How to Get a Master's Degree in Security & Loss Prevention
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Take charge of your career search with a master's degree in a field you love. Careers in retail or other businesses, private security details, and governmental organizations including the Department of Homeland Security are all options for those with master's degrees in security & loss prevention or homeland security. Start with your existing education and experience, and combine those skills with master's degree training in security & loss prevention. |
How to Earn a Master's Degree in Security & Loss Prevention or Homeland Security
Before you begin the application process, you should learn about the scope of master's degrees in security & loss prevention and homeland security. Once you have a grasp of degrees, course delivery methods, potential specializations, and accreditation, you can begin to gain a fuller understanding of the degree.
Whether you're interested in changing careers or taking your current job to a higher level, a master's degree offers the training you're looking for. If you've just begun to plan your career in security, loss prevention, or homeland security, take a look at WorldWideLearn.com's career planning guide for law and criminal justice.
Step 1: Think About Different Security & Loss Prevention and Homeland Security Master's Degrees
You can earn different types of master's degrees in security & loss prevention as well as homeland security. Whether you want to manage your own security team or research security practices, the type of degree you earn matters. Take a look at your options for a master's degree in security, loss prevention, and homeland security:
- Master of Art (MA): Approach security & loss prevention using high-level theory with a MA degree. Graduates apply theoretical concepts to their existing knowledge in challenging, engaging classes.
- Master of Science (MS): With a MS degree, students take a research-based approach to dig deeper into security & loss prevention. Considered academically equivalent to the MA, graduates continue on to the same type of careers or further education.
- Master of Business Administration (MBA): This degree combines high-level business training with a focus on security management, loss prevention, homeland security, or a similar focus. Learn more about the security management MBA with WorldWideLearn.com's guide.
Your personal goals and future in management, loss prevention, and homeland security can help determine which master's degree program options are best for you. You may find that more than one type of master's degree appeals to you. It's important to fully explore your options before committing to one type of degree. For more career planning information, browse to WorldWideLearn.com's career planning tools page.
Step 2: Consider Master's Degree Coursework and Specializations
Master's degree programs in security & loss prevention and homeland security require students to focus in on one aspect of the criminal justice system. Therefore, they are often found in criminal justice departments or within criminal justice majors as a specialization. Dedicated security & loss prevention master's degree programs often include the following specializations:
- Administration of Justice and Security
- Loss Prevention and Safety
- Security Administration
Take a look at some sample coursework found in a master's degree in security & loss prevention:
- Security Program Administration
- Security Management Ethics
- Contemporary Issues in Security Management
- Evaluation of Security Programs
Homeland security is sometimes a specialization in itself, within a larger business or criminal justice degree. Within homeland security master's degree programs, the following specializations are popular:
- Intelligence Studies
- Management in Homeland Security
- Information Technology: Homeland Security Management Specialization
- Technology Management: Homeland Security Management Specialization
- Criminal Justice with Homeland Security Specialization
- Safety, Security & Emergency Management - Homeland Security
- Homeland Security MBA
Graduates of security & loss prevention programs as well as homeland security programs combine their existing work experience and education with training to move into government and private work. Think about your career's future when choosing a specialty within the majors above. For more information on all careers in law and criminal justice, see WorldWideLearn.com's guide.
Step 3: Consider Both Campus-Based and Online Master's Degrees
Once you've considered coursework and specializations possible in the degrees above, you may have a general sense of the type of master's degree you'd like to earn. Feel free to limit yourself to just one major, or broaden your initial choices to include more options.
Next, think about how you would prefer to earn your degree. Because the degree doesn't require hands-on research, online master's degrees in security & loss prevention as well as homeland security are a popular choice. Earn a master's degree online or on a campus near you and you can experience unique and specific advantages. Take a look at just a few of the benefits found in each type of master's degree program:
- Online master's degree in security & loss prevention or homeland security: If you work full-time, you're a member of the military, or you often travel for other reasons, an online degree offers the flexibility of logging on from anywhere to complete your master's degree. Earn a master's degree online and enjoy the self-paced learning structure designed for self-motivated students looking for a convenient option.
- Campus-based master's degree in security & loss prevention or homeland security: A campus-based master's degree program offers the benefits face-to-face interaction with professors and peers along with hands-on training in security & loss prevention. If you enjoy group work and team-based activities, you may thrive in a campus environment.
As with the type of major itself and the specializations that interest you, neither type of degree delivery method is inherently better. Your life, work, and learning style helps determine your comfort level in a campus-based or online master's degree program. Earn a master's degree online and enjoy accessibility on your own terms, or study for your master's degree in security & loss prevention or homeland security on campus and benefit from hands-on interaction.
