The Graduate Certificate in Security Studies

This graduate-level certificate program addresses the increasing global and local concern involving security issues. The program consists of three required courses plus one elective course that can be chosen from a list of courses in the student's particular area of interest.

After the tragedies of September 11, 2001, national policymakers called upon state and local law enforcement agencies to work together in strengthening our national defense. The formulation of the Homeland Security Act was a legislative effort to implement a "total" security infrastructure composed of federal, state, local, and private law enforcement agencies as well as a vast range of organizations that historically did not interface with one another.

Because of these recent changes in government, there is a growing need to understand the type of information gathering that occurs in these agencies, strategies for sharing the information while maintaining data quality, and ways to use the information for strategic planning, policy development and analysis. There are also concerns about how to go about gathering and analyzing this critical information without infringing upon the public's civil liberties and privacy rights.

In response to the demand for knowledge in this area, UMass Lowell's Criminal Justice Department has developed a graduate-level program designed to educate students in the complex nature of threats and how to manage them. Students can focus their studies in areas such as risk management and analysis; organizational and systems integration; legal and political policy and ethical issues in responding to threats; policy development and analysis; and the use of technology in implementing national security. The program is appropriate for students with a general interest in homeland security, professionals who are currently employed in security-related jobs, and for those interested in pursuing careers in security.

Intended Audience

This certificate is appropriate for students with a general interest in homeland security, professionals who are currently employed in security-related jobs, and for those interested in pursuing careers in security.

Program Outline

Required Courses (3):

1. 44.567 Overview of Homeland Security - Available Summer 2013!
2. 44.549 Terrorism/Counter-Terrorism
3. 44.568 Contemporary Security Studies - Available Summer 2013!

Elective Courses (Choose 1):

1. 44.513 Crisis and Emergency Management
2. 44.526 Domestic Terrorism and Hate Crimes - Available Summer 2013!
3. 44.554 Threat Assessment and Risk Management
4. 44.594 Crime Analysis and Mapping
5. 44.574 Economic Crime
6. 44.599 Criminal Justice Intelligence and Information Sharing

For Additional Information on this program:

See the Graduate Course Catalog online or email cjgradadvisor@uml.edu

Faculty Biographies

Stan Supinski, Ph.D.

Stanley Supinski is the Deputy Director, Training and Education, of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Northern Command, located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He is also the founder and current chair of the Homeland Security/Defense Education Consortium. Dr. Supinski retired from the US Air Force last year after serving for 27 years. He worked as an intelligence officer for most of that time, and did tours in Germany, Korea, Saudi Arabia, and numerous locations around the US. He also spent many years at the US Air Force Academy where he was an administrator, Associate Professor of Russian and racquetball coach. Dr. Supinski received his master's degree in National Security Affairs from the US Naval Postgraduate School and his Ph.D. in Instructional Systems Design from Florida State University. He has conducted research and consulted on homeland security education and instructional technology.

Matthew S. Feely, Ph.D.

Matthew Feely is currently the Deputy Director of Logistics Plans and Operations, North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Northern Command, located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Dr. Feely provides logistics guidance and direction to Department of Defense forces in all logistics matters pertaining to missions related to defending the United States, Canada, Mexico, portions of the Caribbean, and the contiguous waters of the Atlantic and Pacific out to 500 miles. Previously, he was an Operations and Economic Analyst in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, The Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. He served as an adviser to the Secretary of Defense in matters relating to costs and benefits of capital investments and the costs of military operations. Dr. Feely received his B.S. degree from the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland; a Master of Business Administration, Public Finance Management from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania; a Master of Science degree in National Resource Strategy from the National Defense University, and a Ph.D. in Decision Analysis from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Don Faggiani, Ph.D.

