Daniel Webster College Announces
BS in Homeland Security 

New major features concentrations
in aviation and computer security

First of its kind in New England, enrolling students for next fall

NASHUA, NH — Before an audience of local, regional, and national politicians, as well as homeland security agency and government representatives, Daniel Webster College President Dr. Robert E. Myers unveiled the College's new interdisciplinary Bachelor of Science in Homeland Security major on October 19, 2007.

The program is currently enrolling students for next fall's start. More information is available at http://homelandsecurity.dwc.edu.

Said Myers, "Daniel Webster's newest undergraduate program -designed to take advantage of the College's distinctive strengths in aviation and computer science -reflects how we look at the concepts of peace, war, security, liberty and freedom, as we face conflicts on the ground and from sources on a scale new in its experience.

"As a nation, we have become sensitive to the impact of catastrophic disruptions of life by natural disaster, technological failure, or social upheaval. In addition to the new value on emergency preparedness, there is critical knowledge to be gained and shared and work to be done to devise systems that are tolerant of disruption and to anticipate the long-term social needs of communities seeking to reclaim stability and security."

NH's Second District Congressman, Paul Hodes, expressed his support for the program. "This degree program addresses an immediate need with an eye on the future," said Hodes. "This is a great opportunity for Daniel Webster College and for the entire State of New Hampshire. As I understand it, the objective is to prepare students for the nature of the threats to which homeland security seeks to respond, introduce them to the tools that may be used in threats to homeland security, and to acquaint them with the fundamental methods of assessment and response. 

Daniel Webster's program is unique in several ways. By taking advantage of the College's strength and high industry visibility in aviation and computer science, the program gains immediate credibility that other institutions cannot approach.  The College is also exploring new concentrations in communications and intelligence

Additionally, with the College's 40-plus year history of responding to new and emerging workforce needs in professional and technologically-challenging fields, graduates with a DWC degree in Homeland Security will be "workforce ready" and able to fill employers' immediate needs. And finally, this program, unlike many others, provides broad preparation instead of narrowly focusing on emergency preparedness.

Growth in Homeland Security Opportunities

Homeland Security involves dozens of critical roles played by men and women whom the public rarely sees. With the 9/11 tragedy, government and corporate planners sought out and employed military and law enforcement professionals.

Since that time, corporations and other organizations - especially those in aviation, computing, and other high-risk fields - have invested in resources designed to secure their operations.

Current and retired senior homeland security professionals are quick to point out that many of those staffing the government agencies and corporate security roles are mid-career and senior offers; when they retire, there will be a significant void to be filled and a scarcity of new professionals to take their place.

Additionally, beyond the obvious concerns with the war on terror, federal resources have been invested in planning and improving capacity to respond to natural disasters and plan for threats to safety that arise from disease.

Central to The Development of the Degree

Homeland security, said Dr. Michael Fishbein, provost and vice president of academic affairs at Daniel Webster and chair of the Homeland Security Program Committee, is considerably more than the techniques of emergency management, law enforcement, or disaster recovery.

"It is first and foremost about the nature of the threats we face and how we preserve who we are. Those who would become part of the homeland security infrastructure must understand why the job is necessary in the first place."

That is why, he explained, the core program curriculum requires the student to master coursework that explains the nation's liberties and the relative merits of forms of government; of psychology, to understand how people and nations become adversaries; and sociology, to understand how people react to an unexpected disaster like Hurricane Katrina.

Preparation for careers in homeland security must recognize the qualitatively unique challenges that professionals must master, Fishbein said. 

"Daniel Webster's program is based on the best thinking in the field, from the work of the National Academy of Science to our partners at the Center for Homeland Defense and Security at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. Additionally, to ensure credibility and quality of our program, we have joined more than 80 colleges and universities and government and corporate members of the Homeland Security and Defense Education Consortium." 

"The Consortium is working towards the creation of the first accreditation standards for higher education programs in Homeland Security. Daniel Webster College will be part of that effort."

A Program That Combines Theory and Practice

From a Daniel Webster College student's very first semester, he/she will be practicing participants in interactive projects overseen by industry/faculty experts. Studies include the sociology of disasters; risk and crisis management; continuity and recovery; ideology, conflict, and terror; and homeland security vulnerabilities and threats; each student participates in a homeland security internship. Students have the option of declaring a concentration in aviation security, computer security, or designing a custom concentration to suit their own goals.

The objective of the program - which arises from the College's mission of preparing "purposeful" men and women" by "the integration of theory and practice" for "professional entry" into technological fields - is to provide broad preparation that exposes students to the nature of the threats to which homeland security seeks to respond; the tools that may be used in threats to homeland security; and fundamental methods of assessment and response.

Completing the College's general education requirements assures competence in communication, critical thinking, cultural understanding, and citizenship.

Homeland security also demands an appreciation of the world "outside our windows and outside our borders," said Fishbein. To that end, the program requires students devote one year of study to another language or to focused study of another area of the world.

"The goal is not perfect fluency; it is, rather, to ensure that the student understands the diversity that is present in human culture," said Fishbein. "We believe sensitivity to language, social, political, and geographical realities are prerequisite to a successful career in this field."

Those Who Graduate
Graduates from Daniel Webster's Homeland Security program will be able to apply the principles of many disciplines to the comprehension and counteraction to human conflict; understand the nature of disasters and how systems, businesses and communities recover; process an interdisciplinary understanding of homeland security issues; and apply specific knowledge and skills in assuring aviation or computer security.

Recognizing that graduates will be life-long learners, he said, "Daniel Webster's program provides them with a solid core grounding and prepares them to help make our world both safe and free."

About Daniel Webster College

Daniel Webster College fulfills its mission by helping purposeful men and women discover how to channel that purpose in their lives through blending theory and practice from day one; and, in so doing, graduates leave Daniel Webster College "workforce ready" for entry and advancement in a variety of highly relevant professions. Visit us on the web at www.dwc.edu.

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