To graduate from the online MS in Counter-Terrorism and Homeland Security, you will complete a non-credit internship that can, if you wish, be carried out in your local area. This is a chance for you to connect classroom learning to real-world situations as you further your qualifications for high-level rigorous jobs in counter-terrorism and homeland security.
Past internship sites include research centers, police departments, cybersecurity departments in organizations, and Federal Government agencies such as DHS, the CIA, and the FBI.
Course Descriptions
The curriculum features a mix of homeland security courses and counter-terrorism courses that build interdisciplinary knowledge in counter-terrorism and its details, including national security law and policy, cybersecurity, and the theories of political violence.
The two-year, 36-credit program consists of 12 courses and an internship in your local area or in D.C.
Core Courses — 5 Courses
This course provides an introduction to the key concepts that you will cover in this program including a high level discussion of defining and understanding terrorism, types of national, international, and transnational threats, and frameworks for legal, intelligence, and community-based responses to these threats.
An introduction to the study of terrorism and political violence through multiple lenses, including psychology and rational choice theories. Examine why people join violent organizations to further political aims and how tactics are influenced by choices and motivation.
Investigate the causes and consequences of domestic terrorism and political violence using insights from psychology, political science, economics, history, and other disciplines.
The first class of two focused on aspects of intelligence analysis. This course will focus on the role of intelligence in an operational and tactical manner in both the law enforcement and intelligence communities. Students will learn and be able to practice hands-on skills with access to recognized analytic software.
Counterterrorism Law and Policy will provide an overview, discussion and assessment of the legal and policy construct used by the United States to combat terrorism. The course will begin with a discussion of the legal and policy principles that inform decisions made by the executive and legislative branches of the United States government to respond to terrorists and terrorism. Students will then apply those laws and policies to various debates on the use of force, detention, and treatment of detainees. Topics are subject to change to reflect current topics.
Research Methods — 2 Courses
The logic of scientific inquiry and the nature and process of social science research as applied to counterterrorism and homeland security. Theory, concepts, practices, and the demonstration of their reliability and validity. Attention is also given to methods of sampling design and techniques of data collection.
Methods of data analysis applicable to research in the counterterrorism and homeland security fields. The course examines the link between research design and empirical analysis, the role of probability in hypothesis testing, and the concept and techniques of descriptive and inferential statistics.
Residency — 1 Course
Gain a foundation for understanding how policies related to contemporary security issues are made and executed, with a primary focus on terrorism and insurgency. Anyone taking his course within the academic year will be invited to attend an annual residency in D.C. hosted by American.
Selected Topics — 4 Courses
An overview, discussion, and assessment of the legal, sociological, and policy constructs used by federal U.S. law enforcement to detect and investigate terrorism through a study of parameters of identifying, assessing, and surveilling threats.
This course looks at the relationship between criminals and terrorists by examining the nexus of terrorists and criminal networks, their commonalities, affinities, and disparities, along with implications for policy responses.
This course provides students with the tools necessary to understand the nature of the cyber threat to government and private sectors and to understand and evaluate proposed cybersecurity policies for addressing the threat.
This course provides an in-depth look at foreign fighters and policy responses to them. It focuses on jihadi militants but examines transnational volunteers for other religious, ethnic, and ideological causes as well. The course examines competing perspectives on radicalization, the internet, and the likelihood of blowback attacks by returnees.
Internship (Non-Credit)
The internship helps you to further connect coursework to real-life opportunities and get back valuable feedback to your performance. It helps to build your resume and can increase the GS status you receive if you work for the government. The internship can be completed in your local area if you wish. Internship sites include research centers, police departments, cybersecurity, and Federal Government agencies such as DHS, the CIA, and FBI.
Step Into Law Enforcement and Intelligence Roles
American University’s online MS in Counter-Terrorism and Homeland Security prepares law enforcement and intelligence professionals with broad, interdisciplinary skills that are applicable to a wide variety of homeland security careers and counter-terrorism jobs.
Federal agencies and intelligence agencies in Washington, D.C., and in field offices around the nation and the world, look to hire our graduates for roles in law enforcement and intelligence operations.
