Main Content
Syllabus
The information contained on this page is designed to give students a representative example of material covered in the course. Any information related to course assignments, dates, or course materials is illustrative only. For a definitive list of materials, please check the online catalog 3-4 weeks before the course start date.
HLS 404, Homeland Security and Defense in Practice - This course analyzes and evaluates current Homeland Security legislation, and presidential policy directives, executive orders, and strategies, as well as the constraints hindering the implementation of federal and state initiatives. There will be emphasis on creating Information Papers, Meeting Presentations, Executive Summaries, and Talking Points for elected or appointed officials and security professionals to use throughout the Homeland Security Enterprise.
Overview
This course has a major goal: to educate graduate-level, Homeland Security professionals capable of demonstrating and articulating the many U.S. approaches to Homeland Security, across the entire spectrum of activities – from Prevention to Recovery – from the federal strategic level to the state and regional operational levels, and to the county and municipality tactical levels of government.
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Articulate the pre-9/11 strategic setting for Homeland Security initiatives (key actors, key factors, attitudes and political setting) contributing to Congressional legislation and executive branch vision, policies, directives, executive orders, strategies, plans and programs.
- Articulate the post-9/11 legal basis (federal statutes) for implementing current Homeland Security-related initiatives.
- Analyze, critically assess and demonstrate knowledge of post-9/11 Executive Branch strategies currently shaping U.S. Homeland Security initiatives.
- Analyze, critically assess and demonstrate knowledge of the post-9/11 executive branch vision, policies/directives, plans and programs currently shaping US Homeland Security related activities.
- Analyze, critically assess and demonstrate knowledge of the all-hazards and all-of-Nation approaches articulated in Presidential Policy Directives and other supporting Executive Branch documents.
- Explain and assess the role of the Department of Defense (DoD) in Homeland Defense, and its role in the Defense Support to Civil Authorities (DSCA).
- Analyze, critically assess, and articulate the federal process for funding Congressionally-mandated Homeland Security activities, including designation of the Metropolitan Statistical Areas, the Urban Areas Security Initiative and the DHS Homeland Security grant allocation formula.
- Analyze, critically assess, and articulate the U.S. DHS Risk Assessment Methodology, risk-based funding and risk-based prioritization.
- Analyze, critically assess, and articulate the role of Intelligence and Information Sharing in Homeland Security activities including a discussion of the Intelligence Community and the Information Sharing Environment extending from federal to local unit of government level. Highlight deficiencies and posit courses of action for consideration regarding the state and local unit of government levels.
- Analyze, critically assess, and articulate the concept of Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) from its roots in federal legislation to implementation at the local unit of government level. Highlight deficiencies and posit courses of action for consideration regarding the state and local unit of government levels.
- Analyze, critically assess, demonstrate and articulate the overall concept for the DHS Homeland Security Exercise & Evaluation Program (HSEEP) to insure linkage between the most-likely planning scenarios and the impacted local unit of government (state, regional task force and local unit of government).
Course Materials
Required Text
Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.
E-Book Option: An online version of one or more of your texts is available at no cost as a Penn State Library E-Book. Some E-Books will only be available online, while others will be available to download in full or in part. You may choose to use the E-Book as an alternative to purchasing a physical copy of the text. You can access the E-Book by selecting the Library Resources link on the course navigation, and then selecting the E-Reserves link. For questions or issues, you can contact the University Libraries Reserve Help (UL-RESERVESHELP@LISTS.PSU.EDU).
Further course readings will be provided within the course lesson content or on Library Reserve.Library Resources
Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can
- access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
- get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
- much more.
You can view the Online Students' Library Guide for more information.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and services. Once you have a Penn State account, you will automatically be registered with the library within 24–48 hours. If you would like to determine whether your registration has been completed, visit the Libraries home page and select My Account.
Technical Specifications
| Operating System | Canvas, Penn State's Learning Management System (LMS), supports most recent versions of Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac operating systems. To determine if your operating system is supported, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
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| Browser | Canvas supports the last two versions of every major browser release. It is highly recommended that you update to the newest version of whatever browser you are using. Note: Cookies must be enabled, and pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. |
| Additional Canvas Requirements | For a list of software, hardware, and computer settings specifically required by the Canvas LMS, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
| Additional Software | All Penn State students have access to Microsoft Office 365, including Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. |
| Hardware | Monitor: Monitor capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution |
| Mobile Device (optional) | The Canvas mobile app is available for versions of iOS and Android. To determine if your device is capable of using the Canvas Mobile App, please review the Canvas Mobile App Requirements. |
Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ)
During the semester you will receive information for completing the Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ). Your participation is an opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on your learning experience. Your feedback is important because it allows us to understand your experience in this course and make changes to improve the learning experiences of future students. Please monitor email and course communications for links and availability dates.
If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.
For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!
Course Schedule and Assignment Due Dates
Note: All due dates reflect North American eastern time (ET).
