The CTU Master of Science in Homeland Security (MS-HLS) is designed to provide students with a broad understanding of the homeland security enterprise at the strategic policymaking level.

The focused concentration in Cybersecurity Policy examines gaps between rapidly developing cyber technology and electronic interdependence and the slowly evolving laws, strategies and policies designed to cope with threats to these evolving systems.

The program curriculum is designed for students with previous coursework and/or prior work experience in homeland security.  Although prior knowledge or experience in the homeland security field is not required, it is highly recommended.

Successful completion of this program requires the researching and writing of a thesis. Coursework will challenge students to:

Cybersecurity Policy Concentration Outcomes

• Compare competing cybersecurity governance structures.
• Evaluate challenges to establishment of comprehensive cybersecurity policy within competing government agencies and the private sector.
• Analyze the dynamics of security and privacy trade-offs as they relate to Internet governance.
• Synthesize core components of law and policy that are implicated in inter-disciplinary approaches to cybersecurity policy.
• Justify the limits of government and industry roles in cybersecurity, consistent with fundamental legal and cultural principles which form American society.
• Synthesize multilateral approaches to suggest a framework for future government planning.
• Develop recommendations for multinational approaches to cybersecurity policy.

Core Outcomes

• Outline trends in the development and evolution of the HLS enterprise.
• Analyze current policy issues within the HLS enterprise and/or its sub-disciplines.
• Use research to suggest policy solutions to existing HLS problems.
• Explore strategies and institutional frameworks that affect HLS policy.
• Analyze the role of the intelligence community, first-responders, the military, the private sector and others in the HLS enterprise.
• Interpret, synthesize and critique the threat posed by terrorism, natural disasters and public health emergencies.
• Analyze the legal, institutional and policy barriers to unity of effort and enhanced HLS policy and the possible methodologies for circumventing or eliminating those barriers.
• Evaluate the impact of policies within HLS sub-disciplines on the creation of a common HLS strategy and effort.

The core curriculum of this program has been designed to help students develop relevant, applicable knowledge of the homeland security enterprise at the strategic policymaking level. Core courses include:

• Homeland Security Fundamentals
• Dynamics of Terrorism
• Technology Solutions for HLS
• Intelligence Organizational and Policy Challenges
• Vulnerability Analysis and Protection
• Homeland Security and Government
• Introduction to Research Methodologies
• Writing the Thesis Proposal
• Research and Writing 1
• Research and Writing 2
• Research and Writing 3
• Research and Writing 4

In addition to the broad-based core curriculum, students are required to complete four concentration courses relevant to the subfield of Cybersecurity Policy. This coursework is designed to provide candidates with the opportunity to become thought leaders in the field through the researching and writing of a mandatory thesis. Concentration courses include:

• In Introduction to Cybersecurity Policy, coursework reviews the dimensions of the field, including cybersecurity as an evolutionary period of change, converging disciplines and established institutions and frameworks. The challenges of integrating cybersecurity policy horizontally across the verticals of other disciplines and governance structures are also examined. Additional topics of study include national security and homeland security dimensions, privacy, public-private partnerships, information sharing and asymmetric challenges of the Internet.
• In Government and the Cyber Sector, students explore the fundamental roles of government and industry for cybersecurity; expectations of society. They also examine the regulatory, technological and cultural constraints and obstacles that exist for government and industry, respectively. These roles are explored by comparison against historical models, core principles of American society and legal and policy considerations.  
• In Cyber Organizations and Structures, coursework delves into the cyberspace domain to identify and analyze government and private sector organizations, missions and approaches to security and compliance within the government and private sector spheres. Organizations, roles and focus areas will include: Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, law enforcement, leading industry elements engaged in cybersecurity and information assurance, as well as privacy and security compliance regimes in the private sector.
• In Emerging Initiatives in Cybersecurity Strategy, studies focus on the cybersecurity strategies and plans of the U.S. government, including the Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative, White House 60-day Cyberspace Policy Review and national military strategy. Students will also review and consider non-U.S. cybersecurity strategies and plans. National plans, as well as private sector initiatives, will be assessed with a view toward encouraging critical thinking about security in the Digital Age.