NPS offers master's degree in Homeland defense - News You Can Use - Naval Postgraduate School

Navy Supply Corps Newsletter, May-June, 2003 by Joe Navratil

MONTEREY, Calif. (NNS) -- Defeating terrorism is the focus of a unique new master's degree program at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) in Monterey, Calif.

On Jan. 6, NPS launched the nation's first curriculum in homeland defense and security, enrolling 14 students who already serve in significant homeland security-related positions.

The need for this program was identified by its two sponsors, the Department of Justice's Office for Domestic Preparedness and the U.S. Navy.

These sponsors found that despite the emergence of terrorism as a dire challenge to national security,, no graduate-level program existed to help the next generation of leadership deal with that threat. The NPS program is structured to fill this gap in leadership development.

"Education will play a key role in strengthening homeland security," said Homeland Security Advisor Tom Ridge. "By equipping students with the knowledge and analytic skills they will need to counter the evolving threat of terrorism, programs such as the Naval Postgraduate School's can help us meet our future leadership requirements and build interagency teamwork."

The entering class of 14 students will take specialized courses on protecting critical infrastructure, sharing intelligence and supporting civilian authorities, among other topics that will continue to pose policy-making and management challenges. The students--from federal, state and local governments--will also learn how to build effective interagency and civil-military cooperation.

"The 18-month long curriculum will be primarily a Web-based distance learning program, reinforced by brief, intensive seminars in Monterey. This program structure reflects the fact that our entering students already serve in significant homeland security-related positions," said RADM David R. Ellison, the NPS Superintendent. "By enabling them to learn while retaining their positions, we can reach the pool of students who will benefit the most from this curriculum."

For related news, visit the Naval Postgraduate School Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/nps.> LCDR Joe Navratil, USN, Naval Postgraduate School Public Affairs

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