CANTON – SUNY Canton has received approval from the State University of New York and the State Department of Education to offer a new homeland security bachelor of technology degree.

“The Homeland Security Program is the perfect complement to both the criminal investigation and the law enforcement leadership programs,” said SUNY Canton Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Carli C. Schiffner.

Students can apply immediately for enrollment for the fall semester.

“We created this program to add another specialized area of education to our options available in the overall criminal justice field,” said Susan E. Buckley, an associate professor and the criminal investigation department chair. “The homeland security major will prepare students to deter motivated attacks on private and public assets. They will learn how to protect people, property and infrastructures.”

Buckley explained graduates of the program would potentially be eligible to work in a private security firm, private industry, or a federal, state, or local criminal justice agencies including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (the investigative branch of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security), the International Criminal Police Organization, the FBI, and the Transportation Security Administration, among others.

“Where it differs from our current programs is homeland security students will be able to identify a wide range of threats, both foreign and domestic, and be appropriately prepared to respond to those threats,” said Paul R. Bowdre, an assistant professor and a lead faculty member in the new program.

Among key changes in the scope of learning is the integration of technology to monitor and respond to terrorist threats, including fiscal, human resource, and technological concerns.

To view the full program webpage, visit www.canton.edu/sci_health/home/.

For more information or to apply contact the SUNY Canton Office of Admissions at 386-7123 or admissions@canton.edu.