The job growth related to these industries depends to some extent on the threat level and funding provided to these agencies. In 2022, the Intelligence budget was $89.8 billion.¹
Graduates of the program step into career titles such as:
- Law Enforcement Federal Agent, state or local sworn officer, analyst, and support personnel
- Intelligence Officer, analyst, and support personnel
- Homeland Security analyst and support personnel
- Criminal Intelligence Analyst, State-Level Department of Law Enforcement
- Data Analyst protecting critical infrastructure
- Intelligence Analyst, US Department of Justice
- Federal Agent, DoD Criminal Investigative Entity
- Section Chief, US Department of Homeland Security Component
Federal Pay Rates
In the federal government, salary levels are based on your education, experience level, and what step within the salary level your skills meet. Salaries are publicized annually in General Schedule (GS) pay tables.
GS-5
Entry-level for employees with only a bachelor’s degree and some internship experience. The GS-5 level has a salary range of $32,357-$42,068.
GS-7
For employees holding a degree in public administration or public policy and internship experience, entering at GS-7 is common. The salary range for GS-7 is $40,082-$52,106.
GS-9 and GS-11
Occasionally, an employee with more extensive internship experience will start at a GS-9 level. For benchmarking purposes, note that the Presidential Management Fellows program allows public servants with limited internship experience to enter at GS-9. They are automatically elevated to GS-11 in the second year of their fellowship tenure. The pay rate for GS-9 and GS-11 levels are up to $63,734 and $77,112 respectively.
GS-13
Employees with more significant work experience who enter at GS-11 can be promoted to GS-13 within a short period of time with a salary range of $85,456-$109.908.
Beyond the CIA: Federal Intelligence Agencies to Work For
The intelligence community is comprised of 18 agencies and offices that all need professionals with training and experience in homeland security.
- Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
- National Security Agency (NSA)
- Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- Department of State – Bureau of Intelligence and Research
- Department of Homeland Security – Office of Intelligence and Analysis
- Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Office of National Security Intelligence
- Department of the Treasury – Office of Intelligence and Analysis
- Department of Energy (DOE) – Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence
- National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
- National Reconnaissance Office
- Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance
- Army Military Intelligence
- Office of Naval Intelligence
- Marine Corps Intelligence
- Coast Guard Intelligence
- Space Guard Intelligence
Career Services
American University’s Career Center offers its services to online and on-campus students as well as to all alumni, so you’ll continue to receive support for as long as you need it.
This means you’ll have access to resources for your job search, career advising, internships, and scholarships. You can also network, look for jobs, and apply for positions by making an account at AU Career Web, our online career search tool.
Alumni Employers
As passionate change-makers, our alumni are responsible for using their policy skills to make an impact. You can find some of them working at these outstanding organizations:
- U.S. Senate
- U.S. Navy
- U.S. Immigration and Customs
- Enforcement
- U.S. Department of Justice
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security
- U.S. Department of Defense
Interpol
- FBI
- Federal Bureau of Prisons
- Defense Advanced Research Project Agency
Bill Davies
Associate Professor and JLC Department Chair
Dr. Davies is approaching the study of the European Union legal system from a fresh perspective by critically examining the development of the constitutional practice of law in the EU from a historical perspective.
Dr. Davies has traveled extensively to uncover the primary documents that will contribute to a fresh and empirically accurate narrative of the emergence of the European constitutional system and to answer the question of how the controversial consolidation of power at the European level has been received in the EU’s member states. Dr. Davies recently published a monograph on the German reception of European law. Germany’s relationship with the European Court of Justice has been fraught with challenges and it is Germany’s reactions to the decisions of the court that largely have, and will, determine its future.
Bryan Arva
Professorial Lecturer, Program Director
Dr. Bryan Arva is the Director of the Counterterrorism and Homeland Security Master’s program. Additionally, he is a Professorial Lecturer in the Department of Justice, Law, and Criminology in the School of Public Affairs at American University. Prior to coming to American University, he worked as a Researcher and Instructor at the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) at the University of Maryland. His research and teaching interests include terrorism, counterterrorism, homeland security, radicalization, preventing violent extremism, and the effects of new information and communications technologies (ICTs) on political violence.
Jennifer Gumbrewicz
Adjunct Professional Lecturer
Jennifer Gumbrewicz is a successful attorney, experienced professor, and proven leader with a long career in legal practice, research and communications. A graduate of AU’s School of Public Affairs and Washington College of Law, she also received her master of laws focusing on national security law from George Washington University.
