The September 11th terrorist attacks put homeland security at the very top of the national public policy agenda. There is perhaps no more important mission facing the U.S. government. But, as the National Strategy for Homeland Security argues, securing the homeland is an extremely complex mission that requires a coordinated and integrated effort from all levels of society - the federal government, state and local governments, the private and nonprofit sectors, and the American people. The concept of "homeland security" focuses on protecting the nation from terrorist attacks but it also encompasses planning and preparing for natural disasters, protecting the nation’s critical infrastructure and key resources, and responding to and recovering from incidents when they do occur.

The Homeland Security track prepares students for these challenges. Track courses seek to inform students of the current realities, describe the challenges that will require action in the very near future, and examine effective strategies for enhancing homeland security. Course offerings cover a range of important topics, including homeland security policy, national security policy, civil-military relations, crisis leadership, risk assessment, federalism and intergovernmental relations, emergency management, and epidemiology for public policy.

Students in this track are well-positioned for careers in a variety of public, nonprofit, and private organizations such as American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research (AEI), BearingPoint, Booz Allen Hamilton, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Central Intelligence Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, Detica, Heritage Foundation, Homeland Security and Defense Business Council, Homeland Security Institute, Potomac Institute for Policy Studies, SAIC, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. Government Accountability Office.