**Renaming the Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice to Master of Science degree in Homeland Security was approved by THEC on November 19, 2025 to begin January 2026. Students enrolled in the Criminal Justice program in Fall 2025 may continue in that program, or may change their major effective Spring 2026. New students starting in Spring 2026 will enroll under the Homeland Security title.**
Vision Statement
Through strategic partnerships with local and federal homeland security and law enforcement agencies, courts, correctional facilities, community organizations, research institutions, and public entities, the UT Southern Criminal Justice Programs will produce strong leaders, educated advocates, and socially aware researchers. The graduates of the program will be active in the local, national, and global community. Alumni of the program will become mentors to currents students and agents of change, activism, or support to those in need.
Mission Statement
The Criminal Justice and Homeland Security Program’s mission is to prepare and empower candidates for careers in and related to homeland security and criminal justice, to educate students in policy, social issues, and leadership. We graduate leaders that inspire and train others to become leaders.
The online hybrid Master of Science degree in Homeland Security was designed to prepare students either for advancement in homeland security-related professions, particularly as administrative- and management-level officers in law enforcement or as homeland security professionals, or for advanced study in doctoral or legal programs. The degree program provides candidates both with an in-depth understanding of operational and management issues in the homeland security field and also with the requisite analytical skills and theoretical knowledge for doctoral or legal studies.
The 11-course, 33-credit hour program can be completed in four semesters (fall, spring, summer, fall). Students will take core courses emphasizing four foundational areas:
- trends in homeland security,
- policy development and analysis,
- research design, and
- ethics in homeland security.
In addition, through their elective courses students will have the opportunity to select courses to further their specific interests and needs. Understanding derived from core and elective courses will provide graduates with a solid foundation for dealing with the many critical issues confronting the contemporary homeland security administrator.
Specifically, candidates who complete the master’s degree in Homeland Security will be able to demonstrate:
- Advanced knowledge and ability to evaluate homeland security theories and their implications for public policy and practice.
- Proficiency in research design and quantitative and qualitative analysis related to evaluation of homeland security practices, programs, and policies, and an understanding of major issues un the field.
- Competence sufficient to evaluate and resolve the ethical issues in criminal justice practice, policy, and research.
- An ability to synthesize, evaluate, recognize implications, and communicate effectively using scholarly sources of information connected to homeland security theory and policy.
- An understanding of leadership theories and skills as they pertain to managing and leading homeland security organizations.
Graduates of the program will be able to identify problems, to develop solutions through the application of homeland security theories and policies to varied social issues, and to implement these solutions within a variety of homeland security-related agencies.
Structure of the Graduate Program
The Master of Science in Homeland Security is a 33-credit hour program consisting of 11. Students take six core courses and five elective courses.
Courses are offered completely online. Each course is broadcast live so that students attending virtually can in real time see, hear, and participate in the class sessions. Each session is also recorded, so that students can review recorded sessions as necessary.
To complete the degree in four semesters, students would average 9 semester credit hours per semester, generally three courses (two 8-week courses and one 16-week course). During one semester, students could take only 6 semester credit hours, depending on their choice of electives.
Program Sequence for Homeland Security
*Five of these six elective courses are required, students should choose which five to take.
Master of Science in Homeland Security Degree Requirements