This semester, FDU has launched a master’s degree program in homeland security, the first of its kind in New Jersey.

The Master of Science in Homeland Security (MSHS) program, directed by the School of Administrative Science based at FDU’s Metropolitan campus, is one of a few offered in the country, according to the university’s Web site. Classes are designed to be conducted off-campus and online.
Twelve students have enrolled in the program, whose online-based classes already have begun and seem to be successful, according to FDU’s public relations office in Teaneck. Those students will get the credentials they need to further their careers within the field of homeland security.

Some of the goals of the MSHS program are to provide graduate-level studies for the non-traditional student involved in homeland security, support success of the students in the educational process, and contribute to the preparation of world citizens through global education, according to the FDU Web site.

FDU’s terrorism, emergency management and computer security forensics certificate programs, which began in 2004, have produced more than 300 graduates, according to the FDU Web site.

The students in FDU’s certificate courses were asking for a higher level degree with which to distinguish themselves, Paulette Laubsch, director of the new program, said in a Nov. 12 Daily Record article. “For many, it’s that they want a credential that says they know what they know.”
Students in the MSHS program must complete 36 credits, including four mandatory courses, to earn their degrees. The program is divided into three areas of specialization: terrorism and security studies, emergency management and leadership.

BY KAYLA HASTRUP
News Editor