U.S. Department of Homeland Security Expands Graduate Education Program

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced today that it is increasing homeland security graduate education opportunities to government officials by establishing the "DHS Homeland Security Academy" within the National Capital Region. The first class for the academy will begin June 6 at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's Eastern Management Development Center in Shepherdstown, W.Va., and will include DHS, state, local and military officials.

"Establishing the Homeland Security Academy is a significant achievement in the implementation of a comprehensive DHS education and training system," said George Tanner, the chief learning officer for DHS. "Investing in the leadership and management capability of our employees is a top priority of the department."

The Homeland Security Academy master's degree program is taught, and the degree awarded, by the Naval Postgraduate School's (NPS) Center for Homeland Defense and Security. All classes have local, state and federal government officials from public health, law enforcement, fire, emergency management and other disciplines that make up homeland security. However, the Shepherdstown classes will include more DHS and federal officials than state and local officials.

Three groups of students per year are currently educated at the NPS campus in Monterey, Calif. The June 6 class will raise the annual number of classes conducted by NPS to four with plans for a fifth class in 2008, which will also be offered in Shepherdstown.

"The NPS master's program has a proven track record of building a national network of leaders who work across agency and jurisdictional lines to solve problems and protect the American people," said FEMA Administrator Dave Paulison. "We are very pleased to be able to leverage this successful program and offer more opportunity for DHS employees to learn in a setting that mirrors homeland security across the nation."

More than 150 government officials have earned master's degrees through the NPS 18-month program, which is sponsored by FEMA's National Preparedness directorate. The master's program prepares leaders to develop the policies, strategies, programs and organizational arrangements to prevent and respond to terrorist attacks and other disasters and strengthen the interagency and intergovernmental relationships that homeland security requires.

Source: U.S. Department of Homeland Security