Degree Completion in Public Safety and Security

A degree in public safety and security prepares students to ensure safety of the community. It provides skills in managing food and life safety. Degree completion in public safety and security can open up many exciting career opportunities in health, security, and law. These days, apart from conventional programs, a number of degrees are offered online as well. The online nature of these programs enables professionals to continue work while studying at the same time. It also enables them to avoid time and costs related to travel to campuses. Also, online programs cost much less than campus-based programs.

Various associates, bachelors, masters and doctorate degrees are offered in public safety and security.

Bachelors in Public Safety and Security

The bachelor in public safety and security usually instills the following in candidates:

• To proficiently make and deliver presentations and gain oral and written communications skills
• To understand the intricate work environment and multicultural society
• To conduct competent research in public safety and security
• To determine ethical problems in public safety and security and apply tools to address them
• To identify needs within public safety and security, collect data, and apply analytical skills in policy analysis and research
• To execute strategic planning, policy analysis, and development process
• To develop skills in grant writing, policy an analysis and risk management
• To determine data sources and analyze various types of data
• To understand various roles and responsibilities comprising professions in public safety and security
• To know the importance of evidence based decision making in public safety and security
• To know theories and practices in contemporary issues of public safety and security

The detailed curriculum may vary between programs. However, it usually covers the following topics:

• Grant writing
• Computer literacy
• Investigative report writing
• Oral communication
• Psychology fundamentals
• Social science
• Mathematics
• Global perspective-U.S focus
• Literature of fine arts
• Philosophy
• Principles of statistics
• Criminal justice and law
• Criminal procedure
• Corrections fundamentals
• Criminology
• Juvenile justice
• Introduction to homeland security
• Introduction to weapons of mass destruction
• Domestic and international terrorism
• Emergency planning, response preparedness and testing for critical incidents
• Personal and physical security principles
• National incident management system
• Risk reduction
• Introduction to cross-cultural psychology
• Multiculturalism in public safety and security
• Public policy analysis
• Quantitative applications in public safety and security
• Capstone project

Upon graduation, candidates can pursue career in a variety of fields. Following lists some of the professions which can be pursued:

• Police officer
• Lawyer
• Fire fighter
• Forensic science technician
• Probation officer
• Magistrate
• Detective and criminal investigator

The job responsibilities of police officers include protecting lives and property. Detectives and investigators perform the duty of collecting facts and gathering data related to possible crimes. According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual wage of police and detectives was$56,980 in May 2012. Also, employment of these individuals is expected to rise at a rate of 5% from 2012 to 2022, according to BLS.