Online Homeland Security Degree Concentration Criminal Justice BS in Counterterrorism

Flexible

With no set class meeting times, you can learn on your schedule and access online course materials 24/7.

Affordable

Take advantage of some of the lowest online tuition rates in the nation, plus financial aid for those who qualify. We also make it easy to transfer to SNHU by accepting up to 90 credits from your previous institution(s) toward your bachelor's degree.

Respected

Founded in 1932, Southern New Hampshire University is a private, nonprofit institution with over 100,000 graduates across the country. SNHU is regionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), which advocates for institutional improvement and public assurance of quality.

Recently, SNHU has been nationally recognized for leading the way toward more innovative, affordable and achievable education:

• “Most Innovative” regional university honors from U.S. News & World Report each year since 2015
• A $1 million grant from Google.org to explore soft skills assessments for high-need youth
• Recognition as a 2017 Digital Learning Innovator by the Online Learning Consortium

Network

At Southern New Hampshire University, you'll have access to a powerful network of more than 200,000 students, alumni and staff that can help support you long after graduation. Our instructors offer relevant, real-world expertise to help you understand and navigate the field. Plus, with our growing, nationwide alumni network, you'll have the potential to tap into a number of internship and career opportunities.

Opportunities

You'll have access to SNHUconnect – our private online community made exclusively for online students. Here, you can join our criminal justice club – known as the Law and Disorder Club – attend virtual events hosted by industry leaders and take advantage of the professional talent and capabilities of the criminal justice staff through mentorship in the CJ Career Council.

96.5% of students would recommend SNHU.² Discover why SNHU may be right for you.

Part of our mission to expand access to quality higher education means removing the barriers that may stand between you and your degree. That’s why you can apply at any time and get a decision within days of submitting all required materials.

Acceptance decisions are made on a rolling basis throughout the year for our 6 (8-week) undergraduate terms.

Simply contact an admission counselor, who can help you explore financial options, answer all your questions and walk you through the application process. Start by:

• Completing a free undergraduate application
• Providing previous institutions attended – so we can retrieve transcripts for you at no cost
• Test scores are not required as part of your application.

A homeland security degree offers preparation for a specialized career in criminal justice. Foundational courses include general education courses in math, writing, humanities and social sciences. Strong oral and written communication skills are also emphasized.

Major coursework includes courses on the history of homeland security and terrorism in the United States, security management, intelligence and counterintelligence. These courses combined provide the broad skills needed for a range of positions in criminal justice, as well as specific knowledge applicable to the field of homeland security.

With Southern New Hampshire University’s homeland security degree online, you'll learn how to:

• Differentiate between homeland security and counterterrorism
• Examine the roles and responsibilities of maintaining safety for all citizens
• Study the history of espionage and study methods of gathering and analyzing intelligence
• Apply security management techniques and methods to maintain public safety

A degree in homeland security can lead to a number of exciting career options in the public and private sectors. As the use and reach of technology is increasing, there has never been a greater need for actionable, reliable information to identify threats to national security.

A homeland security or counterterrorism degree could lead to such careers as:

• Intelligence analyst. Examine patterns throughout multiple pieces of data and information. You may use that information to prevent attacks and assess threats to your organization, an individual or the American public. You might work for a private business or for the government at the local, state or federal level.
• Border patrol officer. Monitor and protect the nation’s borders. You may work to ensure that illegal drugs and goods do not come into the country. You could also be involved in enforcing immigration efforts.
• Secret service agent. This law enforcement role offers a great deal of variety in terms of assignment. You may investigate counterfeiting crimes, protect persons of interest to the federal government – such as political officials – or you could even be involved in developing new security systems and tools.
• Federal air marshal. This is a unique law enforcement position where you might find yourself on board an aircraft or working in an airport to keep private citizens safe in the skies. You could also investigate crimes and provide other law enforcement duties.

These are just a few of the exciting and important opportunities available with a homeland security degree. Each career is grounded in the principles of safety, security and the well-being of the people.

Most people looking to get into the homeland security field pursue a bachelor's degree in criminal justice, which usually takes students between 3 and 4 years to complete.

At Southern New Hampshire University, you can even specialize your skills with a homeland security and counterterrorism concentration online. What's better? You may be able to complete it faster. If you qualify, you could receive up to 12 credits if you have already completed basic police, corrections or parole and probation academy training. And if you already started taking college classes elsewhere, you could transfer in up to 90 credits – meaning you'll save even more time and money.

Our professional team of admission and academic advisors aims to get you the maximum amount of transfer credit so that you may complete your degree as quickly as possible. Our fully online format allows you even more room to customize your education. Work the night shift? No problem, because no mandatory login times means you can complete your work at any time of the day or night. You’ll generally receive feedback from your instructors, who are professionals in the field, within 24 hours, too.

These jobs tend to be very stable, because the people who do them are fulfilling a calling – not just clocking hours at a day job. Therefore, there is a lot of opportunity to advance throughout your career – often while earning a stable salary with excellent benefits.

Responsibilities within homeland security roles can vary greatly, meaning how much you earn is dependent on your role, title and experience. Emergency management directors, for example, earned a median wage of $74,590 per year in 2019 while federally employed police and detectives earned $88,060, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.¹

With Southern New Hampshire University, you have the added benefit of learning from professionals in the field. Our instructors are all criminal justice professionals, so course time with them adds networking opportunities to your education, culminating in membership in our robust and active alumni network.

All aspects of law enforcement are part of the criminal justice system, including the court system, law enforcement officers and all aspects of upholding the code of the law. All things considered, homeland security is a relatively new part of the criminal justice umbrella.

While studying criminal justice helps prepare you for a career in all aspects of the law and public safety, the field of homeland security is a subset of national security and focuses specifically on the United States.

A background in criminal justice can prepare you with the legal, communication, criminal and technical aspects of the field. Adding a focus in homeland security means specializing in terrorism and counterterrorism, intelligence and all aspects of national security.

While there is no hard and fast rule, a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice or a related field could be the most helpful in pursuing a career in counterterrorism. International affairs, national security studies or a concentration in homeland security are all areas that also help prepare you for a career in this specialized area of law enforcement.

In addition, practical experience is also important, since many working in this field have military or national security backgrounds. SNHU's counterterrorism degree offers an optional internship that could provide the opportunity to gain valuable experience in the field.

There are many career paths you can take with a degree in counterterrorism. Because any counterterrorism or homeland security concentration is grounded in criminal justice, you have many options available to you, such as:

• Counterterrorism analyst. Investigate the leadership and motivations of possible terrorist groups. Your work may include report writing and analysis, so strong communication and critical thinking skills could be very helpful.
• Emergency management director. Prepare procedures and devise plans for law enforcement and public officials to use in responding to natural disasters and other emergencies. You may work with public officials and possibly the press, and may work with nonprofit organizations and government agencies. Strong negotiation, communication and analytical skills would be helpful in this role.
• Intelligence analyst. Look for patterns and information from a variety of sources. You may use that information to assess threats and prevent attacks. This role involves strong analytical skills, as well as strong written and communication skills.

You may also be interested in a government career with agencies such as the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. State Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation or Central Intelligence Agency.

Whichever agency or organization you choose, you are building a career rich in problem-solving skills, collaboration and threat assessment. More than that, you can use your skills to analyze social, behavioral and criminal theories and behavior to work toward eliminating threats and ensuring our nation’s safety.