College of Social Sciences & Humanities

Security and Resilience Studies

Master's : Boston
Certificate : Boston
Certificate : Seattle
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We live in a world of increasing transnational risks, systemic vulnerabilities, and environmental challenges. Our Master of Science in Security and Resilience Studies program provides skills in data analysis, leadership, and systemic thinking to help the next generation of leaders build organizations, communities, and societies that can withstand forthcoming challenges. We have seen great success in placing students in a number of security and resilience related industries. Some of our alumni are now working at CyberSheath Services International, LLC, Massachusetts Port Authority, Volpe Center, and the UnitedHealth Group.
 

Boston
Location
Full-Time
Part-Time
Commitment
1-3 Years
Duration
Classroom
Program Format
Overview

Security and Resilience Studies is an emerging field of inquiry that focuses on how global, national, and subnational actors manage a range of chronic transnational challenges that can be destabilizing to societies such as terrorism, organized crime, weapons proliferation, cyber attacks, bio-terrorism, climate change and catastrophic disasters, migration, and radicalization.

This program integrates security studies with cutting-edge education to ensure that key systems promote societal resilience. Students can deepen their knowledge in fields such as cyberspace policy, counterterrorism, infrastructure protection, urban resilience, and risk management. The combination of a unique academic curriculum and experiential education—all taught by top academics and experts in the security industry—provides students with a multidisciplinary approach to addressing these important issues.

Learn more about the Master of Science in Security and Resilience Studies from the College of Social Sciences and Humanities.

 

 

More Details

Unique Features

  • Students conduct a capstone research or consulting project under the supervision of a faculty adviser or an optional graduate Dialogue course that includes a 5-week international experience followed by two weeks of researching and writing a capstone project paper.
  • MS program provides students with both policy and technical skills.
  • Four available specializations in Security Administration, Management and Policy; Counterterrorism and Conflict Studies; Resilient Cities; and Cybersecurity Policy and Information Assurance.
  • Select courses offered in online or hybrid formats.
  • Low-residency option available for students outside of the Boston area.

Career Outlook

The need to devise strategies to survive disruptive events, recover quickly, and rebuild stronger clearly applies not only to local and national governments and their agencies but also to private industry. Resilience focuses on identifying risk, understanding the systems involved in that risk assessment, and the determination of how to mitigate it, as well as how to bounce back and adapt after disruption. Opportunities for graduates with resilience knowledge and skills are sought within:

  • Public Safety and Public Health
  • Energy/Power
  • Transportation
  • Communications
  • Supply chain management
  • Government entities, including DHS, FBI, Secret Service and branches of the military (as a private contractor)

Recent graduates of the MS in Security and Resilience Studies degree have found employment in a wide variety of opportunities, including:

  • Data analyst: US Marshals Service
  • Program analyst and emergency management: FEMA
  • Cyber security analyst: major health insurance corporation
  • Aviation security specialist: Massachusetts Port Authority
  • Security consultant for private industry customers

Testimonials

"The program proved to be unique because of the exposure to world-class practitioners in the classroom."

Brad Belzak, Program Graduate

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Admissions

Admissions Dates

Fall Term

February 1: Priority deadline
June 15: Final deadline for International applicants
August 15: Final deadline for domestic applicants
August 25: Final deadline for Special Student applicants

Spring Term

October 1: Final deadline for International applicants
December 1: Final deadline for domestic applicants
December 15: Final deadline for Special Student applicants


Admissions decisions are made on a rolling basis.

Requirements

  • Application
  • Application fee – US $75.00
  • Personal statement
  • Unofficial transcripts from all institutions attended
  • English proficiency for international applicants
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Official GRE General Scores 
  • Resumé
Are You an International Student?
Find out what additional documents are required to apply.
Global Engagement
Learn how our teaching and research benefit from a worldwide network of students, faculty and industry partners.
Curriculum

General Requirements

Security and Resilience Policy

POLS 7341 - Security and Resilience Policy 
3.00 
POLS 7342 - Security and Resilience Studies Toolkit 
1.00 

Security

POLS 7347 - Controversial Issues in Security Studies 
1.00 
POLS 7369 - International Security 
3.00 

Critical Infrastructure

POLS 7704 - Critical Infrastructure Resilience 
4.00 

Capstone

Requires 6 semester hours:

POLS 7980 - Capstone Project 
6.00 

Specializations

Choose one from the following:

Administration, Management, and Policy

Complete 12 semester hours from the following:

POLS 7202 - Quantitative Techniques 
3.00 
PPUA 6506 - Techniques of Policy Analysis 
3.00 
PPUA 6503 - Public Personnel Administration 
3.00 
PPUA 6504 - Organizational Theory and Management 
3.00 
PPUA 6505 - Public Budgeting and Financial Management 
3.00 
PPUA 6502 - Economic Institutions and Analysis 
3.00 
PPUA 6507 - Institutional Leadership and the Public Manager 
3.00 
Counterterrorism and Conflict Studies

Complete 12 semester hours from the following:

CRIM 7242 - Terrorism and International Crime 
3.00 
SOCL 7231 - Sociology of Prejudice and Violence 
3.00 
POLS 7343 - Counterterrorism 
3.00 
POLS 7344 - Hard Power, Soft Power, and Smart Power 
3.00 
POLS 7360 - Ethnic Political Conflict 
3.00 
POLS 7361 - U.S. National Security Policy 
3.00 
POLS 7363 - Politics of Revolution and Change 
3.00 
POLS 7364 - Terrorism, Violence, and Politics 
3.00 
POLS 7365 - Totalitarianism and Oppressive Government 
3.00 
POLS 7366 - Genocide in a Comparative Perspective 
3.00 
    

Cybersecurity Policy

Complete 12 semester hours from the following

IA 5001 - Cyberspace Technology and Applications 
3.00 
IA 5010 - Foundations of Information Assurance 
4.00 
IA 5200 - Security Risk Management and Assessment 
4.00 
IA 5210 - Information System Forensics 
4.00 
IA 5240 - Cyberlaw: Privacy, Ethics, and Digital Rights 
4.00 
IA 5250 - Decision Making for Critical Infrastructure 
4.00 
Resilient Cities

Complete 12 semester hours from the following:

PPUA 5261 - Dynamic Modeling for Environmental Decision Making 
3.00 
PPUA 5262 - Big Data for Cities 
3.00 
PPUA 5263 - Geographic Information Systems for Urban and Regional Policy 
3.00 
PPUA 5265 - Urban and Regional Policy in Developing Countries 
3.00 
PPUA 5266 - Urban Theory and Science 
3.00 
PPUA 6201 - The Twenty-First Century City: Urban Opportunities and Challenges in a Global Context 
3.00 
PPUA 6205 - Research Design and Methodology in Urban and Regional Policy 
3.00 
PPUA 6206 - Research Toolkit for Urban and Regional Policy: Geographic Information Systems 
1.00 
PPUA 7237 - Advanced Spatial Analysis of Urban Systems 
3.00 
PPUA 7238 - Climate Change and Urbanization in Developing Countries 
3.00 
LPSC 7312 - Cities, Sustainability, and Climate Change 
3.00 
Experiential Learning

Northeastern's signature experiential learning model combines academics with professional practice to help students acquire relevant, real-world skills they can apply to their desired industry. Each program offers its own unique experiential learning opportunities, but they might include:

  • Full-Time Co-op Opportunities — Students on co-op work in a paid position in their field of study for three to six months.
  • In-Class Case Studies — Professors integrate case studies and exercises into the classroom to bring a real-world perspective and relevance to what they’re teaching.
  • Research — Students collaborate with faculty in our more than 30 federally funded research centers, tackling some of the most pressing challenges in health, security, and sustainability.
Faculty

Our Faculty

Our faculty represents a wide cross-section of professional practices and in fields ranging from finance to education to biomedical science to management to the U.S. military. They serve as mentors and advisors, and collaborate alongside students to solve the most pressing global challenges facing established and emerging markets.

View Security and Resilience Studies Faculty...

Stephen Flynn

Professor of Political Science; Co-Director, Kostas Research Institute

Max Abrahms

Assistant Professor of Political Science

Mai'a Cross

Associate Professor of Political Science and International Affairs

Daniel P. Aldrich

Director, Security and Resilience Studies Program
Students

By enrolling in Northeastern, you gain access to a network of more than 230,000 alumni and 3,000 employer partners, including Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and global NGOs. Our current students and faculty across strategically located regional campuses further foster that lifelong global community of learning and mentoring.

Below is a look at where our Political Science and Security alumni work, the positions they hold, and the skills they bring to their organization.

 

  • Where They Work

    • CyberSheath Services International, LLC
    • Massachusetts Port Authority
    • Insurance Fraud Bureau of MA
    • Fragomen Worldwide
    • Volpe Center
    • UnitedHealth Group

  • What They Do

    • Business Development
    • Education
    • Community and Social Services
    • Legal
    • Operations

  • What They're Skilled At

    • Public Speaking
    • Research
    • Leadership
    • Microsoft Office
    • Management

 

Learn more about Northeastern Alumni on Linkedin.

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