Don Faggiani received his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 1994. He has worked extensively with law enforcement data systems and is one of a very small group of researchers in the country to demonstrate the versatility of the FBI's National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) data. His work with and knowledge of national data systems led to his appointment to the FBI's N-DEx Project Development Council. N-DEx is an effort to develop a national data exchange and integration program for information and intelligence sharing among Federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement. Dr. Faggiani's theoretical interests evolve from a sociological perspective with an emphasis on social disorganization, collective efficacy, routine activities and formal social control. He has published extensively on issues such as juvenile violence and delinquency, assaults of older persons, the use of NIBRS for policy, tactical, and strategic crime analysis and incorporating the use of GIS techniques in identifying and understanding patterns of crime and deviance.

Gainful Employment Disclosure Information

Completion rates, median loan debts and program costs are outlined for each certificate program.

Graduate Certificate Gainful Employment Disclosure Information

Course Descriptions

44.513 Crisis and Emergency Management

This course will provide a broad introduction to the critical challenges of disaster management. The course will address past and present strategies for reducing and responding to hazards posed by both manmade and natural disasters. Emphasis will be placed on what we can learn from the history of disasters, and on how we can apply those lessons to the management of future events. 3 credits.

44.526 Domestic Terrorism and Hate Crimes

This course examines bigotry and hate and how they are manifested in criminal behavior. Various groups who have been labeled as supporting or engaging in domestic terrorism are studied. Focus is placed on federal and state statutory laws and the dynamics of police, court, and corrections based responses to hate crimes and domestic terrorism. 3 credits.

44.549 Terrorism/Counter-Terrorism

In order to combat terrorism one must be aware of what it is and is not and this course will explore terrorism in its totality as it occurred in the past, is occurring in the present, and how it might occur in the future. Various dominant International Terrorist groups are examined relative to their ideology, organizational behavior, and method(s) of operation. There is a heavy emphasis on the impact terrorism has and will have on the criminal justice system relative to investigation. 3 credits.

44.554 Threat Assessment and Risk Management

The goal of this course is to enhance understanding and increase expertise regarding risk management and the impact of terrorism on economic and other critical infrastructures in the United States. The course will provide the tools (operational and statistical) and technology required to mitigate these risks. A second purpose of the course is to examine and critically discuss current and future methods to create best practices in security management. 3 credits.

44.567 Overview of Homeland Security

The U.S. has embraced the homeland security monolith without a full understanding of what it encompasses. This course provides a comprehensive overview of homeland security and defense as undertaken in the United States since 9/11. The course critically examines the current body of knowledge with a specific focus on understanding security threats, sources, and reasons for these threats. The roles of the key players at the federal, state and local levels, the policies and procedures enacted since 9/11, and the homeland security system in practice are also examined. 3 credits.

44.568 Contemporary Security Studies

This course examines the complex nature of key domestic and international security threats and responses. Topics include terrorism and insurgency, transnational organized crime, WMD proliferation, cyber-security, intelligence, national and homeland security strategies, critical infrastructure protection, and theories of international security. 3 credits.

44.574 Economic Crime

Introduction to economic crime including nature, causes, consequence, investigation, and prevention. Empirical findings and major economic crime cases will also be examined. 3 credits.

44.594 Crime Analysis and Mapping

This course examines the use of new technologies to analyze crime patterns and develop crime prevention strategies. Students study theories that explain the geographic distribution of crime and learn how to use Geographic Information Systems to study crime in ways that draw upon theory as well as how to apply GIS techniques in the law enforcement and corrections fields. 3 credits.

44.599 Criminal Justice Intelligence and Information Sharing

A primary function of law enforcement is the gathering of information. However, information by itself does little to support the law enforcement mission. Intelligence, in the context of law enforcement, is the outcome of rigorous analysis of information, and often generates key decisions and/or guides tactical strategies that help facilitate the enforcement mission. This course examines the role of information and intelligence in defining and achieving the law enforcement mission. Problem solving tools such as SARA, and management tools like COMPSTAT, which rely heavily on both information and intelligence, are discussed. In a world now confronted by the threat of terrorism, the course examines the sharing/lack of sharing of information and intelligence among local law enforcement and federal agencies and the impact of this contentious relationship. 3 credits.

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