Homeland Security (Minor)

Homeland Security (Minor)
homeland security minor

As threats to the United States continuously evolve, learning how to function in dynamic environments, form partnerships, think critically, make complex decisions and engage in the community is key 


What is homeland security?

From terrorism to immigration, data security to climate change, corporate security to national security intelligence, natural disasters to community resilience, today’s threat environment is complex and dynamic. Security studies is a broad, interdisciplinary field, requiring professionals who possess critical thinking, problem solving, analytical and communication skills. Homeland security students build the analytical, technical and strategic skills central to ensuring security for agencies, organizations and the nation.

Why study homeland security at UNH?

Fully available on both the Manchester and Durham campuses, the homeland security minor gives students an excellent glimpse at what it takes to keep the nation safe and resilient. This minor is designed to provide a professional experience to students who are interested in aspects of the homeland security profession. In this minor, you’ll learn how homeland security issues, challenges and tools relate to your specific major and to your future career. You’ll be empowered to identify and address challenges of national and international significance, which is valuable in diverse and rewarding careers in both the public and private sectors.

Potential career areas

  • Corporate security
  • Critical infrastructure protection
  • Cybersecurity and information security
  • Emergency management
  • Environmental security
  • Forensics
  • Intelligence community
  • Law enforcement (local/state/federal)
  • Law school or legal support functions
  • Military service
  • National security policy/analysis
  • Risk management

"Homeland security is more important today than at any time in recent memory. UNH Manchester's homeland security program provides students with not only the theoretical, but allows students to learn and apply practical solutions to real world problems."

Hans Olson, ‎Assistant Undersecretary for Homeland Security and Senior Advisor fpr Antiterrorism and Cybersecurity, ‎Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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"Homeland security is more important today than at any time in recent memory. UNH Manchester's homeland security program provides students with not only the theoretical, but allows students to learn and apply practical solutions to real world problems."

Hans Olson, ‎Assistant Undersecretary for Homeland Security and Senior Advisor fpr Antiterrorism and Cybersecurity, ‎Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Curriculum & Requirements

Today’s threat environment is complex and dynamic and includes threats from small- to large-scale attacks of violence or terrorism, to cybersecurity to catastrophic natural disasters such as hurricanes, wildfires, tornadoes and earthquakes. Fully available to students on both campuses (Durham and Manchester), the Homeland Security (HLS) minor will give students an excellent glimpse at what it takes to keep the nation safe and resilient. 

The minor in Homeland Security (HLS) is designed to provide a professional experience to students not majoring in Homeland Security, but who are interested in aspects of the homeland security profession. Students will see how Homeland Security issues, challenges, and tools are related to their specific major and how Homeland Security can be used to embellish their careers.

For more information about the Homeland Security minor on either campus, contact Terrence O'Sullivan, HLS program coordinator and minor supervisor, at Terrence.O'Sullivan@unh.edu.

The minor in homeland security requires five courses (20 credits). Students must earn grades of at least C- in each course and an overall GPA of 2.0 in minor courses. Transfer students may transfer up to two courses, subject to the approval of the HLS program coordinator. Courses taken on a pass/fail basis may not be used for the minor. Homeland Security majors cannot use the HLS minor as a breadth area.

Required courses
HLS 410Introduction to Homeland Security4
HLS 455Introduction to Cybersecurity4
or HLS 415 Fundamentals of Corporate Security
Select three of the following:12
HLS 505
Political Violence and Terrorism
HLS 510
Fundamentals of Emergency Management
HLS 515
Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience
HLS 520
Homeland Security Law and Policy
HLS 555
Comparative Homeland Security Systems
HLS 580
Environmental and Human Security
HLS 650
Topics in National Security Intelligence
HLS 760
Strategic Planning and Decision Making
Total Credits20

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