Online Master’s in Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness | VCU Online

A survey of emerging strategic, legal and policy issues associated with computer network attack, exploitation and defense. Students will study research and developments related to national security, homeland security and economic policy, and local governance. They will also learn about different policy issues to better understand cyber conflict between both state and non-state actors.

Faculty: Chris Whyte

An advanced analytical examination of emergency management factors. These include mitigation (designing programs to reduce the risk to vulnerable targets/infrastructure), preparedness (response planning and training, particularly interagency and intergovernmental agreements on joint operations and burden sharing), response (actual operations during and after a terrorist attack or natural disaster) and recovery (maintaining services in the immediate aftermath and long term). Through various case studies, students will investigate the strengths and weaknesses of the current practice of emergency management in the U.S.

A survey of the private sector’s dilemmas and responsibilities, centered around the basic question of “how much security is enough.” The course examines the critical emergency management functions (resumption, recovery, restoration, continuity), information sharing, communications and regulatory issues. Students will also address a central preparedness dilemma: Though private companies own the vast majority of critical security infrastructure, the government is responsible for preparing, protecting and reconstituting it.

An introduction to the theoretical and practical aspects of terrorism and counter-terrorism. This course explains how people use terrorism as a political tool, and discusses the methods used by specific terrorist groups. Students will focus on the relationships between terrorism and religion, technology, globalization and organizational design (network organizations). They will also examine the counter-terrorism policies of various nations with regard to strategic purpose, implementation and success.

Faculty: David Webber

A detailed study of the post-9/11 American institutional transformation. Students examine the theory and practice of homeland security and emergency preparedness within local, state and federal government, as well as the private and nonprofit sectors. The course addresses the dilemmas of coordination, collaboration, competition and decision-making across multiple organizational levels — governmental or otherwise.

Faculty: Will Pelfrey

An examination of strategic planning’s guiding principles and how responders can leverage it to identify resource requirements and a prioritized acquisition process. The course analyzes the strategic planning goal of designing a unified effort inclusive of the multiple agencies (governmental and nonprofit), distinct communities and private industries affected by natural disasters or terrorist incidents.

Faculty: Brie Haupt

An introduction to the assessment and management of risk, especially the analytical techniques used to assess threats to critical infrastructure. Students will learn to conduct a risk and vulnerability analysis of a specific target, city or region, and to manage that risk by evaluating the efficacy of both preventative and responsive measures. The course will cover both quantitative and qualitative assessment techniques.

Faculty: Hans Louis-Charles

An examination of the role of the public health sector in preparing for and responding to natural disasters, emerging infectious diseases, catastrophic terrorism and bioterrorism. The class focuses on coordination and cooperation of federal, state and local government and the public-, private- and nonprofit-sector components of the public health infrastructure. Students will explore epidemiological and mental health issues related to disasters, command/communication concerns, national stockpile management, surge planning, all-hazard planning and exercise design.

Faculty: Sarah Raskin

An examination of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies’ evolving policies on crisis and consequence management. The course also addresses the statutes and court decisions that guide these policies and govern their implementation. Students will analyze the issues and procedures associated with the development and implementation of judicial policies that attempt to balance civil rights and homeland security.

A capstone and assessment course. Students will leverage the sum of their coursework to complete readings, writing assignments and a large research project that comprehensively examines homeland security and emergency preparedness. They will also engage in research linked to a role-playing simulation held when the class meets in the last week of the semester.

Faculty: Chris Whyte

An introduction to the scope and methods of applied research for the public sector. Students will focus on problem-structuring through logical methods, exploring problems through observation and other methods of data collection, and analyzing findings using both qualitative and quantitative methods.

Faculty: Will Pelfrey

This is a Special Topics in Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness course. The Fall 2019 course title is Intelligence. It begins with a brief examination of the history and evolution of the U.S. Intelligence Community, focusing on individual agencies, their missions and jurisdictions, and their relations with the entire U.S. national security community.

Then, students will explore the “intelligence process” to understand its requirements, collection, processing, exploitation, analysis and dissemination. After examining how intelligence is used in national policy and decision-making, students will address contemporary issues associated with the intelligence community, such as counterintelligence, counterespionage and covert action. Lastly, the course questions the politicization of intelligence, leaks and whistleblowing.

* Please note HSEP 640 may be repeated with different topics.

Faculty: Maureen Moslow-Benway