- Course Starts:
- Course Ends:
- Course length: 13 weeks
NOTE: All due dates reflect North American Eastern time (ET)
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Lesson 1 - The Statutory Basis for Implementing Homeland Security Measures (Week 2) |
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Review the Title and Section descriptions, and browse some sample content following your interest, of the following federal statutes:
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Lesson 3 - Homeland Defense and Defense Support of Civil Authorities (Week 4) |
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Lesson 5 - The Challenges of Information & Intelligence-Sharing (Week 6) |
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Lesson 6 - Immigration and the Border: Enforcement, Administration, Management, and Security (Week 7) |
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Lesson 9 - The Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (Week 10) |
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Read the Lesson (Module) content Text book reading: Nemeth (third ed.), Chapter 12 -- The Future of Homeland Security |
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Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year, starting from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered (with the exception of library reserves and other external resources that may have a shorter archival period). After one year, you might be able to access the course based on the policies of the program or department offering the course material, up to a maximum of three years from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered. For more information, please review the University Course Archival Policy.
Graduating Students
NOTE: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please see "Graduation" on the World Campus Student Policies website.
Grading
The World Campus follows the same grading system as The Pennsylvania State University resident program. The grades of A, B, C, D and F indicate the following qualities of academic performance:
A = (Excellent) Indicates exceptional achievement
B = (Good) Indicates extensive achievement
C = (Satisfactory) Indicates acceptable achievement
D = (Poor) Indicates only minimal achievement
F = (Failure) Indicates inadequate achievement necessitating a repetition of the course in order to secure credit
Grading Policies
Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Undergraduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.
Deferred Grades
If, for reasons beyond the student's control, a student is prevented from completing a course within the prescribed time, the grade in that course may be deferred with the concurrence of the instructor. The symbol DF appears on the student's transcript until the course has been completed. Non-emergency permission for filing a deferred grade must be requested by the student before the beginning of the final examination period. In an emergency situation, an instructor can approve a deferred grade after the final exam period has started. Under emergency conditions during which the instructor is unavailable, authorization is required from one of the following: the dean of the college in which the candidate is enrolled; the executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies if the student is enrolled in that division or is a provisional student; or the campus chancellor of the student's associated Penn State campus.
For additional information please refer to the Deferring a Grade page.
Assignments
| Assignment | % Total Grade |
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| Discussion Forum Participation | 10% |
| Graded Assignments | 50% |
| Term Paper | 30% |
| FEMA Course Completion (2) | 10% |
| Total | 100% |
| Assignment | Points Possible |
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| Discussion Forum Participation (10 total fora) | 10 points each |
| Graded Assignments (7 total assignments) | 50 points each |
| Term Paper (1) | 100 points each |
| FEMA Course Completion (2) | 10 points |
Grading Scale
| Grade | Percentage |
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| A | 100% - 94% |
| A- | < 94% - 90% |
| B+ | < 90% - 87% |
| B | < 87% - 84% |
| B- | < 84% - 80% |
| C+ | < 80% - 77% |
| C | < 77% - 70% |
| D | < 70% - 60% |
| F | < 60% - 0% |
References, Citations and Writing Style Requirements for Written Assignments
References & Citations. While the APA Citation Style is commonly-used in academia to indicate references/quotations, most papers you produce in the public-sector will not include a references section. Rarely will elected/appointed officials focus on this portion of documents. They will, however, expect you to use the most current data and be able to provide precise citations when asked post-submission. Therefore, it is important for you to keep precise reference data on your specific copy of the document. In this course, you will indicate all references in your papers unless otherwise directed; these references will not count against your paper length limitations.
However, it is a commonly used protocol to cite quotations via the APA Citation Style. Click here to link to the PSU Libraries APA Citation Guide. We will follow this same protocol in this course. Indicate all quotations as footnotes in your papers; place all footnotes on the page on which the quotation occurs, not at the end. Footnotes will count against word length limitations.
It is always a good habit to include these references/citations on your Draft copy of documents as they make their way through your supervisor to the decision-makers. Before going Final, your specific department/agency/office supervisor will likely remove those references.
Bottom Line: Every state, county and municipality will have its own specific protocols for citing references/quotations in public documents.
Writing Style. Writing for elected/appointed officials is quite different from academic writing - the difference being conciseness. In most cases, Academic writing focuses on detailed analysis of a complex issue - length is not as important as proving the thesis/argument. Conversely, public-sector correspondence focuses on the essence, the succinct details that will provide the reader with a general, overall gist of the issue. Should the reader (elected/appointed official) request additional data on the subject, you would likely find yourself in a face-to-face meeting where you could speak at length about the subject. Think Cliff's Notes and you will do fine.
One last note about Active & Passive Voice. If you have forgotten the difference between these two verb forms, then it is time to re-learn it. Follow this simple rule and you will never go wrong:
You must use active voice in an independent clause. You may use passive voice in a dependent clause.
For example,
Although the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 was passed by an overwhelming majority, many Americans feel certain parts are unconstitutional.
