Program Overview
Master of Science in Homeland Security
Build a career making our nation a safer place with a Master of Science (MS) in Homeland Security degree from the University of the District of Columbia. Not only do we offer small class sizes (6-14 students on average) to ensure you the best possible learning environment, but in 2021, Intelligent.com named us one of the top 50 homeland security programs in the nation and #1 in Epistemology. In past years, our program participated in both the Department of Homeland Security Center for Programs and Partnerships Program Competition and the 2023 DAASH Challenge, with our teams placing 1st and 3rd in the latter and 2nd place in the 2025 DAASH Challenge.
Following degree completion, you will have access to careers in a variety of local, regional, national, or international organizations in both the public and private sectors. And with UDC located in the heart of our country's capital, career opportunities are literally around the corner! On average, within 12 months of completing this program, our graduates have found employment in the homeland security field or are actively in the background check pre-employment stage.
To prepare you for your career, we'll provide you with a variety of tools and resources during your time in the program. Chief among these is our skilled and expert faculty, nationally and internationally known and published in areas including:
- Cyber risk management
- Cybersecurity
- Disaster resilience
- Ethics
- Emergency management
- Terrorism and targeted violence
Additionally, you will receive access to two computer instructional labs, as well as the Institute for Public Safety and Justice, the Homeland Security Research Lab and the Interdisciplinary AI Research Lab, all of which will enable you to work with our faculty on grant-funded and other research opportunities.
At UDC, we know that people with a variety of undergraduate degrees and backgrounds bring unique contributions to the table and can connect around a vital topic like national security. To reflect this, we approach homeland security as a multidisciplinary field that impacts all aspects of life, and we consider every eligible student for admission, no matter their undergraduate major.
The MS in Homeland Security program strives to provide you with learning experiences both in the classroom and in the field that emphasize key values like empathy, cultural competency, ethical behavior, evidence-based practices, and leadership. Through these values, we lay the cornerstone for your professional commitment to protecting local, state, national, and international properties and interests from threats, hazards, and disasters, whether they be natural or human-made.
A strong data science, technology and research emphasis runs through the core of the program, with a focus on applied learning experiences and experiential learning. During your time in the Master of Science in Homeland Security program, you'll have the opportunity to pursue an internship for course credit, as well as concentrated study in areas of interest such as:
- Critical Infrastructure
- Cyber Risk Management
- Emergency Management
- International Crisis Management
- Intelligence
- Terrorism/Counterterrorism
- Peacekeeping and Security
- Epidemiology
Note: The M.S. in Homeland Security degree program is part of the Crime, Justice, and Security Studies Program (CJSS) which also includes an undergraduate degree program in the Administration of Justice.