The purpose of this course is to advance critical thinking, research and inquiry skills as a first step in the thesis writing process. This course identifies and teaches the principles of quality investigational research including research methodologies, sources, thesis organization and development. The goal of the sequence is to provide a sound foundation for initiating a thesis project and to support the degree objectives of the MA-HLS program by preparing students to conduct graduate-level, policy-relevant research and deliver the results of this research in an academically rigorous thesis.

(3 Credits)

This course provides an overview of the essential ideas that constitute the emerging discipline of homeland security. The objectives of the course are to expand students’ abilities to think critically, analyze and communicate the central tenents of homeland security from a social justice perspective. Students will examine the evolution of terrorist movements, strategies to combat terrorism, crisis management, response to conventional and non-conventional threats and the impact of heightened security and surveillance on individual rights and civil liberties.

(3 Credits)

This course analyses principles of critical infrastructure, in both the private and public sectors, vital to our community on a local, state, and federal level while demonstrating how critical infrastructure protection is one of the cornerstones of homeland security. This course evaluates risk reduction techniques to determine the optimal strategy for protection of each sector of critical infrastructure. This will include risk assessments for hard and soft targets that address risk mitigation plans and appropriate countermeasures in an all-hazards approach. Students will also apply vulnerability analysis techniques to critical infrastructure within their multijurisdictional region and derive optimal strategies and draft policies for prevention of future terrorist attacks.

(3 Credits)

This course serves as an introduction for homeland security professionals to terrorism as a psychological phenomenon. Government agencies involved in homeland security need to understand the psychological consequences of mass-casualty terrorist attacks and other disasters. This course provides a broad overview of the psychological effects of terrorism; the status of and fallacies related to the interventions applied to victims of terrorism and the generalized fear and anxiety experienced by the public at large. Current government strategies used to disseminate information to terrorist groups; psychological phenomena related to media coverage of terrorism; misconceptions and inaccuracies about the socio-political and religious motivations of terrorist groups; “profiling” and the typical psychological and cultural makeup of modern terrorists; and the social and cultural psychology of public conceptions of terrorists and acts of terror will be examined.

(3 Credits)

This course examines key questions and issues facing the U.S. intelligence community and its role in homeland security and homeland defense, including terrorism, emergency management, and cyber security. Intelligence community operations at the state and local levels, with federal cooperation through the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 are examined. This will afford students the opportunity to address, analyze, and critique policy, oversight, intelligence support, organizational protection of civil liberties and substantive issues regarding homeland defense/security and national decision-making.

(3 Credits)

This course is intended to provide practitioners with the opportunity to expand their ability to apply their education (undergraduate and graduate), training (vocational, career, job-related), and experience and knowledge to the homeland security capstone project. The homeland security capstone encompasses material in the other MA-HLS courses and, provides practitioners with the skills to perform their professional roles in new ways that will initiate and sustain change even at the level of the broader institutional context of governance in which they must function. This course completes the thesis project as the final step before graduation.

(3 Credits)

Prerequisite: None

This course is designed to highlight important topics pertinent to the protection of human rights during a time of national security concerns. Protecting individual rights is an inseparable part of a democratic society, the rule of law and a government dedicated to the advancement of the common good. The aim of this course is to create a clear understanding among students how respect for human rights can positively impact human security and promote civil societies.

Offered fall/spring semester. (3 Credits)

The purpose of this course is to provide students with insight into the structural, conceptual, intellectual foundations and implications of a multidisciplinary approach to homeland security. Students will examine how the perceptions of homeland security varies among professionals in the field, the general public and differing ethnic, racial, religious and socio-economic groups.

(3 Credits)

This course focuses on differentiating the conceptual and theoretical aspects and models of leadership and leadership studies in order for students to apply leadership skills and principles in their places of business. The fundamentals of leadership are taught with an emphasis on how to live out these fundamentals in an ethical manner. 

(3 Credits)

Organizational Psychology and Behavior concentrate on employee behavior and processes in organizations. The focus of this course is on individual, group, inter-group and organizational wide behavior and its impact on employee satisfaction and productivity. The course attempts to add to each student’s understanding of life in complex organizations by covering topics which span the micro or individual level of analysis (motivation, decision making) and the macro or organizational level of analysis (culture, structure). Attention is given to group dynamics, change and development.

(3 Credits)

Prerequisite: None

A leader’s ability to understand and follow the change management process collaboratively is vital to master. A proactive mindset is critical to a successful business or personal change. Students will learn the various change management models and problem-solve to find the best ways to leverage change agents and how best to manage ethical change. Students will create a model of change for workplace application.

Offered spring semester. (3 Credits)

Prerequisite: None

Students in this course will learn forward thinking concepts of coaching, mentoring, and succession planning to promote a learning organization. Students will learn how to leverage the Human Capital Management model to foster knowledge transfer between employees. The focus of the course will be the elevation of learning to a strategic organizational imperative.

Offered fall semester. (3 Credits)

Prerequisite: None

Today’s business success requires intercultural awareness as well as effective cross cultural and cross generational communication skills. This course demonstrates the importance of cross cultural and cross generational communication and the benefits of being sensitive to the differences in organizational settings. Concepts of negotiating styles, cultural differences, proper etiquette, and conflict analysis/resolution will be discussed at length.

Offered fall/spring semester. (3 Credits)

Prerequisite: None

This course explores the business, legal, political, and social aspects surrounding the phenomenon called Intellectual Property. In particular, this course is predicated on two fundamental questions, “What is Intellectual Property, and does my company have it?” This simple yet powerful inquiry—and the subsequent responses—guides the course over four days of intensive readings, discussions, and writings.

Offered fall/spring semester. (3 Credits)

*This course can be applied toward the MBA Master Courses requirement.