Master of Science in Security Administration

The course of study can be pursued on a full- or part-time basis. Furthermore, a three semester sequence has been arranged within the academic year to provide occasion for expediting the completion of program requirements. Close faculty student contact is maintained to assist each student in formulating realistic individual objectives and in selecting course work to attain them. Program arrangements are flexible so that individual needs can be served. At least 50 percent of students enrolling in the two graduate programs are employed full-time, often in the field they are pursuing. Course scheduling and specific, individualized programs are designed to take advantage of student's backgrounds and to permit students to pursue the master's degree at the pace most reasonable to themselves. All programs may be taken in the late afternoon and/or late evening, full or part-time.

Admission Requirements:

Applicants must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college and must have demonstrated intellectual competence for graduate study. Selection is based on such factors as previous academic record (at least a 2.7 GPA) and/or relevant experience. Acceptance on a probationary status is allowed in some cases where academic standards are not fully met but competence has been indicated by the level of the applicant's professional advancement. Also, as prerequisites, applicants must have had at least 15 hours of basic course work in the behavioral/social sciences and should solicit three letters of recommendation. Arrangements can be made to make up deficiencies.

Degree Requirements:

The master's degree programs require completion of a minimum of 36 credit hours of work with a final GPA of at least 3.0 (B). Prescribed core courses are listed below. In addition to course work, all candidates for the master's degree must complete a research component. This is done in one of three ways: (a) a master's thesis, which also conveys six credit hours; (b) two major review papers, or "Plan B" papers, which do not convey course credit; or (c) a master's research paper, which conveys three credit hours. These research components must receive a grade of B or better. In addition, a final comprehensive paper is written during the last semester before the degree is awarded. The master's paper is content-oriented across the 36 hours of the course sequence.

Core Requirements

21 of the 36 hours are to include the following courses:

• SEC 401/510 Security Systems & Crime Prevention (3cr.)
• SEC 495/595 Computer & Information security (3cr.)
• CJS 540 Criminal Justice Process & Criminal Law (3cr.)
• CJS 541 Trends in Constitutional Law (3cr.)
• SEC 501 Legal Issues in Security (3cr.)
• SEC 502 Principle of Loss Prevention (3 cr)
• COR 599 Terminal Seminar (3cr.)
• INT 542 Leadership in Intelligence Analysis/Security Organizations. (3cr.)

Based on the student's undergraduate work and career experience, substitutions for the above courses may be made with the approval of the department chair. In addition to the 21 credits, students elect two additional courses in security administration and one course in criminal justice studies to complete the core requirements. Six additional hours may be selected from appropriate graduate departments at the University of Detroit Mercy (e.g., addiction studies, business, education, security, etc.) to complete the 36 hour program.

Related Links

• Current term class schedule
• Course Descriptions