M.A. in Homeland Security M.A. in Homeland Security and Emergency and Emergency

Preparedness (HSEP)Preparedness (HSEP)

L. Douglas Wilder School of L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, Government and Public Affairs,

Virginia Commonwealth UniversityVirginia Commonwealth UniversitySummer 2007Summer 2007

BackgroundBackground National agenda reshaped by the attacks of National agenda reshaped by the attacks of

September 11, 2001 September 11, 2001

Wilder School expertise in government, international Wilder School expertise in government, international affairs, public administration, criminal justice, policy affairs, public administration, criminal justice, policy planning, and geographyplanning, and geography

Wilder School B.A. in HSEP (Fall 2005)Wilder School B.A. in HSEP (Fall 2005)

VCU programs in medicine, engineering, and VCU programs in medicine, engineering, and business business

VCU locationVCU location

Program review by officials from local, state, federal Program review by officials from local, state, federal government. government.

PurposePurpose

Professional education Professional education Adapting institutions to the new Adapting institutions to the new

environmentenvironment Filling a need in both the public and Filling a need in both the public and

private sector for knowledgeable private sector for knowledgeable managers and leaders managers and leaders

Developing scholars and policy Developing scholars and policy analystsanalysts

Program DescriptionProgram Description

36 credits in HSEP36 credits in HSEP 15 credit certificate15 credit certificate On-line programOn-line program

• Most students will be practitionersMost students will be practitioners• Inability to move to RichmondInability to move to Richmond• Standard template for delivery Standard template for delivery

(Blackboard)(Blackboard)• On-campus session each semesterOn-campus session each semester

Introductory LevelIntroductory Level

HSEP 501 Institutional Challenges of HSEP 501 Institutional Challenges of Security and PreparednessSecurity and Preparedness

HSEP 502 Survey of TerrorismHSEP 502 Survey of Terrorism

Advanced IntroductoryAdvanced Introductory

HSEP 601 Emergency Management: HSEP 601 Emergency Management: Response Planning and Incident CommandResponse Planning and Incident Command

GVPA 623 Research Methods for GVPA 623 Research Methods for Government and Public Affairs Government and Public Affairs

HSEP 602 Government, Private Industry, HSEP 602 Government, Private Industry, and Community Strategic Planningand Community Strategic Planning

HSEP 603 Risk AssessmentHSEP 603 Risk Assessment

Substantive TopicsSubstantive Topics HSEP 610 Law Enforcement Policy and Judicial HSEP 610 Law Enforcement Policy and Judicial

Precedent Precedent

HSEP 620 Private Sector Issues in Security and HSEP 620 Private Sector Issues in Security and PreparednessPreparedness

ENGR 630 Technology, Security, and Preparedness ENGR 630 Technology, Security, and Preparedness (School of Engineering)(School of Engineering)

INFO 644 Principles of Information System Security INFO 644 Principles of Information System Security (Information Systems Department, School of (Information Systems Department, School of Business)Business)

HSEP 650 Public Health System Preparedness (VCU HSEP 650 Public Health System Preparedness (VCU Medical School and Virginia Dept. of Health)Medical School and Virginia Dept. of Health)

Capstone and AssessmentCapstone and Assessment

HSEP 690 Capstone SeminarHSEP 690 Capstone Seminar• Includes TTXIncludes TTX

Essential Elements of Each CourseEssential Elements of Each Course

Research PapersResearch Papers Formal Class PresentationsFormal Class Presentations Leading on-line discussionsLeading on-line discussions Evaluation of government policyEvaluation of government policy Focus on natural hazards and terrorist threatsFocus on natural hazards and terrorist threats Emphasis on communication skillsEmphasis on communication skills Highlighting the need for interagency and Highlighting the need for interagency and

intergovernmental coordinationintergovernmental coordination Highlighting the need for public/private Highlighting the need for public/private

coordinationcoordination

OutcomesOutcomes

Substantive KnowledgeSubstantive Knowledge students will achieve comprehension of the students will achieve comprehension of the

nature of the threats to people and property nature of the threats to people and property from terrorist organizations and natural from terrorist organizations and natural disastersdisasters

students will achieve comprehension of the students will achieve comprehension of the broad range of topics related to homeland broad range of topics related to homeland security and emergency preparedness (from security and emergency preparedness (from counterterrorism, to public budgeting, to counterterrorism, to public budgeting, to legal, ethical, and constitutional questions)legal, ethical, and constitutional questions)

OutcomesOutcomes Analytical Knowledge and SkillsAnalytical Knowledge and Skills students will develop advanced methods of students will develop advanced methods of

assessing risk as well as advanced analytical and assessing risk as well as advanced analytical and research skills, research skills,

students will achieve comprehension of the theory students will achieve comprehension of the theory and practice of homeland security and emergency and practice of homeland security and emergency preparedness and be able to analyze policy and preparedness and be able to analyze policy and synthesize information in key areas: synthesize information in key areas: • critical infrastructure protectioncritical infrastructure protection• institutional coordinationinstitutional coordination• intelligence analysis and sharing intelligence analysis and sharing • legal/constitutional/ethical aspects of homeland security legal/constitutional/ethical aspects of homeland security

and emergency preparedness planning and and emergency preparedness planning and implementation.implementation.

OutcomesOutcomes Advanced SkillsAdvanced Skills students will develop the ability to write students will develop the ability to write

concise executive summaries and deliver concise executive summaries and deliver brief oral presentationsbrief oral presentations

students will be able to evaluate scholarly students will be able to evaluate scholarly literature and government emergency literature and government emergency preparedness policies through the use of preparedness policies through the use of case studiescase studies

students will complete a large research students will complete a large research project related to a simulation exercise of project related to a simulation exercise of an emergency eventan emergency event

The Successful GraduateThe Successful Graduate Professional developmentProfessional development Adapting to the new emergency Adapting to the new emergency

management environmentmanagement environment Understanding of the political Understanding of the political

impediments to preparednessimpediments to preparedness Understanding of the administrative Understanding of the administrative

challenges of the transition of emergency challenges of the transition of emergency management fieldmanagement field

Understanding of key issues – legal, Understanding of key issues – legal, economic, technological, and public economic, technological, and public health-relatedhealth-related