What Is a Homeland Security Degree

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has wide-ranging responsibilities. It plays a key role in emergency response when disasters happen, protects the U.S. economy, protects the country's borders, secures cyberspace and critical infrastructure, and stops terrorism and other homeland security threats from being carried out in the first place.¹ And the Department of Homeland Security is a major source of employment as well: in 2024, more than 260,000 people worked for the DHS² in roles as diverse as the threats we face.

The homeland security field offers professional opportunities in both the public and private sectors. If you are interested in studying knowledge and skills relevant to protecting the United States against foreign or domestic threats, then pursuing a homeland security degree program could be a good fit for you.

Our discussion begins with an overview of the Department of Homeland Security and different types of potential homeland-security related career paths. We then shift to the main question of this article-What is a homeland security degree? That is, what is the curriculum for these programs based on, and what can you expect to study?

What Is the Department of Homeland Security?

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is a federal department responsible for protecting and securing U.S. land, waters and people. It is involved in customs, border and immigration enforcement; emergency response to natural and manmade disasters; antiterrorism work; and cybersecurity.³

Creation of the DHS

In the wake of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, 22 different federal departments and agencies were combined under one umbrella, creating the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The idea was to create an integrated department that could more effectively safeguard the United States against terrorism and respond to future attacks.⁴ The Department was established by the Homeland Security Act of 2002; came into existence on January 24, 2003; and is administered under the supervision and direction of the Secretary of Homeland Security.⁵

The major operational components comprising the DHS are:⁶

• U.S. Department of Homeland Security
• Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection
• Federal Emergency Management Agency
• Federal Law Enforcement Training Center
• U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
• U.S. Secret Service
• Transportation Security Administration
• U.S. Coast Guard
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

Private Sector-DHS Partnerships

Working in homeland security does not always mean working directly for a government agency. The government routinely contracts with private businesses in order to meet its goals and objectives and carry out its various missions. In fact, the DHS has established a Private Sector Office (PSO) whose focus is engaging and collaborating with private industry in five primary areas:⁷

• Counterterrorism and Threat Prevention
• Border Management
• Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure
• National Preparedness and Resilience
• Workforce Enhancement

In addition to doing business directly with the DHS as a contractor, there are opportunities for small businesses to subcontract with prime contractors for supplies and/or services.⁸

Overview of Potential Homeland Security Career Paths

Where Do Homeland Security Professionals Work?

In addition to federal agencies and for-profit businesses in the private sector, homeland security professionals may be found working in state or local government, in nonprofit organizations or in the military/intelligence services. For example, state and local governments have their own emergency management and law enforcement agencies that share information with the DHS. States also own and operate what are known as fusion centers, which are focal points in states and major urban areas that receive, analyze, gather and share threat-related information among numerous stakeholders (i.e., state, local, tribal and territorial (SLTT), federal and private-sector partners).⁹ And the American Red Cross is just one example of a non-profit organization that offers emergency assistance and disaster relief as well as disaster preparedness education.

Potential Homeland Security-Related Career Paths

Homeland security encompasses a diverse range of potential career paths in a number of different industries-for example, in cybersecurity, emergency and disaster management, and criminal justice. Here are two examples:

Emergency Management Director

Emergency management directors plan and lead responses to natural disasters and other emergencies. They work with government agencies, nonprofits, private companies and the public to develop plans for minimizing damage and disruptions caused by emergencies. They typically carry out the following duties:¹⁰

• Assess hazards and prepare emergency-response plans that minimize risks to people and property
• Meet with public safety officials, private companies and the public regarding emergency response plans
• Organize emergency response training
• Coordinate resource and equipment sharing within and across communities to assist in emergency response
• Conduct damage assessments following disasters or emergencies
• Review emergency plans of individual organizations, such as medical facilities, to ensure their adequacy
• Apply for federal funding for emergency management activities and report on the use of funds allocated
• Maintain local emergency operations plans
• Maintain facilities used during emergency operations

Emergency management directors typically need a bachelor's degree in addition to years of work experience in emergency response, disaster planning or public administration. Some states require them to obtain certification, and voluntary certification programs are common.¹⁰

Information Security Analyst

Information security analysts plan and implement security measures to protect an organization's computer networks and systems. They typically perform the following duties:¹¹

• Monitor and investigate network security breaches
• Use and maintain software to protect sensitive information
• Check for vulnerabilities in computer and network systems
• Research the latest information technology (IT) security trends and recommend security enhancements
• Prepare reports documenting general metrics, attempted attacks and security breaches
• Develop security standards and best practices

Information security analysts also help to create their organization's disaster recovery plan, a procedure that IT employees follow in an emergency that enables the IT department to continue to operate.¹¹

To enter the occupation, a candidate typically needs a bachelor's degree in a computer science field and relevant work experience, perhaps as a network and computer systems administrator. Employers may prefer candidates who are certified in information security.¹¹

What Do You Study in a Homeland Security Degree Program?

Because homeland security is such a broad field, homeland security degree programs tend to be interdisciplinary by nature.

What you may study in a homeland security degree program will depend on the type of degree you are pursuing. An associate degree program in homeland security will cover the fundamentals, for example, legal and ethical issues in homeland security, and interagency cooperation and planning. A bachelor's degree program in homeland security, meanwhile, will cover a more extensive range of topics-interagency planning, potential threats and their prevention, emergency response and management, intelligence analysis, cybersecurity, and continuity of operations. And a master's degree program in homeland security will be more specialized, perhaps covering advanced topics in terrorism or natural disaster responsiveness, and are also designed to help learners prepare themselves to pursue leadership roles.

