Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (HSEP)

HSEP 101. Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. An introduction to the public- and private-sector dimensions of the broad range of theoretical and practical aspects of homeland security and emergency preparedness, including: origins of natural and terrorist-caused disasters; local, state and federal emergency management planning and operations; health infrastructure capabilities; public communication strategies; business community concerns; ethical, legal and constitutional questions; as well as the social and psychological dimensions of disasters.

HSEP 301. Terrorism. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. A survey of the modern problem of terrorism with an emphasis on the political nature of terrorist acts. Examines the history of terrorism, domestically within the U.S. and internationally, the role of religion, the structures and operations of terrorist organizations, as well as counterterrorism policies and policy-making. Crosslisted as: POLI 367.

HSEP 302. Emergency Planning and Incident Management. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. An introduction to the basic tasks of emergency preparedness and disaster mitigation, including planning, response and recovery. Special emphasis will be placed on command arrangements, coordination and budgetary issues among emergency responders (law enforcement, firefighters and health care system officials), and within and between federal, state and local governments.

HSEP 310. Risk and Vulnerability Assessment. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. An introduction to analytical techniques and methodologies for threat and vulnerability assessment of various types of public and private infrastructure. An all-hazard approach is employed, considering natural disaster, system failure and terrorist attack (conventional or weapons of mass destruction). Special attention will be focused on critical infrastructure protection as well as cyberterrorism.

HSEP 311. Strategic Planning for Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. An examination of the strategic planning for emergency preparedness, operations and recovery for all hazards, as well as terrorist-prevention security measures. The course will focus on public goods/free rider issues, setting organizational priorities, governmental budgeting choices, legal aspects of government regulation of infrastructure and business community security concerns.

HSEP 314. Cybersecurity Policy. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. This course addresses emerging strategic, legal and policy issues associated with computer attack, exploitation, detection and defense. Students will be introduced to research and developments across a range of issues and will engage with topics related to national security, homeland security and economic policy, and local governance.

HSEP 320. The Intelligence Community and the Intelligence Process. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. An examination of the concepts of and challenges for state, local and federal policy making and organization for homeland security and emergency preparedness. The intelligence process — the collection, analysis, sharing and dissemination of information within and between local, state and federal governmental agencies — is a special focus.

HSEP 330. Legal and Constitutional Issues in Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. An analysis of the legal and civil liberties changes and challenges brought on by terrorist attacks. Topics addressed may include surveillance issues, federal legislation passed in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks, the rights of foreign nationals, the rights of U.S. citizens, the governmental infrastructure for decisions concerning legal rights and the difficulties of prosecuting terrorist suspects, such as jurisdictional issues, rules of evidence and prosecution strategies.

HSEP 335. International Terrorism. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: HSEP 301/POLI 367. This course covers conceptual and measurement issues associated with the study of cross-national international terrorism, which focuses on examining and explaining country-level terrorism patterns within and between countries. Students will examine global terrorism by focusing on the patterns and correlates of country-level terrorism. Using a multidisciplinary approach that draws academic insights from political science, sociology, economics and criminology, this course exposes students to three related areas of international terrorism.

HSEP 347. Intelligence Analysis. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: HSEP 320. The course provides an overview of the intelligence analysis process and explores a variety of structured analytic intelligence techniques that have been used successfully. This course was designed to contribute to the development of intelligence analysts who can think critically and will contribute to strong analytical tradecraft.

HSEP 350. Emergency Public Health Preparedness. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: HSEP 101. This course provides an introduction and understanding of the policy, strategy and practical application of emergency public health preparedness, response and mitigation from an all-hazards perspective. Through a public health perspective for communities and nations that are at risk for large-scale emergencies, it describes the strategic context presented by the 21st-century risk environment, and explores the interactions, contributions and roles of multiple sectors such as the government, non-governmental organizations, private enterprises and individuals before, during and after a public health emergency.

HSEP 356. Making a Terrorist. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: HSEP 301. This course examines the radicalization and deradicalization processes of violent extremists, with specific emphasis on terrorists. Students will learn about the processes and factors that lead individuals to engage in violence, as well as how these processes can be co-opted to draw individuals away from extremist organizations and ideologies.

HSEP 360. Critical Infrastructure Protection and Resiliency. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: HSEP 310. An advanced study of homeland security critical infrastructure protection and resiliency from an all-hazards perspective. Develops an understanding of the policy, strategy and practical application of critical infrastructure protection and resiliency issues. Special emphasis on understanding the strategic context presented by the 21st-century risk environment, DHS critical infrastructure sectors, and the challenges and opportunities.

