Homeland Security-Related Education and the Private Liberal Arts College

Abstract

Small private liberal arts colleges enjoy certain advantages when developing new academic programs, such as in homeland security-related education. These institutions offer students the opportunity to acquire a broad-based education in order to gain a holistic view of the world, a critical need in this age of global challenges. Smaller colleges can also adapt more quickly to changes in the marketplace and are able to develop new academic programs relatively quickly due to the ability to create effective partnerships between the faculty, who control the curriculum, and administration, which has the requisite knowledge regarding internal governance procedures and regulatory guidelines. At Notre Dame College these advantages have facilitated the institution's creation of certificate and undergraduate programs in intelligence studies and the development of a graduate program in security policy studies that is now going through the state approval process. Notre Dame College's experience in academic program development within the emerging disciplines of homeland security and intelligence education may serve as a template for other private institutions considering the creation of similar programs.