Choosing a degree concentration may also be possible. For instance, Trident University International offers concentration options at the bachelor's degree and master's degree levels. The Bachelor of Science in Homeland Security online degree program offers concentrations in Criminal Justice Administration, Cybersecurity, Emergency and Disaster Management, and Leadership. The Master of Science in Homeland Security online degree program offers concentrations in Cybersecurity, Leadership, and Emergency and Disaster Management-Logistics.

Homeland Security Curricula and the Five Mission Areas

A number of universities and colleges that offer homeland security degree programs have developed curricula that correspond to the five mission areas of the National Preparedness Goal (2015):

1. Preventing, avoiding or stopping a threatened or an actual act of terrorism.
2. Protecting our citizens, residents, visitors, assets, systems and networks against the greatest threats and hazards in a manner that allows our interests, aspirations and way of life to thrive.
3. Mitigating the loss of life and property by lessening the impact of future disasters.
4. Responding quickly to save lives, protect property and the environment, and meet basic human needs in the aftermath of an incident.
5. Recovering through a focus on the timely restoration, strengthening, and revitalization of infrastructure, housing, and the economy, as well as the health, social, cultural, historic and environmental fabric of communities affected by an incident.¹²

Courses on counterterrorism, cybersecurity, intelligence gathering, disaster planning and response, and recovery and continuity of operations reflect the five pillars.

• Counterterrorism, e.g., exploring national security strategies that prevent terrorists from entering into and operating in the United States and understanding how adversaries operate in the United States.
• Cybersecurity, e.g., understanding cyber technology usage and physical security vulnerability. Coverage may include risk analysis, how to protect digital information and physical infrastructure from cyberattacks, and how to conduct risk management mitigation.
• Intelligence Gathering and Analysis, e.g., understanding how information is collected from various sources and how it is analyzed, converted into intelligence or counterintelligence data, and shared among intelligence agencies.
• Disaster Planning and Response, e.g., looking at how FEMA and other non-governmental entities prepare for and handle catastrophic events.
• Recovery and Continuity of Operations, e.g., ensuring restoration/continuation of vital services following a disaster.

Trident's Homeland Security Degree Programs

Trident offers both undergraduate- and graduate-level homeland security degree programs.

The Associate of Science in Homeland Security (ASHLS) online degree program focuses on the first three pillars of the National Preparedness Goal: Preventing, Protecting, Mitigating. Some of the topics covered include relevant terminology; ethical, legal and oversight principles as they relate to intelligence gathering; interagency planning; and criminology as it relates to public policy.

The Bachelor of Science in Homeland Security (BSHLS) online degree program covers the five pillars of the National Preparedness Goal. Topics covered include analyzing risk analysis methodologies for measuring and explaining risk; analyzing courses of action for addressing domestic and global terrorism; examining the implementation of cyber technology usage and physical security vulnerability in the United States; and more. Learners can purse a general track or choose from one of four concentration options: Criminal Justice Administration, Cybersecurity, Emergency and Disaster Management, and Leadership.

The Master of Science in Homeland Security (MSHLS) online degree program is designed for learners with interest or experience in responding to terrorism events, domestic crises and natural disasters. Topics may include crisis management, critical infrastructure protection, security technology and intelligence analysis. Learners can purse a general track or choose from one of three concentration options: Cybersecurity, Leadership, and Emergency and Disaster Management-Logistics.

Is a Homeland Security Degree Program Right for You?

Because homeland security encompasses such a broad range of activities, and because the government frequently contracts with private businesses in order to protect our nation and its citizens, there are many potential ways for someone with a homeland security background to contribute to the mission of the DHS. If you like the idea of a degree program that draws from multiple disciplines-including cybersecurity, emergency preparedness and management, and criminal justice-and are interested in how to protect the United States from internal and external threats, then pursuing a degree in homeland security could be a good fit for you.

Contact us today to learn more about our online degree programs in homeland security, or apply now.

¹ "What Does DHS Do?," Homeland Security (updated Feb. 3, 2023), https://www.dhs.gov/employee-resources/what-does-dhs-do.
² "About DHS," Homeland Security (updated June 11, 2024), https://www.dhs.gov/about-dhs.
³ "U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)," USAGov, https://www.usa.gov/agencies/u-s-department-of-homeland-security (last visited Nov. 13, 2025).
⁴ "Creation of the Department of Homeland Security," Homeland Security (updated May 8, 2023), https://www.dhs.gov/creation-department-homeland-security.
⁵ "Agencies-Homeland Security Department," Federal Register, https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/homeland-security-department (last visited Nov. 13, 2025).
⁶ "DHS Component Websites," Homeland Security (updated Apr. 22, 2025), https://www.uscis.gov/website-policies/dhs-component-websites.
⁷ "Private Sector Office," Homeland Security (updated May 13, 2025), https://www.dhs.gov/private-sector-office.
⁸ "About Subcontracting," Homeland Security (updated Feb. 13, 2025), https://www.dhs.gov/osdbu/about-subcontracting.
⁹ "Fusion Centers," Homeland Security (updated Oct. 17, 2022), https://www.dhs.gov/fusion-centers.
¹⁰ Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, "Emergency Management Directors," https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/emergency-management-directors.htm (last visited Nov. 13, 2025).
¹¹ Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, "Information Security Analysts," https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/information-security-analysts.htm (last visited Nov. 13, 2025).
¹² Homeland Security, "National Preparedness Goal, 2d ed." (Sep. 2015), https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_gpd_national-preparedness-goal-2nd-edition_051525.pdf.

Trident cannot guarantee employment, salary, or career advancement. Not all programs are available to residents of all states. REQ2178950 12/2025