HSEP 365. WMD Materials and Tactics. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. This course provides a qualitative and minimally technical introduction to weapons of mass destruction materials that might be expected in a terrorist incident and the tactics that may be employed in their use. Students will gain an understanding of the characteristics of these materials, how they might be employed tactically, how it is possible to respond to WMD incidents in a safe and effective manner and WMD countermeasures. The course will also dispel several “mythical and magical” beliefs about WMD materials.

HSEP 370. Disaster Response and Recovery. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: HSEP 302. This course surveys the research and practice of disaster response and recovery. Students will learn about disaster recovery theory and practice, recovery planning, debris management, donations, volunteer organizations, environmental recovery, sustainable recovery, post-disaster housing recovery, and disaster impacts on vulnerable populations. The course covers all relevant actors during and after disasters, including community members, government agencies, elected officials, media, nonprofit organizations and the business sector.

HSEP 375. Human Trafficking. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Students will receive an overview of contemporary human trafficking and modern-day slavery. The course provides an understanding of the scope of the human trafficking problem, both domestically and globally, and covers the different types of human trafficking that exist, including sex, labor, organ, body and baby trafficking, as well as the exploitation of child soldiers.

HSEP 391. Topics in Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Maximum total of six credits in all departmental topics courses may be applied to the major. Prerequisites: CRJS 367/HSEP 301/POLI 367 and CRJS 368/HSEP 302. An intensive focus on a specialized field of interest to the study of homeland security and emergency preparedness. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester.

HSEP 418. Counterterrorism. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: HSEP 301/POLI 367. This course examines the extent to which terrorism is a threat to U.S. national interests and security by analyzing terrorist organizations' strategies, tactics and methods of operation. It also evaluates the pros and cons of a variety of potential government (foreign and domestic) responses to terrorism, such as diplomacy, sanctions, covert action and military operations in both a historic and contemporary context.

HSEP 490. Senior Seminar. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: HSEP 310, HSEP 320/CRJS 375 and HSEP 330/CRJS 330. A capstone course examining the major issues related to homeland security and emergency preparedness. Students will be required to produce a research project related to a role-playing in-class simulation of an emergency situation that will include exercises in red-teaming.

HSEP 491. Advanced Topics in Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: CRJS 367/HSEP 301/POLI 367 and CRJS 368/HSEP 302. An intensive focus on a specialized field of interest to the study of homeland security and emergency preparedness within a seminar setting. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester. Maximum total of six credits in all departmental topics courses may be applied to the major.

HSEP 492. Independent Study. 1-4 Hours.

Semester course; 1-4 credits. Maximum total of six credits in all independent study courses may be applied to the major. Prerequisites: junior or senior standing with 12 credits in HSEP courses. Permission of instructor or program director required, with determination of course credit value prior to registration. An independent study that allows students to perform research under the direction of qualified instructor in a subject or field of major interest.

HSEP 501. Introduction to Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. A detailed examination of the post-9/11 institutional transformation within the U.S. Both the theoretical and practical aspects of the new environment of homeland security and emergency preparedness are examined in the context of local, state and federal government, as well as the private and nonprofit sectors. The dilemmas of coordination, collaboration, competition and decision-making across and within governmental levels and between government and other sectors are explored.

HSEP 502. Survey of Terrorism. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. An introduction to the theoretical and practical aspects of terrorism and counter-terrorism. Provides a broad overview of the general use of terrorism as a political tool and the idiosyncratic strategies and tactics used by specific terrorist groups. Focuses upon the relationships between terrorism and religion, technology, globalization and organizational design (network organizations). The counter-terrorism policies of various nations are examined in terms of strategic purpose, implementation and success.

HSEP 601. Emergency Management: Response Planning and Incident Command. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. An advanced analytical examination of emergency management, including mitigation (designing programs to reduce the risk to vulnerable targets/infrastructure), preparedness (response planning and training, particularly interagency and intergovernmental agreements on joint operations and burden sharing), response (actual operations during and after a terrorist attack or natural disaster) and recovery (maintaining services in the immediate aftermath of a disaster and the long term). Through discussions of theory and numerous case studies, students will be able to identify and investigate the strengths and weaknesses of the current practice of emergency management in the U.S.

HSEP 602. Government, Industry and Community Strategic Planning. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. An examination of the guiding principles of strategic planning and the manner in which strategic plans can be used to better identify resource requirements and a prioritized acquisition process. Analyzes the strategic planning goal of designing a coordinated and unified effort that is all inclusive of the multiple agencies (governmental and nonprofit), distinct communities and private industries that have a role in and are impacted by natural disasters or terrorist incidents.

