Overview
The 9/11 events have highlighted the national (and to some extent international) need for highly educated and experienced professionals in the area of Homeland Security and Safety Engineering. This program, due to its special nature, represents an interdisciplinary area of research and application that brings together all fields of engineering, and science from the most traditional to the most technologically advanced and novel. A well developed curriculum with, emphasis on fundamentals and practices that define the theory and effective practice of asset and people protection, provides the focus for the Homeland Security and Safety Engineering degree.
There are two well known external certifications related to security and safety professionals. The CPP program is the product of the American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS), an international organization for professionals responsible for security. This includes managers and directors of security departments or organizations, as well as full-time security practitioners. With more than 32,000 members worldwide, ASIS draws from corporate and organizational executive and management ranks, plus security consultants and architects, attorneys, and law enforcement professionals. The CPP program was officially launched in 1977, making it the longest-running security certification program. Today, more than 9,500 individuals are CPP-certified, representing one of the largest certified groups of security professionals in existence.
The Certified Safety Professional (CSP) designation has become the mark of the professional within the safety field. This certification is administered by the Board of Safety Professionals. The importance of this designation as a measure of professional standing and competence is accepted not only by the profession but is also gaining acceptance by federal, state, and local governments; by employers; and by the public.
The Homeland Security and Safety Engineering program is designed in such a way that anyone successfully completing this program would be academically trained to appear for Certified Safety Professional (CSP) certification administered by the Board of Safety Professionals and for the American Society of Industrial Security (ASIS) Certified Protection Professional (CPP) exam.
Requirements
To receive a Master of Science in Homeland Security and Safety Engineering, students must complete 54 quarter units involving twelve courses. A total of 13.5 quarter units of graduate credit may be granted for equivalent graduate work completed at another institution, as it applies to this degree, and provided the units were not used in earning another advanced degree. Students should refer to the section in the graduate admission requirements for specific information regarding application and matriculation.
Program Prerequisites
Candidates for the program must possess a Bachelor's degree in engineering, engineering technology, physical sciences, or a closely related area from an accredited university. Interested students from other disciplines may be admitted to the program but may be required to complete additional courses. Non-degree students will not be allowed to enter this program. For those who have a general non-science and non-engineering degree, admission is based on relevant experience and the following minimum program prerequisites:
SCI 101 General Chemistry
SCI 335 Environmental Science
MS 205 Introduction to Quantitative Methods and Statistics
These courses may be waived if their equivalents have been completed at the undergraduate level with a grade of "C" or better.
Program Requirements:
(12 courses; 54 quarter units)
Students enrolled this program are advised to take the courses in the order specified below.
SSE 602 - Design and Evaluation of a Modern Safety Program
SSE 603 - Introduction to Security Engineering
SSE 604 - Security Engineering - Planning and Design
(Prerequisite: SSE 603)
SSE 605 - Chemical Process Safety Engineering
(Prerequisite: SSE 602)
SSE 606 - Managing Information Security
SSE 607 - Fire and Explosion Engineering
SSE 608 - Science of explosives and biological threat materials
(Prerequisite: SSE 603)
SSE 609 - Planning and Response for Terrorism
SSE 611 – Emergency Management
SSE 612- Disaster Management and Preparedness
SSE 610 A - Safety and Security Engineering Capstone Course
(Prerequisites: SSE 602 through SSE 609)
SSE 610 B - Safety and Security Engineering Capstone Course
(Prerequisite: SSE 610A)