Security Assurance Studies

School of Justice Studies

Security in the 21st century transcends law enforcement and government service to encompass many disciplines -- and many avenues to career success. As a Security Assurance Studies major, you’ll learn how to become a security professional who makes sound decisions in the face of dynamic local, national and global issues. This broad interdisciplinary program allows you to specialize in the area of security that interests you most, whether that’s foreign languages or computer science.

The Bachelor of Science in Security Assurance Studies

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The Security Assurance Studies major is designed to develop security professionals capable of making sound decisions, lifelong learning, and the ability to deal with the global, national, and local issues which are a dynamic function of many different components of civilization. Security is an area which can take on many forms. Traditionally, the idea of security referred specifically to areas of law enforcement or government service in the protection of secrets and personnel. Today, security transcends all these areas to encompass many disciplines as well as to provide many avenues to career success.
 
This major allows students to focus on the area of study which interests them most. The major’s mission is two-fold:
  1. To prepare students for a career in security, where the preparation is sufficiently broad to allow choices and opportunities as to which direction the study may take.
  2. To prepare students for specialized work through focus in a particular area of security with advanced coursework.
This major is interdisciplinary in nature. In this program, students will complete an inter-disciplinary study of security and a 4-course focus in an approved area of security assurance (e.g. Foreign Languages, Computer Science, etc). Students will study a variety of disciplines to provide a broad exposure to the many different areas of security assurance: business, justice studies, ethics, logic, political science, psychology, communications, and technology.

Degree Requirements

Students pursuing a bachelor of science degree in Security Assurance Studies must satisfy the University Core Curriculum requirements, the major required courses listed below, and a sufficient number of electives to total at least 120 credit hours.

Major Courses:

COMM210Introduction to Public Speaking 
PHIL205Logic 
PHIL200Ethics 
ECON 111 or ECON 112
MATH124Statistics 

Political Science

POLSC110The United States in World Affairs 
POLSC210International Relations 

Security Assurance Studies

SEC100Introduction to Personal Computer Hardware 
SEC200Introduction to Computer Security Techniques 
SEC320Digital Forensics I 
SEC450Law for Networking, Security, and Forensic Professionals 
SEC499Senior Colloquium 

Criminal Justice and Legal Studies

CJS 105 or LS 101
CJS201Substantive Criminal Law 
CJS210Law of Evidence 
CJS320Civil and Criminal Procedures in U.S. Courts 
CJS424Securing the Homeland 

Psychology

PSYCH100Introduction to Psychology 
PSYCH240Quantitative Analysis 
PSYCH250Introduction to Theories of Personality 
PSYCH320Forensic Psychology 
PSYCH340Research Methods 
or
CJS254Research Methods for Criminal Justice 

Students will also complete the following:

  • a Focus Study consisting of five classes that will be proposed to an advisor for approval. This set of five courses is arranged between the advisor and student. At least 3 of the courses must be upper division.
  • an internship in security which complements the Focus Study area.

Internship Opportunities

  • U.S. Marshal
  • Rhode Island Department of Attorney General
  • Rhode Island State Police
  • Verisign
  • Amica Insurance
  • Genzyme
  • Citizens Bank

Employers

  • Rhode Island State Police
  • Amica Insurance
  • Department of Homeland Security
  • Providence Police
  • Paychex, Inc.
  • Raytheon Company
  • Federal Bureau of Investigation
  • Connecticut State Police
  • Genzyme
  • Citizens Bank

Affiliated Academic Programs

  • SJS “Law in Europe” Study Abroad Program
  • SJS Study Abroad in Westminster, England