HSEP 603. Risk Assessment. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. An introduction to the assessment and management of risk. Focuses on analytical techniques that assess risk; the primary application will be threats to critical infrastructure. Students will learn to conduct a risk and vulnerability analysis of a specific target, ciy or region using various assessment techniques and to manage that risk by assessing the efficacy of both prevention and response measures. The techniques covered will be both quantitative and qualitative.

HSEP 610. Law Enforcement Policy and Judicial Precedent. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. An examination of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies' evolving policies on crisis and consequence management, as well as court decisions guiding these policies and interpreting their implementation. Students will engage in case-study analysis while learning the fundamentals of policy development. Course content will include analysis and discussion of relevant statutes and court cases, and the issues, processes and procedures associated with the development and implementation of judicial policies that attempt to balance civil rights and homeland security, as well as legal aspects of natural disasters and public health crises.

HSEP 620. Private Sector Issues in Security and Preparedness. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. A survey of the private sector's dilemmas and responsibilities in homeland security and emergency preparedness. Class will focus on issues such as the crictical emergency management functions for private industry (resumption, recovery, restoration, continuity); the question of "how much security is enough"; and the central dilemma of private sector-public sector security and preparedness: the overwhelming majority of critical infrastructure is privately owned, yet it is the government's responsibility to prepare, protect and reconstitute it. Information sharing, communications and regulatory issues are examined.

HSEP 623. Research Methods Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. The purpose of this course is to introduce students to research concepts. Topics to be covered include philosophy of science, the relationship between theory and methods, the fundamentals of the research process, how to choose an appropriate statistical technique, and organizing or presenting information. Generally, this course is designed to help students develop the basic skills to evaluate and conduct research at a graduate level. The fundamentals of research methodology will be covered and the student will be expected to demonstrate mastery of those concepts through a variety of assessment measures.

HSEP 628. Survey of Cyber Security. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. This course offers a survey of emerging strategic, legal and policy issues associated with computer network attack, exploitation and defense. Students will be introduced to research and developments across a range of issues and will engage with topics related to national security, homeland security and economic policy, and local governance. This course is designed to provide students with perspective on different technical, theoretical and policy issues and to enhance knowledge of cyber conflict conducted by both state and non-state actors.

HSEP 640. Intelligence and Counterintelligence. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. The course will look at the origins of intelligence, tracing the history and role the intelligence community has played in the evolution of the United States. It will examine the “intelligence process” from requirements to collection, processing and exploitation, analysis, and the dissemination of finished products. Students will also look at how intelligence is used in national level policy and decision-making.

HSEP 646. Cybersecurity Risk Assessment. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. This course considers risk as an integral element of cybersecurity. The key issues that pose threats to cyber systems will serve as the predicate for the course. Key issues to be addressed include confidentiality, integrity and availability. The role and access of third-party and contract vendors; the legal components of service contracts; the role of controls, regulations and frameworks; and the importance and applicability of attestation documentation will all be considered.

HSEP 650. Public Health Preparedness. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. An examination of the role of the public health sector in preparing for and responding to natural disasters, emerging infectious diseases, catastrophic terrorism and bioterrorism. The class focuses on coordination and cooperation of federal, state and local government and the public-, private- and nonprofit-sector components of the public health infrastructure. Topics include epidemiological and mental health issues related to disasters, command/communication concerns, national stockpile management, surge planning, all-hazard planning and exercise design.

HSEP 690. Capstone Seminar. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: 27 credits in HSEP courses or permission of instructor. A capstone and assessment course. Readings, writing assignments and the large research project are designed to allow students to use the sum of their knowledge and analytical skills to examine homeland security and emergency preparedness in a broad and comprehensive way. Students will engage in research linked to a role-playing simulation/exercise that will be held when the class meets in the last week of the semester.

HSEP 691. Special Topics in Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. May be repeated with different topics. Enrollment requires graduate status. Periodic seminar in contemporary homeland security and emergency preparedness topics. Topics to be determined.

HSEP 692. Independent Study. 1-3 Hours.

Semester course; variable hours. 1-3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credits. The instructor's review and approval of the study proposal must precede independent work by student. Provides an opportunity for an advanced student to pursue an independent research project or extensive literature review under the supervision of an instructor.

HSEP 695. Capstone in Cybersecurity. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. This course will provide students a forum to apply learned concepts in experiential, practical settings. Students will be connected with existing agencies, public and private, and will assist these agencies as they develop effective cybersecurity modalities. These real-world experiences will represent the foundation for learning in the class setting.