Advantages To Earning A Security Management Degree
A security management degree prepares individuals with the educational background necessary to work as qualified professionals within the ever changing information technology and private security sectors. Security management students gain the skills necessary to create and execute security plans, provide protective intelligence, and assess threats while working within a growing industry. Online security management degree programs are often one of the most convenient paths to advancing educational, personal, and career goals. Many colleges and universities offer innovative, online curricula to students managing job or family responsibilities while pursuing their degree.
Most online degree programs provide virtually similar educational experiences, instruction, and materials as their traditional, on campus equivalents. Additionally, online courses give students an added flexibility in course scheduling and 24 hour access to course materials. Online courses also give groups of generally 25 students one on one access to instructors and other students. Online degree programs are a great way for students to expand education and gain the skills necessary for future success.
What Students Learn Through An Online Security Management Degree Program
Students enrolled within an online security management degree program gain the training and experiences necessary to evaluate, analyze, and address/ security issues, programs, and threats within public and private sectors. A security management degree program gives students the ability to expand educational and career goals to protect information, provide cyber security, recover information, protect trade secrets, perform background investigations, and provide surveillance. Students enrolled in an associate’s degree program participate in courses like: asset protection; public safety administration; professional etiquette and ethics; law for security personnel; security methods; history of Western civilization; principles of economics; comparative politics; international relations; principles of psychology; introduction to sociology; computer fundamentals; research and report writing; English composition; algebra; health science; introduction to data communications and networking; security administration; security and loss prevention; introduction to databases; computer forensics; introduction to programming and logic; and cyber law.
Graduates from an associate degree program in security management may advance to entry level jobs or bachelor degree programs. Courses at a bachelor degree level include: introduction to security; physical security’ information security; homeland security fundamentals; loss prevention and crime prevention; legal aspects of security; emergency planning; terrorism motivations and adversaries; mathematics; statistics; computer science; computer programming; computer engineering; critical thinking; business ethics; professional communication; security investigation techniques; computer forensics and cyber-crime; organizational leadership; and organizational behavior.
Graduates from a bachelor degree program may advance to employment or master degree programs. Courses at a master’s degree level include: security management; legal and ethical issues in security; security administration and management; business assets protection; emergency planning; information systems security; behavioral issues; integrated studies in security management; terrorism and extremist activity; advanced executive protection; advanced strategies and crisis preparedness; advanced open source intelligence; advanced protocol, manners, and etiquette; advanced counterterrorism; advanced protection operations; advanced protective intelligence; terroist group dynamics; advanced consequence management and incident command system; advanced intelligence collection; advanced surveillance and countersurveillance; background investigations; advanced threat assessment; stalking and workplace violence; advanced intelligence operations; cyberterriorism, cyberwarfare, and cybercrime; finance; marketing; accounting; management; systems design; networking; database management; systems security; and white collar crime.
Graduates who complete a master’s degree may advance to supervisory positions or doctoral degree programs. Courses at a doctoral degree level include: management of information technology; quantitative research techniques; network security; compliance management; assurance controls; security management; and dissertation research. Graduates from doctoral degree programs are qualified as experts within the field of security management and work as researchers or instructors within facilities, colleges, and universities.
Prospective Jobs For Security Management Degree Graduates
Security management degree graduates gain specialized technical knowledge, strong communication skills, and vital business training necessary for career success. Graduates with security management degrees are expected to find excellent job prospects per reports by the U.S. Bureau and Labor and Statistics (BLS). As with most occupations, job prospects for security management degree graduates are dependent upon factors like educational level, geographic location, area of specialty, and related work experience. A security management degree generally qualifies individuals for employment within the public and private sectors performing background investigations, protection and recovery, cyber security, trade secret protection and surveillance. Security management degree graduates often find employment within local or international businesses and corporations or within governmental intelligence agencies. Many work as computer and information systems managers, campus security managers, information security managers, and chief technology officers.
Graduates who obtain an associates degree often find entry level employment working under the supervision of more experienced security managers. Graduates who obtain a bachelor degree are generally qualified for security manager jobs with greater responsibilities. Most employers prefer graduates who obtain a master’s degree with specialization in a technology or business based field like finance, marketing, accounting, management, network, database management, systems design, or systems security. Additionally, many graduates with security management degrees often gain work experience necessary for jobs within intelligence organizations like the CIA, FBI, DIA, NSA, the U.S. Secret Service, or Special Forces units.
Salary Range For Graduates With Security Management Degrees
Graduates with a security management degree earn salaries dependent upon level of education, organization of employment, area of specialty, level of responsibility, geographic location, and related work experience. The U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics generally have earnings ranging from $88,240 to $141,890. Graduates who obtain an associate degree often complete advanced degrees while working within entry level positions in the field and have salaries less than graduates who obtain advanced degrees. Graduates who obtain a bachelor degree often have salaries ranging from $64,000 to $93,000 annually. Graduates with a masters or doctoral degrees often have earnings over $100,000 annually. Most computer and information systems managers also receive additional bonus like stock option plans, performance based bonuses, and expense accounts.
Career Outlook and Advancement Opportunities For Graduates With Security Management Degrees
Graduates who complete security management degrees are expected to find plentiful job opportunities as technology expands and the demand for qualified professionals increases. The U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics reports that growth in the field of security management to increase by 17 percent by 2018 at a faster than average rate in comparison to other occupations. As a tremendous amount of information is continuously transferred over the Internet and many businesses rely on computer networks, the need to uphold and maintain the integrity of computing environments will create plentiful job opportunities and stable careers for graduates with security management degrees.
The private sector spends an estimated $100 billion dollars annually preserving the security of their assets, employees, clients, customers, and property and provides ample career opportunities for graduates with security management degrees. Graduates who specialize training, continue education, and gain work experience often attract promotions, increased salaries, and increased responsibilities. Some graduates upon earning adequate funding and related work experience open self owned consulting businesses. Other graduates may advance to higher degree programs to qualify as experts within the field of security management and work as executives, instructors, or researchers within corporations, colleges or universities, and other facilities.
