Best undergrad degree to go with TS/SCI Security Clearance

Hello everyone my question is for anyone who has expierence with security clearances.
I have a TS/SCI security Clearance issued from the DOD, for anyone unfamiliar with this stuff TS clear. are very expensive/and time extensive to procure.

But enough with abbreviations and acronyms, I have this Clearance and want to take advantage of it. I would like to find a degree that complements it well. I have already checked out clearedconnections,and the other networking sites etc. I have no interest in computers, acounting, or any kind of "boring" desk job.

Any ideas?

 

Honestly, at least in my opinion, your clearance level should not drive what you get your degree in. Do what interests you. Besides, the information that you have because of your clearance couldn't be used in an educational forum. Moreover, a security clearance doesn't make you any more, or less eligible, for any degree. I have a TS/SCI clearance as well, but I don't want to have a job that requires a clearance once I separate from the military. It just depends on what you really want out of your education.

 

I agree with the previous poster that your clearance should not be related to your degree. However, based on your comment above, have you looked into Engineering, Engineering Technology, or Metrology? Our agency uses a lot of people with that kind of background and a clearance for quality/inspection type work.

 

I didn't mean to imply that I wanted to adjust my life-career around my clearance. Only I wanted to find a degree that interested me and allowed me to take advantage of my clearance. I was interested in maybe working for the CIA, FBI, Secret Service something along those line maybe.

 

A clearance isn't a career field. But having a current clearance can help you land a position in a career field as a contractor.

Of the federal agencies you listed each has their own requirements for clearance and access, meaning that a DOD clearance doesn't translate to a civilian clearance, but might help with the process. I still had to complete a civilian clearance despite holding a DOD clearance.

Keep in mind that your clearance will immediately be downgraded (assuming you move to Government) or removed when you outprocess and no longer have access to the areas or material that required the SCI.

A friend of mine's son was an Air Force LE and is currently uniformed Secret Service. His clearance form the Air Force did not transfer over but did make it easier for him to deal with the polygraph portion (which you should have had if you have the SCI) and meet the requirements for the Secret Service. In addition he only had an associate degree before hire but has since completed a BS and intends to apply for the coat and tie crowd.

I recommend you go to the appropriate agency website and examine the requirements for hire and base your degree aspirations upon a career objective.

 

How did you get the clearance? The military? You don't want a desk job? Well that disqualifies, like you mentioned, accounting-computers-engineering-human resources-intelligence-business, etc. I would stay in the military and maybe cross train over into a more "desk job unfriendly" job like infantry. You're interested in three letters and high speed type jobs? Those jobs sound high speed, but most of them will be desk jobs as well.

You'll likely not be Jack Bauer or Jason Bourne. Most FLE work is boring and repetitve and there's not a lot of gunplay and car chases. For the FBI you'll need something like a JD, Accounting, or hardcore CS to be competitive. Last year there were over 60K applicants in the diversified category (meaning they did not have a specialized degree). The FBI hired less than 1000 new agents. Most of those new hires possess the three degree already mentioned, the ones that you have DQ'd. The CIA is another tough cookie too. The "high speed" jobs you are after will, in the vast majority of the cases, go to former SPECOPS members with education and languages.

You need to narrow down a career path and stick to it. Start first with some sort of high tech CS or Engineering degree and pick up a language on the way. Read international and US News daily. Join the open source intel community and start contributing there. You have a lot of work to do but with another 5-7 years of directed experience, study and discipline you can land the job you desire.

Good luck.

 

Ok well thank you for the responses. I should note that I am NOT 12 and my dreams of being Jason Bourne have long since gone the way of reality. Long story short yes I was in the military where I got my clearance I got injured in training and it was easier for the army to med board me rather than allow me adequete time to recover. So I have about 3-1/2 years until it "expires". I am aware that there is desk work with almost every job for the most part; I just dont want to be chained to a desk 8 hours a day.

I still have to figure out what I want to do and where my interests lie. But thank you for your replies.

 

The miliary and its many contractors need non-desk jobs that require TS clearance in the field such as engineers, technicians, and quality to support a wide variety on programs including satellite launches, aircraft development, submarine maintainance, communications. I supported some of these areas in the past but a prerequisite was extensive relasted experience before an clearance requests were submitted.