At AIU, more of the courses you take, on average, are devoted to your field of interest than at other similar schools. Your classes may include:
Foundations of Crisis Management
This course introduces students to various concepts and strategies involved in crisis management. Students will learn of different types of disasters (natural and manmade), organizational responses, preparedness, mitigation and recovery techniques.
Terrorism and Homeland Security
This course presents an overview of the key security issues facing the United States in both the areas of Homeland Security and Terrorism. It introduces students to the changing dynamics of homeland security at both the national and state levels. Students will explore the various dynamics of providing security in different settings. Additionally, the history and future of terrorism will be examined.
Critical Infrastructures
Understanding the concepts pertaining to critical infrastructure in fighting terrorism is a core component of Homeland Security studies. The student will learn how to identify the different sectors of critical infrastructure, and the assets within various sectors that must be protected. Various strategies utilized to protect key assets will be covered.
Interagency Collaboration and Homeland Security
This course introduces students to national security policies, the nature of the collaboration that exists between the various agencies involved in Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Federal, state, and local agencies all play a role in Homeland Security and Crisis Management, and this course will assist students to understand how the various agencies interact with each other and work together to protect the nation from all types of hazards and threats. The importance of interagency and intra-agency communication and coordination will be covered.
Psychosocial Dimensions of Terrorism
This course guides students into examining the motivations behind terrorist groups and the psychosocial impact of terrorist attacks. The course will assist students in understanding the impact of fear and government response to terrorism in the media. The students will explore various ways that these responses shape public perception and attitude towards terrorist threats and attacks.
Communication and Crisis Planning
This course combines primary areas of homeland security /crisis management, i.e., intelligence, strategic planning, critical infrastructure, research and analysis, technology and strategic communications to provide students with a basis for developing a coordinated response. Students will develop an emergency plan to address preparedness, response, mitigation and recovery.
Stress and Crisis Management
This course, to be delivered in three phases, addresses conflict resolution, stress management and working with survivors. Combining aspects of sociological and psychological considerations, students will be introduced to skills necessary to help resolve interpersonal conflict under very trying and stressful conditions like those marked by catastrophic incidents such as a terrorist act or a natural disaster. Students will learn that conflict is an inevitable, and complex, yet normal result of working closely with others in a high pressure, stress-inducing environment. There will be persons with competing personal as well as professional goals, egocentric maneuvering for power and influence and petty jealousies. Working under pressure, often fighting fatigue, irregular (and often unwholesome) meals, dealing with strict timelines and often irritable personalities, stress accumulates and takes an exacting toll on a person. This course will provide students with guidelines and methods for recognizing and mitigating high-pressure stress inducing symptoms. Students will find that survivors of a traumatic event will have various psychological and physical reactions.
Homeland Security & Crisis Management Planning
This course will provide students with the necessary tools for planning and responding to Homeland Security threats and disasters, and for managing emergency situations. Students will be introduced to the "how to" aspects of planning.