Security Studies, MS

Program Coordinator: Armin Krishnan (119-A Brewster Building; 252-328-6156; krishnana@ecu.edu)

The Security Studies, MS offers four areas of emphasis: environmental health and occupational safety, homeland security policy, international security, and science and technology security.

All students applying for the degree are expected to apply through the Graduate School’s online process, submit three letters of reference, and submit a statement of purpose.

The required core courses are offered in a distance education format to enable security professionals to engage in the program without being on campus. The international security and homeland security policy areas of emphasis can be completed via distance education. If a course in the area of emphasis is offered face-to-face, students may opt to take it on campus. Otherwise, they will have to either select another course or wait for that class to be offered again in a distance education format.

The degree requires a minimum of 36 s.h. as follows:

1. Core courses - 15 s.h.

2. Internship - 3 s.h.

Students with relevant work experience in excess of one year may apply to the director of the program for exemption from the internship requirement. Those students who are exempted will complete 33 s.h. instead of 36 s.h.; no academic credit will be awarded for work experience.

SECS 6450 - Internship

3. Area of Emphasis - 12 s.h.

All students must complete 12 s.h. in one of the following areas of emphasis.

Environmental health and occupational safety:

Homeland security policy:

International security:

Science and technology security:

Students must select one specialization and choose four courses from that specialization. Only students with a technical undergraduate background may apply for this. Students should be aware that the science and technology security and environmental health and occupational safety areas of emphasis do not guarantee that the coursework will be available via a distance education format. Furthermore, the area of emphasis in these programs may exceed the minimum 12 s.h. requirement due to the student’s need to have completed prerequisites or the numbers of credit hours associated with specific courses. Students interested in these areas of emphasis are encouraged to contact the relevant department to receive further information about their current offerings.

Areas of specialization are as follows:

Computer science:

Information technology:

3. Thesis or non-thesis option - 6 s.h.

Students may take either a thesis or non-thesis option. Students selecting the thesis option must complete a minimum of 6 s.h. of SECS 7000 and prepare a thesis acceptable to a three-person committee with relevant expertise. Students pursuing the area of emphasis in science and technology security, computer science specialization must combine SECS 7000 - Thesis (3 s.h.) with CSCI 7000 - Thesis (3 s.h.) for the total of 6 s.h. of thesis. Students may choose the non-thesis option by taking two additional courses (6 s.h.) in their area of emphasis.

Comprehensive Assessment Requirement

All ECU graduate programs require students to successfully complete a comprehensive assessment. All students in this program must pass a comprehensive exam.