Homeland Security Science M.S. Program

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• Dr. Ivan Novikov, Program Director
• ivan.novikov@wku.edu

MS HSS Multidisciplinary Graduate Program

The goal of this multidisciplinary graduate degree program in Homeland Security Sciences is to prepare science professionals and technology leaders for careers in Homeland Security, an emerging cross-cutting discipline.

The program leads to the Master of Science degree in Homeland Security Sciences and requires a minimum of 31 semester hours beyond a Bachelor degree. The program's curriculum features a hands-on research component, which enables students to apply their training to real-world problems.

The program helps to improve the security of the nation, while preserving our values, freedoms, and economy. It supports innovative, leading-edge intra-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary research, study, and technology development, leading to practical, affordable solutions to the current and future security challenges the United States faces at home and around the world. It is designed to stimulate, coordinate, and utilize the unique intellectual capital in the academic community to address current and future homeland security challenges, and educate and inspire the next generation of homeland security specialists addressing the existing gap in science professionals trained in crosscutting security applications of physics, chemistry and biology.

The MS HSS program's research and educational focus areas are closely aligned with WKU's strategic goals to foster applied science and technology.

The MS HSS program offers three tracks. Students are required to take courses from the MS HSS program core (12 hours) and elective courses from chosen track. Courses offered in the MS HSS core will allow graduates to demonstrate wide expertise in current physical, chemical, biological, nuclear, radiological, explosives and cybersecurity threats, as well as to determine and understand the elements of a comprehensive emergency planning and management system.

CBRNE Track

The CBRNE track is concentrated in applications of physics, biology and chemistry to detect, quantify, prevent, and decontaminate chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) threats. In addition to 12 credit hours from the MS HSS core, students are required to complete 18 credit hours graduate courses specifically designed for students who are enrolled in the CBRNE concentration. The list of courses is available here.

Cybersecurity Track

The track is designed for system security professionals, site administrators, and other practitioners who assume or aspire to assume the responsibility of securing computer network infrastructure and related technologies. The program covers both offensive (hacking) and defensive (countermeasure) perspectives, including exploit techniques and associated software tools. The proposed Cybersecurity track will prepare students to understand and demonstrate current security threats and to recommend concomitant countermeasures, hacking and penetration testing techniques using appropriate tools and methodologies, and countermeasures to social engineering and other types of attacks.

In addition to 12 credit hours from the MS HSS core, students are required to complete 18 credit hours graduate courses specifically designed for students who are enrolled in the Cybersecurity concentration. The list of courses is available here

EMDS Track

This concentration is prepare students to recognize and understand the elements of a comprehensive emergency planning and management system includinglocal, state, and federal incident management systems,   “all-hazards” risk identification, evaluation, and impact assessment analysis of the science associated with natural and technological hazards threat assessment related to terrorism and violence development of comprehensive plans, training, and exercise programs, and emergency preparedness readiness evaluation tools and application.

Students who are enrolled in the EMDS concentration will be required to take the common core MS HSS graduate-level courses (12 credit hours total), and graduate courses specifically design for students who are enrolled in the EMDS Concentration. The list of courses is available here.

 

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ORISE  Graduate Student Research Opportunities

The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) provides research experiences that help graduate students develop knowledge and experience beyond the classroom.

• For information about current opportunities visit the ORISE website.

Graduate Assistantship in Homeland Security

Graduate students will be able to apply for an assistantship in Homeland Security.  Please fill out the form below and send it to Dr. Novikov at ivan.novikov@wku.edu.

Graduate Assistantship Application