Professor Gumbrewicz has represented Fortune 500 corporations as a civil litigator in cases and investigations in areas including construction, antitrust, health care, intellectual property and insurance.
Since 2001, she has lectured and designed courses at AU for in-class and online on facets of the American and international legal and political systems. Her focus includes national security law; First Amendment and privacy concerns; and criminal law and procedure. She has also served the U.S. Senate in several capacities. For the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on the Constitution, she worked on the reauthorization of the USA PATRIOT Act. For the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control, she helped draft a report on U. S. programs in response to drug trafficking across the Southwest Border.
Tricia Bacon
Associate Professor
Tricia Bacon, PhD, is an Assistant Professor at American University’s School of Public Affairs. She is the author of Why Terrorist Organizations Form International Alliances published by University of Pennsylvania Press in May 2018.
Prior to her employment at American University, Dr. Bacon worked on counterterrorism for over ten years at the Department of State, including in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research, the Bureau of Counterterrorism, and the Bureau of Diplomatic Security. Her work on counterterrorism in the intelligence community received numerous accolades, and she conducted research and analysis on counterterrorism in South Asia, North Africa, East Africa, Europe, and Southeast Asia.
Her research focuses on terrorist and insurgent groups’ behavior and decision-making, U.S. counterterrorism policy, and the role of intelligence in national security decision-making. She has published articles on terrorist group alliances, terrorist leadership, terrorist safe havens, and other related topics.
Brad Bartholomew
Senior Professional Lecturer
Dr. Bartholomew received his doctoral degree from the University of Maryland in 2012. His research focuses on issues related to the causes and consequences of terrorism and the impacts of state and local counterterrorism policy. In particular, his recent research has focused on the impact of state and federal legislation on acts of violent protest. Other areas of research interest include community-oriented policing tactics and their impacts on crime and the fear of crime. Other recent research has focused on the assessment of policies designed to reduce gang-related crime and crime on the college campus.
Claire Griggs
Professorial Lecturer
Claire Griggs is a faculty member in the Department of Justice, Law and Criminology in the School of Public Affairs. Professor Griggs serves as the Director of the Politics, Policy and Law (PPL) Scholars Program. Prior to joining the faculty in SPA, she worked for the Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project at the Washington College of Law, which seeks to engage and educate high school students about their constitutional rights and responsibilities. Professor Griggs has also worked for the New York law firm of Kaufman, Borgeest & Ryan in the areas of insurance, malpractice, and employment law. Her current research and publication areas focus on issues of juvenile justice, women’s bodily rights, and Eighth Amendment issues. Her work has been published in the American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy and the Law.
Trace Lasley
Adjunct Professional Lecturer
Dr. Trace Lasley is a Professor of Practice in the Department of Justice, Law, and Criminology in American University’s School of Public Affairs. His research focuses on illicit organization behavior including strategy, tactics, recruitment, and funding of violent groups including terrorists, transnational criminals, and insurgents. His research has appeared in Conflict Management and Peace Science, Risk Analysis, and Third World Quarterly. He teaches courses on terrorism and homeland security policy including Domestic Terrorism and Political Violence, Crime and Conflict Nexus, and the Principles of Homeland Security.
In addition to his teaching appointment, Dr. Lasley also leads the SPA Professional Development Series for students in public service to help with career planning, resumes, interviewing, Plain Writing, and other practical skills. He also co-leads the Homeland Security Communications Lab, an extracurricular workshop supporting students poised for careers in the homeland security enterprise by developing advanced skills in research, writing, and briefing for senior executives. In addition to his teaching appointment, Dr. Lasley is a historian at the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center, an interagency unit organized by Homeland Security Investigations with the mission to identify, investigate, and prosecute human rights violators in the United States. He received his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Kentucky.
David Malet
Associate Professor
David Malet teaches at the School of Public Affairs at American University. Professor Malet has been researching foreign fighters since 2005 and is the author of Foreign Fighters: Transnational Identity in Civil Conflicts (Oxford University Press, 2013 1st edition, 2017 2nd edition) and co-editor of Transnational Actors in War and Peace: Militants, Activists, and Corporations in World Politics (Georgetown University Press, 2017). He regularly consults on foreign fighter policy challenges for organizations including the United Nations, US Department of State, the UAE Ministry of Youth, Culture and Education, and Australian law enforcement agencies. He is currently engaged in a Minerva Initiative-funded study on radicalization among religious converts.
