B.A. in Homeland Security or Security Mangagement?

I am planning on going to APU/AMU, but I am having an issue with what major to pursue.

I have my sights set on two possible majors, a B.A. in Homeland Security and the other is Security Management.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

 

It depends...what do you plan on doing with the degree? What are your career goals?

 

Ditto. Chart your path, then select the kind of degree you need, then select the school. Then have the "if/then" discussion with yourself (what you want to do, what resources you have, etc.)

Good luck.

 

How about a degree in plain old Management (not security management) due to it's universal utility and applicability to everything? Every field needs managers. And then get a follow-up Masters degree in a specialized field, such as Security Management or Homeland Security.

 

Yes, I see your point.
I plan on going into law enforcement, but I would like a degree that gives me a wider range of information.

 

The broadest degree for law enforcement is criminal justice and it's the most widely accepted and recognized. Although, I do have to point out that criminal justice or any specific type of degree is not required for most law enforcement jobs. Most agencies that do require a degree will accept any major. Only a few federal law enforcement agencies have a preference for criminal justice or law degrees. Security management degrees mostly focus on private and physical security. This would help if you were looking to get into corporate security; but, even here, criminal justice, police science, law enforcement, and administration of justice are often listed as degree requirements in job ads. Homeland security focuses on things like terrorism, border security, and emergency management. It has a very limited focus and would probably serve someone in the emergency management field better than someone in the law enforcement field unless one is an LEO for CBP. There are plenty of criminal justice programs with homeland security concentrations or elective courses. These two degrees are just very new and are rarely thought of when hiring managers and human resources specialists create job requirements. If I had to choose between the two for government jobs, I would choose homeland security since it's geared more toward the public sector and its curriculum is more understood and standardized. Even AMU's government security concentration is mostly focused on securing facilities and personnel. This is what security specialists need to know, not law enforcement unless your job is securing government buildings.

 

Sanantone pretty much nailed it. I honrstly think a business degree would be better than CJ or HS. And if things dont work out you aren't left trying to explain to the hiring manager at fed ex or hme depot why your HS degree is the perfect fit for their junior manager program.

The FBI used to love hiring accountants and JD's

Get bilingual to really cinch up the best prospects.

 

Interesting, I see.

The way that you described the government security program, was very close to the syllabus.

I agree with you, Homeland Security is probably the logical choice.

Thank you, your advice is greatly appreciated.

 

For the greatest utility and flexibility, I would urge you to consider a degree in Public Administration (PA). This will benefit you anywhere in the public sector and form a good foundation for more specialized graduate study at a later date.

If you look around, you can even find good BA in PA programs that will allow you to specialize in CJ/HS/EM as part of your elective coursework.

 

If someone can find a way to mesh utility with their interests, then they should do so. I have upset a lot of people by saying CJ has very little utility. Most state and local law enforcement agencies don't have a preference for it. A lot of people pursuing CJ degrees want to join the FBI or CIA and they don't have a preference for CJ degrees.

If that's the only subject you're interested in studying, then you'll find some way to make it work. If you have some other interests that are more marketable, then I recommend you pursue those as a major. Outside of maybe some insurance and social service jobs, there is very little one can do with a CJ degree without having substantial military or law enforcement experience. What will you do if you can't pass the polygraph? This is a very real concern because honest people fail the polygraph all the time. What will you do if you become injured during the academy or in your first couple of years of service? I know a guy who broke his hand while taking a physical assessment and has been unable to apply for anymore LE jobs in over 6 months. What will you do if you end your law enforcement career early because you hate it? These are things to consider when looking at getting a degree in CJ or homeland security.

A public administration degree is pretty flexible in the public sector. A business administration degree is even more flexible because it's marketable in the public and private sectors, but it's also very common. Accounting and information technology/computer science would give you more specialized skills.

 

I will say, It sounds like an interesting choice for a masters.

Your right, it's important to see this from all angles.

 

I fear the OP is missing the point.

I worked in Law Enforcement for a decade. In that time I watched several people get hurt and end up medically incapable of performing the job. One guy fell of the sniper tower at SWAT Round-up, he negotiated the 20+ foot fall OK, but his sniper rifle came down on his neck and cracked a vertebrae...he never worked another day. Another pal got shot through the left handle via friendly fire during a hostage rescue...his last. I can't tell you how many back injuries led to early retirement...in other words even if you get the job there is no guarantee of longevity.

Part of my job back then was videotaping the new applicant interview...I can't describe how sitting down for a taped interview would get into the heads of seemingly bright people. Some lost the ability to spit out coherent sentences.

What do you do with a criminal justice or homeland security degree if things don't work out? It's just too confining...and you will appear as a better applicant if you DON'T have one of these degree's anyway (provided you have a degree in something else).

The only time I recommend CJ/HS is when you have someone already in the business who needs the degree to move up.

 

Since everyone seems to be suggesting that no one major, or no one ever major, or only in absolutely specific situations to major in CJ, what are suggestions for those that already have a degree in CJ and can't continue on in LE or are tired of LE. Just curious for those that might be in that situation and don't want to start over.

 

Masters program? I'm in the MBA at WGU for a similiar reason (liberal arts undergrad that checks a box but seems to do little else).

 

I see PA being versatile for a master's degree.
I am not sure about it for an undergrad.

 

It would be significantly more versatile than a BA in Homeland Security or Security Management. You came here asking for advice and you got a ton of it telling you that there may be better options than your original plan.

The choice is yours - do you what you want.

 

We need a "like" button.

 

I have a long list, but these jobs either rarely have openings or they are quite unpleasant and low-paying. One can apply for the many insurance jobs that require a bachelor's in anything. One can work his or her way up in corrections, but some agencies require the polygraph test. There is parole and probation. I've read that Texas parole officers are overworked with case loads that are too large and they aren't paid much either. There is Child Protective Services which accepts any major, but might have a preference for criminal justice and the other social sciences. This job is pretty much hell too for the same reasons as parole. You might be able to work your way up a little faster to a security supervisor position that pays less than $12 an hour. The good-paying security management jobs will favor applicants with decades of law enforcement or military experience. I've seen other civilian jobs for crime scene investigation and criminal intelligence analysis, but they prefer law enforcement or investigations experience. If you took enough science or forensic science courses, you might be able to get a job as a forensic scientist; but, those jobs tend to prefer chemistry majors. I, myself, have applied for positions as a central magistrate coordinator and pre-trial bond officer. Those required a couple of years of law enforcement or closely-related experience. Another option would be to get a paralegal certificate which is something any major can do. I know several people who have failed at getting law enforcement jobs after sponsoring themselves through an academy. They work as 911 dispatchers.

What would you do with a homeland security degree if law enforcement didn't work out?

 

I would probably go back to school and get a degree in Medical technology or Public Health.

I have experience in phlebotomy and a certificate to go with it.

This is what fueled my interest in Homeland Security and Security Management.

My A.A.S. was more like a hybrid if the two, that being security management and homeland security.

As for my comment on PA, most of the schools I looked at online only offered it at the masters level.

 

Google Search - Page 1. Literally 8 seconds of effort.

Public Administration Degree Online | Bachelor of Arts | SNHU

Bachelor of Public Administration - FIU Online

B.S. Public Administration | College for Professional Studies | Regis University

Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration | Online and Professional Studies | CBU Online

NASPAA schools offering undergraduate PA programs, some online:

http://www.naspaa.org/about_naspaa/members/full/roster_loc/bs_programs.asp