Step 4: Create a List of Security & Loss Prevention or Homeland Security Master's Degree Programs
You should have a basic image of your security & loss prevention or homeland security master's degree at this point. Considering different types of master's degrees, learning methods, and specializations gives you a clearer picture of what you want. Now, it's time to create a list of potential degree programs. Start by browsing the resources found on WorldWideLearn.com:
- Online master's degree programs in security & loss prevention.
- Online master's degree programs in homeland security.
- Campus-based master's degree programs in security & loss prevention.
- Campus-based master's degree programs in homeland security.
As you establish your list of master's degree programs in homeland security or security & loss prevention, you should begin to get a clearer picture of the types of online and campus-based master's degrees available. For your next step, you should research and confirm the quality of each of the schools on your initial list.
Step 5: Determine Security & Loss Prevention or Homeland Security Master's Degree Accreditation Status
Even if a school's name sounds familiar to you, it's important to make sure that the school is qualified to offer a professional level of training. Ensure that each security & loss prevention and homeland security school offers a quality master's degree program by ensuring that each school holds current accreditation.
Accreditation requires a third-party agency to review a school based on qualities ranging from financial standards and academic records to hiring practices. Ensuring the accreditation status of a security & loss prevention program comes with a range of benefits for you as a student:
- Colleges, universities, and hiring managers recognize accredited training
- Students in accredited training programs are eligible for federal funding
- Feel confident that your degree's value is firmly established over time
The federal government makes it simple to confirm the accreditation of each school on your list. Simply search for each program using the U.S. Department of Education's database. Easily determine the accreditation status of each homeland security and security & loss prevention school. Find more facts about accreditation by reading WorldWideLearn.com's guide on the subject.
Step 6: Narrow Down Your List of Security & Loss Prevention or Homeland Security Master's Degree Programs
Now that you've determined the accreditation status of each school on your long list, you can begin narrowing down programs in terms of your specific preferences. Filter out schools that don't fit with your needs, and you're left with only the strongest candidates. Use these categories to get started:
- Application: Each security & loss prevention degree program has its own application requirements. You may need to provide undergraduate transcripts, test scores, a resume with related work experience, recommendation letters, and more. To learn more about grad school test preparation, see WorldWideLearn.com's guide.
- Location: If you're attending a school on-campus, think about the school's location as if you're looking for a job. Consider retail centers, governmental organizations, airports, and other options. Finding more potential jobs means you could have an easier time finding internships and eventual employment.
- Cost: Consider the cost of your master's degree. Think about financial aid options from each school, including federal financial aid funding. Learn more about scholarships, stipends, and other opportunities to pay for your degree. For more information on financial aid in the U.S., check out WorldWideLearn.com's guide.
- Faculty: Seek out faculty publication records and learn where professors are researching and publishing. As you work through your law degree application, seek out strong faculty teams with engaging publication histories instead of choosing a school based on a single faculty member that may leave the program before you begin.
- Perks: Once you're ready to cross just a few final schools from your longer list of options, consider the perks that each school claims. For example, you might be encouraged to volunteer in the local community, or assist professors with class duties and research.
The research process for this step takes time and effort. Once you start the application process, however, you soon find the rewards of your work. After you have completed your research, you know more about what you want as a student in addition to knowing more about each school on your list. When you narrow down your long list of options to the strongest few, you can then begin your application process with confidence.
Step 7: Apply for Master's Programs in Security & Loss Prevention or Homeland Security
You've narrowed down your long list of security & loss prevention and homeland security degree programs down to the strongest few. At this point, it's time to create applications to send to your most qualified options. As you begin the application process, keep the following elements in mind:
- Requirements: Be prepared to provide everything from resumes and transcripts to recommendation letters and graduate test scores. Each school has different requirements. See each school for details and deadlines, and keep track of deadlines for each of your options. Begin the test preparation process by reviewing WorldWideLearn.com's guide.
- Requirements: Be prepared to provide everything from resumes and transcripts to recommendation letters and graduate test scores. Each school has different requirements. See each school for details and deadlines, and keep track of deadlines for each of your options. Begin the test preparation process by reviewing WorldWideLearn.com's guide.
* Personalize: Add a personal touch to your application. Some schools may be more interested in your work history, while others could place more emphasis on your academics. Let your individual strengths shine in each application you complete, and trust your skills.
: Add a personal touch to your application. Some schools may be more interested in your work history, while others could place more emphasis on your academics. Let your individual strengths shine in each application you complete, and trust your skills.
Learning about your degree options, learning style, and specializations beforehand helps you save time and money on the application process. Along the way, you learn more about the degree itself, and different ways you can earn a master's degree in security & loss prevention or homeland security.
Sources
- Accreditation Search, U.S. Department of Education.
- Master of Arts in Security Management-Capstone Option, American Public University System.
- Master of Homeland Security in Public Health Preparedness, Penn State University.
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