His work has been published in outlets including Foreign Affairs, Terrorism and Political Violence, The Journal of Homeland Security Management, Orbis, Defence Studies, The Monkey Cage, TIME, and Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, and he provides analysis to media including NPR, CNN, CBC, Bloomberg Europe, Bloomberg Asia, The Guardian, Al Jazeera, and Xinhua.
Sasha O’Connell
Executive in Residence
Sasha Cohen O’Connell, PhD is an Executive in Residence in the Department of Justice, Law & Criminology, School of Public Affairs (SPA), American University where she currently teaches courses on cyber and cyber policy at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Additionally, she serves as the Director of the Terrorism and Homeland Security Policy Master’s program at SPA as well as a Senior Advisor to the National Security Sector of Guidehouse LLC.
O’Connell’s career in public service includes time in academia and the executive branch. She has spent the majority of her career at the FBI where she served most recently as the organization’s Chief Policy Advisory, Science and Technology and as the Section Chief of Office of National Policy for the FBI’s Deputy Director where she led policy engagement with the National Security Council on a wide breadth of issues.
As a founding board member of #NatSecGirlSquad, Ms. O’Connell mentors women entering the national security and law enforcement space and advises organizations on matters related to enhancing diversity in the national security space. O’Connell holds a Bachelor of Arts from Barnard College as well as an MPA and Doctorate in Public Administration from American University.
Jane Palmer
Associate Professor
Jane Palmer holds a Ph.D. in Justice, Law & Society from American University as well as a Master of Social Work degree from the Jane Addams College of Social Work at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Her BA is in Sociology from Smith College.
Dr. Palmer primarily teaches research methods and statistics classes to undergraduate and graduate students at American University. She is also the director of a program called Community-Based Research Scholars, which teaches undergraduate students how to conduct and analyze research for the benefit of local non-profit organizations. Her quantitative and qualitative research focuses on the prevention of and institutional responses to interpersonal violence.
Ajay Bhatt
Adjunct Professional Lecturer
Ajay Bhatt is a Senior Attorney with the Human Rights Law Division, part of the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Previously, from 2001-2005, Bhatt served at the U.S. Department of State (DOS), where he worked for the Office of Inspector General’s Office of Counsel and later for the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor. At DOS, Bhatt served on domestic and international delegations to the United Nations and to the Organization of American States. Bhatt also served on detail to the Office of General Counsel at the U.S. Agency for International Development.
After receiving a dual B.A. in Journalism and Literature from Syracuse University, Bhatt earned an M.A. in the Humanities from the University of Chicago. He received a J.D. from the University of Oregon, where he was a staff editor on The Oregon Law Review. Bhatt entered federal service as a Presidential Management Fellow in 2001. He is licensed to practice law in Washington State and Maryland and for the Federal Government.
Both in 2010 and 2018, Bhatt received awards for Excellence in Law Enforcement from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In 2016, Bhatt was named a Finalist in the Partnership for Public Service’s category of “Safety, Security, and National Affairs.” In 2017, Bhatt was the recipient of the DHS Office of General Counsel’s Excellence Award. In 2022, the U.S. Department of Justice named Bhatt as a co-recipient of the Attorney General’s Award for “Distinguished Work in Investigation and Extradition of a Former Nazi Concentration Camp Guard.”
In 2023, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) named Bhatt as a recipient of an OPM annual Presidential Management Fellow Honorary Award: “Hiring Manager of the Year.”
Learning Online
American University welcomes its online students as a part of its community. As an online student, you’ll learn from the same outstanding faculty and be held to the same learning standards as students who attend courses on campus. On-campus and online programs deliver the same outcomes, and important support systems, like career resources, are set up for online learners as well. The only difference is you’re allowed to learn when and where it’s best for you so you can earn your degree and advance your career without putting the rest of your career and life on hold.
We Bring AU to You
Our digital campus was intentionally designed based on extensive research behind what makes online learning successful. We combine advanced technology, hands-on experiences, and full access to the American University community. Here, you’re not an online student, you’re an AU student.
Rigorous Courses
Online courses are as challenging as their on-campus counterparts and taught by the same connected faculty members, influential guest speakers, and prominent lecturers.
100% Support
New-student orientation, 24×7 help desk for technical issues, a student services coordinator, financial aid advisers, and more are all available to ensure your success.
