Online Undergraduate Certificate in Security Management

This course is an overview of the principles and issues in business and organizational security management. It reviews the classical management functions including the role of the Chief Security Officer and the principles of organizing the security function. It assesses the traditional management theories and concepts of planning, staffing, span of control as they are applied to the organization. Students examine the challenges embodied in various aspects of physical, personnel, and information security. Principles of loss prevention and the protection of assets are also considered. The history, legal foundations, functions, operations, processes, and tools of security management are explored to ensure the student has a broad understanding of security management and its current role in government and business operations.

This course assesses legal and ethical issues that inevitably affect security managers. It examines dimensions of security management including pertinent points of civil and criminal law, personnel law and obligations, negotiations, contract management, constitutional rights of individuals, legal compliance, liability, ethical standards and dilemmas, and decision-making.

This course explores industry standards, practices and methods of determining the adequacy of security management programs. It reviews the interplay of management structures, functions and processes as well as proper procedures for conducting physical security analyses and evaluations. The course examines the principles of operating technology-centered programs for the protection of assets.

This course focuses on the contemporary issues of security management such as substance abuse, violence, ideologies, adjudication and reconsideration reviews, security countermeasures, case management, use of examinations such as polygraphs, report writing, international commercial sales, and media relations. It also addresses the security manager’s role in personnel management, security planning, organizational communication, recruitment, retention, training and development, and management of contracts, as well as examines techniques and tools that help security managers understand bias, educate, and shift attitudes of employees towards more proactive security practices.

This course focuses on principles and practices that security managers can put to immediate use. The bedrock requirements of effective organization, staff selection, and daily operating procedures are emphasized over abstract concepts. Topics include guard operations, plans, policies, and procedures, workplace violence, managing change, bomb threat management, security awareness training, physical security, securing information systems, investigations, and employee screening.

Effective physical security is based on an accurate threat assessment followed by the implementation of an overlapping system of physical and electronic safeguards designed for the specific needs of the client. Topics covered include threat assessment, the security survey, architectural design for security, physical and electronic security methodologies, security lighting, perimeter protection and the guard force, clear zones, wall materials, signage, and the importance of effective and continuous local, state, and federal governmental liaison.