Homeland Security: The National Challenge

Catalog description

The goal of this course is to explore the published works of leading thinkers regarding the evolving nature of Homeland Security and assist students with the tools and resources necessary to gain an understanding of the principles prescribed. Students will learn techniques oriented toward understanding the threats posed to modern society, while staying abreast of the current and future roles and responsibilities of all levels of government agencies in countering threats from the prospective of all hazards preparedness. The political, economic, and practical issues of implementation are thoroughly examined. The course will examine responses to the terrorist threat as well as natural and manmade disasters to include public policy legislation and documents, such as national security strategies, homeland security decision directives, the National Response Framework and National Incident Management System. An overview of the history of The Department of Homeland Security model of planning, protecting, responding, and recovering from a natural disaster and terrorist attack is analyzed. This course provides an overview of Terrorism, Homeland Security, and risk assessment methodologies. Students will learn how to identify vulnerabilities, analyze and mitigate risk, and harden critical infrastructure sites through countermeasure proposals. This course also includes an examination of the basic legislation and operations of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and its role in protecting the United States by detecting, deterring, preventing, and responding to potential threats, current and future.