Cal State San Bernardino has been listed among the top 25 colleges in the nation with master’s degree programs in security studies, according to Security Degree Hub.

CSUSB, ranked at No. 14, offers a master of arts in national security studies through the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences and is the only California State University to make the list.

“We are delighted to be ranked among the nation’s top master’s programs in security studies. Dr. Mark Clark, Dr. Brian Janiskee, and the talented team of faculty they lead have worked tirelessly on building an outstanding and dynamic graduate program in National Security Studies here at CSUSB,” said Rafik Mohamed, dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. “On several occasions, I have had the pleasure of visiting with our NSS program alumni who work in the top law enforcement and intelligence agencies in the country. To a person, they credit the high-quality education they received here at CSUSB for training them to think critically and responsively, and for ideally equipping them to capably address our most pressing contemporary national and international security concerns.”

All of the ranked institutions are accredited, trusted colleges and universities that offer master’s degrees in areas such as homeland security, security management and counterterrorism. The programs were ranked according to three factors related to return on investment:

1.     Cost (from IPEDS data),
2.     Salary Potential (from College Scorecard data), and
3.     Student Satisfaction (from Niche student reviews).

“Extensive growth in Homeland Security, counterterrorism, intelligence, and other aspects of the security industry since 9/11 mean that security is one of the fastest-growing and most in-demand occupational paths in the U.S.,” the Security Degree Hub website says.

CSUSB’s master of arts in national security studies is designed to develop an understanding of the substance and principles of defense policy analysis, strategic planning and arms control in relation to the contemporary international environment.

The program takes an interdisciplinary approach to defense policies and provides students with a strong foundation in the analytical skills they need to advance in their career. It also provides students with elective courses that allow students to learn about areas of interest.

“The degree program recognizes the challenges of security in an increasingly global environment and strives to ensure students are prepared for the challenges they will face when moving into more complex roles within a national security position,” the Security Degree Hub website says.

To see the complete list of rankings, visit the Security Degree Hub website.

Visit the Department of Political Science Graduate Programs website to learn more about the program.