Master of Security Management

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The Master of Security Management is an innovative program developed in collaboration with leaders in security management and delivered completely online. The goal of the program is to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to address the continuously changing security environment. MSM is for individuals who have a goal of leadership in the security industry and are able to demonstrate professional competency and commitment to their organizations and the community.

About the Program

UHD's MSM degree prepares managers in reducing organization’s risk by identifying threats, be they cyber threats or traditional criminal and terrorist threats. Course discussions include the mitigation of risk posed by cybercriminals and cyber terrorists (local and multinational) such as extortion, exposure of data, and infiltration. They also include topics related to business continuity and leadership in security expertise. Our fully online program fits into your busy schedule.With 24/7 access to lectures, class requirements can be completed at your convenience. This makes earning your Master of Security Management degree at UHD is the right move to advance your career. 

Graduates of the program will learn to be able to: 

• Integrate and apply cross-functional business and security knowledge to solve a problem; and apply critical reasoning from strategic and global learning perspectives in managing risk. 
• Develop, implement and refine policies and plans which include: Comprehensive identification of organizational security risk exposure; Cost-effective risk mitigation strategies; Recovery strategies; and Strategies for refinement and improvement based upon lessons learned during implementation. 
• Analyze and use statistical data to inform decisions relating to operational security. 
• Design security-focused professional development programs based on a needs analysis. 
• Work in and lead teams effectively. 
• Use effective oral communication to converse at an executive level with functional units within the organization about business and organizational security issues; and convey critical information during a crisis situation to a variety of audiences. 

UHD’s Master of Security Management degree is a unique program that can be completed completely online, and in as little as one-year. It is comprised of two concentration tracks:  

• Enterprise Security
• Cybersecurity

A six-course stand-alone Cybersecurity certificate is also available, which can be rolled over to satisfy part of the full degree in the Cybersecurity concentration.

All MSM courses are taught by Marilyn Davies College of Business faculty and local practicing security professionals. The program is a combination of security courses in a chosen concentration and business management courses. 

The online coursework is supplemented with an annual 1-2 day in-person seminar. 

The MSM program is a 36 hour program, comprised of: 

21 hours of core courses (includes a 6 hour Capstone)
15 hours of concentration courses.

A Security Management scholarship is available to all graduate students who are admitted to the MSM program. To be considered, students must demonstrate their contribution to the program, as well as the impact the scholarship will have on their career.

Career Options

Earning your MSM degree can lead to careers in the business security, corporate security, and cybersecurity management field. The MSM program focuses on helping students acquire the necessary tools to eventually become a mid-level or upper-level manager tasked with protecting an organization from harm. Many of our graduates have a bachelor’s degree in something other than business and chose this program as a means to be promoted in their field.