Expert Faculty
Home to some of the most acclaimed scholars and thought leaders in the world, you’ll learn from award-winning scholars and policymakers, diplomats, authors, artists, attorneys, scientists, journalists, and more.
Collaborative Learning
Use virtual tools to talk about your coursework, work in teams with classmates, build strong connections, network with others and ask your instructor questions and turn in assignments.
Military Education Benefits
American University is dedicated to supporting military service members, veterans, and their families.
As an online Master of Science in Counter-Terrorism and Homeland Security student, you can transform your military experience and leadership skills into new career possibilities as you earn your degree, regardless of where you live or are stationed.
We support a full range of military education benefits such as:
- Post-9/11 GI Bill
- Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB)
- Tuition Assistance (TA)
- Yellow Ribbon Program
Additionally, if you’ve served in any branch of the U.S. military on active duty within the past three years, you’re eligible to waive the application fee. We accept transfer credits from military coursework, have a dedicated Office of Veterans Services to help connect you to benefits, and maintain an active Veterans Services Support Network.
We welcome you to learn more about our military benefits and how to apply for them.
Take Your First Step Today
Become an American University student. A passion for public service, an emphasis on active leadership, and a global outlook are the hallmarks of the American University learning experience. We create graduates who stand out from their peers as active, socially aware, and compassionate leaders who work toward creating meaningful change in our world.
Join Us.
To learn more about American University’s Master of Science in Counter-Terrorism and Homeland Security program, request more information, request an appointment, or call us toll-free at 855-725-7614.
Program FAQs
Counter-terrorism includes the practices, tactics, techniques and strategies that government, military, law enforcement, business, and intelligence agencies use to combat or prevent terrorism.
Sample job titles graduates may pursue include law enforcement and intelligence officers, analysts, and support personnel positions. Target employers often include U.S. federal government agencies and intelligence communities, though federal agency jobs are highly competitive and sometimes take years to gain entry.
Admission requirements for the MS in Counter-Terrorism and Homeland Security program include a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
Applicants will need to submit the following:
- Completed application
- Statement of purpose
- Résumé
- Official transcripts
- Two letters of recommendation
- $55 application fee*
All applicants are considered for the Online Merit Scholarship in award amounts up to $12,000 during the application review — no separate application is required.
*The application fee is typically waived if the application file is complete within a three-week period.
A TOEFL score of 600 (or 100 on the internet-based test), a minimum score of 68 on the Pearson Test of English, or a minimum IELTS score of seven (7) is required. Additionally, applicants with international transcripts must have them evaluated course by course. For a list of acceptable evaluators, go to NACES.org.
Applicants will complete a phone interview with the Program Director a and will need to submit:
- Statement of purpose
- Completed application
- $55 application fee — waivers available
- Résumé
- Official transcripts
- Two letters of recommendation
Yes. It is not a requirement to have an undergraduate degree in homeland security or counter-terrorism.
The program can be completed in 24 months at a full-time pace of two courses each semester. Taking more than two courses per semester is not recommended due to the rigor of the program.
The internship can be completed in your local area if you wish. The internship helps you to further connect coursework to real-life opportunities and get back valuable feedback to your performance. It helps to build your resume and can increase the GS status you receive if you work for the government. Internship sites include research centers, police departments, cybersecurity, and Federal Government agencies such as DHS, the CIA, and FBI.
The GRE requirement is currently being waived. Although the MSCTHS program does not require the GRE, students with a GPA below 3.0 are encouraged to take the GRE for further evaluation. LSAT scores can also be evaluated in place of the GRE.
Our application deadline varies based on the term you are applying for. Please note that the earlier you submit your application, the sooner you will know whether you’ve been awarded the Online Merit Scholarship. Please contact our online admissions advisors for a specific timeline as to when your application file needs to be fully submitted.
Our fall semester starts in August. The spring semester starts in January. The summer session begins in May.
Yes, online students can easily request a Student ID online to take advantage of all the same resources as our on-campus students.
Program Resources | Industry Updates
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- November 15, 2022
Home to some of the most acclaimed scholars and thought leaders in the world.
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- November 15, 2022
Home to some of the most acclaimed scholars and thought leaders in the world.
Title
- November 15, 2022
Home to some of the most acclaimed scholars and thought leaders in the world.