JCC to Launch New Homeland Security Degree Program

Jefferson is only one of three public/private institutions in the state of New York to offer an associate’s degree in homeland security. Designed to be the first two years of a four-year education, Jefferson has transfer agreements with SUNY Canton and SUNY Empire to provide seamless transfer for students. A partner of the Jefferson Higher Education Center, SUNY Empire offers classes on JCC’s campus. Local transfer institutions include SUNY Oswego, SUNY Potsdam, Syracuse University, and Rochester Institute of Technology.    

Graduates of the homeland security program will be able to identify the issues confronting practitioners in homeland security, summarize the strategies and systems involved in protecting and responding to a wide range of threats from terrorism, explain the provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act and ethical, constitutional, and civil liberties issues involved in intelligence operations. Additionally, they will have the knowledge of terrorism prevention, border security, disaster preparedness and emergency response, evidence and intelligence data analysis, security risk identification and response plans development.

“Our goal with the homeland security program is to fill a significant void and meet the manpower needs of local, regional and national employment sectors in both the public and private sectors,” said Thomas J. Finch, Jefferson’s vice president for academic affairs. 

The Homeland Security A.S. degree can be completed in four semesters of full-time study or over a longer period through part-time study.  All of the required classes are offered on campus and several are offered online. Students who wish to enroll in this program for the Spring 2019 semester are encouraged to contact Enrollment Services, 315-786-2437 or admissions@sunyjefferson.edu as soon as possible to begin the application process. The College application is available online. Information about on-campus student housing is available online or by contacting the Office of Housing and Residence Life at 315-755-0411.

For more information about the homeland security program at JCC, contact Paul Alteri, Public Safety Department chair, at (315) 786-2442 or email palteri@sunyjefferson.edu.

Prospective students can also learn more about the homeland security program at Jefferson’s Open House on November 16, 2018.