Homeland Security

The program follows Keiser University's one-class-at-a-time model, with students taking a single course over each four-week term and new classes starting every month. The associate degree requires 60 credit hours and can typically be completed in approximately 20 months, depending on individual factors such as transfer credit (up to 12 transfer credits may be accepted).

Classes are available online, on-campus at select Florida locations, or in a hybrid format, with day and evening options at participating campuses. Small classes maintain roughly a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio. The program is coursework-based and does not require a clinical rotation or externship.

The curriculum pairs 24 credit hours of homeland security major courses with 36 credit hours of general education. Representative major courses are listed below.

Required Courses

Tuition is charged per 16-week semester based on scheduled credit hours. Full-time enrollment (12 to 17.99 credits) is approximately $12,408 per semester per Keiser University's Undergraduate Tuition & Fee Disclosure (subject to annual review). At a typical full-time pace, the 60-credit-hour associate degree spans about four semesters, for an estimated tuition of roughly $49,632. A one-time $55 application fee and one-time $145 registration fee apply at enrollment. Actual cost varies with course load, transfer credit, and any applicable course resource fees.

Financial aid is available to those who qualify, including the Federal Pell Grant, FSEOG, Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans, Direct PLUS Loans, and Federal Work-Study, along with Florida's FSAG and EASE programs, institutional scholarships, and veterans and military education benefits. Students should complete the FAFSA annually using School Code 015159. A Net Price Calculator is available at https://www.keiseruniversity.edu/NPC-index.html.

Estimated total program tuition of about $49,632 (full-time semesters at ~$12,408/semester); actual cost varies with pace and transfer credit.

The program is designed to help graduates obtain entry-level employment across homeland security and public-safety fields. Graduates pursue roles such as emergency management professional, border patrol agent, Transportation Security Officer (TSA), intelligence analyst, law enforcement officer, Coast Guard personnel, FEMA support roles, customs agent, security specialist, and threat-assessment analyst.

Graduates work in settings including federal, state, and local government agencies, emergency management and public-safety departments, transportation and border-security operations, and private-sector security organizations. The associate degree also serves as a foundation for continuing into Keiser University's Bachelor of Arts in Homeland Security. This program does not lead to a specific professional license or national certification exam.

Expect to focus on one class at a time in four-week terms, moving through the material in a structured, sequential way that suits both recent high school graduates and working adults, career changers, and military veterans. Classes are small and taught by faculty with real-world experience in law enforcement, emergency management, and national security.

Major coursework is discussion- and analysis-driven, covering topics such as terrorism response, emergency planning, cyber- and bio-terrorism, hazardous materials, and the legal and constitutional framework of homeland security. General education courses strengthen writing, speaking, quantitative, and critical-thinking skills. With online, on-campus, and hybrid options, students can balance study with existing work and family commitments.