What Can I Do with a Homeland Security Degree?

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security was created following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Now, more than 200,000 federal employees work to protect and guard our nation against crises that include terrorist attacks, man-made accidents, and natural disasters. The Department of Homeland Security comprises 22 federal agencies with a combined budget of nearly $100 billion a year.

If you are interested in a career in which you can work toward the important goal of protecting your community, state, and nation, you might want to know: What can I do with a homeland security degree?

Pursuing working for the federal government in agencies such as the U.S Coast Guard, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Emergency Management Agency is one option for those with a homeland security-related degree.

Vitally important jobs within the federal government that require a homeland security-related degree include:

• Postal Inspector, whose job is to protect the nation's mail system;
• IRS special agent, who works to catch tax evaders;
• Federal Air Marshal, who protects our nation's flyways;
• Malware analysts, who search out and destroy malicious software.
• FBI agent, working to protect the nation against national and international terrorism;
• Members of FEMA's Senior Executive Service, who oversee the nation's response to natural and man-made disasters.

But graduates with a homeland security degree are also primed for careers outside of the federal government. Local law enforcement agencies, protective services companies, and private security firms all prize graduates with a homeland security-related degree. There are also countless other rewarding security-related careers with private businesses contracted by the federal government, as well as jobs involving crisis management and security with local and state governments.

Specifically, some examples of non-federal jobs that can be filled by graduates with a homeland security degree include:

• Campus police officers, who oversee security on college and university campuses;
• State emergency management specialists, who work to develop emergency protocols;
• A counterterrorism analyst for a private company contracted by the federal government to oversee the nation's efforts at combating terrorism activity;
• Internal security guards for private companies, whose role is to protect employees and the company technology from hackers;
• Detectives and criminal investigators for local and state law enforcement agencies.
• Computer security employees, who work to protect company and government technologies from hackers and terrorists.