This sentence consists of one dependent and one independent clause. The portion in italics is a dependent clause - it does not, by itself, form a complete sentence. It depends on an independent clause to form a complete sentence (hence the designation - dependent). The portion in regular text (" ... many Americans ...") is an independent clause - and can stand alone as a complete sentence (hence the designation - independent).
At every level of government, there exist what I refer to as gatekeepers. As the title indicates, these are folks hired to specifically make sure that anything going to the decision-maker or leaving that decision-maker's office are grammatically correct and use proper syntax. No matter how much the expert you are, your papers must meet proper grammar and syntax conventions before going to that decision-maker. Proof your work. This extra time will pay invaluable benefits. You do not want to have your work returned for poor grammar and syntax reasons.
Course Assignments
- Discussion Forum Participation: Throughout the course, a discussion forum question will be posed in each lesson. You are required to post your response to the discussion question. You must then reply to two fellow students regarding his/her answer. Your replies should be thoughtful, yet concise. Simply writing "I agree." is not a substantive, graduate-level reply.
- FEMA Course Completion: This course requires you to complete 2 FEMA on-line courses:
- IS-921.A: Implementing Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience
- IS-120.C: An Introduction to Exercises
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Enrolling in FEMA Independent Study Courses: https://cdp.dhs.gov/femasid/
In order to complete the required FEMA Independent Study Course, you must first register with the FEMA and obtain a Student ID Number. You must wait to receive your student ID number before you submit your exam, so don't delay in requesting your ID number. Follow the instructions on this website to create your FEMA Student ID Number: https://cdp.dhs.gov/femasid/ - Graded Assignment Formats
- An Executive Summary (EXSUM) is a synopsis of a longer document (usually attached). In some documents, it is referred to as the Overview (e.g., National Security Strategy, 2015). Its purpose is to provide decision-makers/readers with a more concise Summary/Overview of the facts detailed in the longer document; detailed analysis and information is usually found in the longer document. Like other documents, EXSUM should use either an 11 or 12 point font - nothing smaller. All margins should be 1". More specific information regarding the required formatting guidelines for EXSUM is located in the Getting Started Lesson.
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Information Papers are used in the public-sector at every level of government - and that means that each of these levels has its own peculiar style or format manual prescribing what elements should be covered in the paper. They are generally used to inform decision-makers of unfamiliar, existing or emerging issues. As the title of this correspondence implies, Information Papers are used to provide the most essential information about a particular subject and should leave the reader with a general understanding of an issue or subject. Although you may find many different formats for Information Papers, you will only use the format prescribed herein. More specific information regarding the required formatting guidelines for Information Paper assignments is located in the Getting Started Lesson.
- PowerPoint Presentations and Meeting Handouts: PowerPoint presentations are an excellent medium to capture key highlights and brief groups or key decision-makers.More specific information regarding the required formatting guidelines for PowerPoint Presentation and Meeting Handout assignments is located in the Getting Started Lesson.
- Point or Talking Point Papers are used throughout the public- and private-sectors to convey the major points of a subject for a briefer during an interview, discussion, briefing, meeting, etc., or to simply brief another colleague or supervisor. As the name suggests, Point Papers do not usually include the amount of detail in Information Papers or executive summaries. Bosses use these to focus on a subject's salient points during interviews, speeches, etc., where the audience is not provided a handout. More specific information regarding the required formatting for Point or Talking Point assignments is located in the Getting Started Lesson.
- FEMA Course Completion: As previously stated.
- Term Paper: In the last part of the course, you will write a Term Paper on a state homeland security plan to work with federal entities during times of crisis. More specific information on the term paper will be provided in Lesson 10.
Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity ). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and
personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and
property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all
can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment
of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and
others, as well as a civil community.
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page .
Policies
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has resources for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources (SDR) website provides contacts for disability services at every Penn State campus. For further information, please visit the SDR website.
In order to apply for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability resources office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation based on the documentation guidelines. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability resources office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
Late Policy:
Review the due dates as outlined in the course schedule. If you believe you will not have access to a computer close to an assignment's due date, you should plan ahead and submit your work early. Anything submitted after 11:59 PM on the due date will be considered late, and the following late deductions will apply:
- There will be a 10% grade deduction for any late work including assignments, draft work, and discussion forum postings and replies. After 1 week past the original due date, I will no longer accept any late work, nor will I accept a batch posting of late work at the end of the semester.
- You must hand in all major assignments to pass the course.
Additional Policies
For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.
Report Bias
Penn State takes great pride to foster a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Acts of intolerance, discrimination, or harassment due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated and can be reported through Educational Equity via the Report Bias webpage.
Student Conduct & Responsibilities
- Students are responsible for online course content, taking notes, obtaining other materials provided by the instructor, taking tests (if applicable), and completing assignments as scheduled by the instructor. As a general rule, students should plan on logging into the course at least three times per week and spending at least three hours per course credit per week on the course, e.g., if the course is three credits, the student should plan on spending at least 9-12 hours per week on the course, just as they would in a residence course.
- Students are responsible for keeping track of changes in the course syllabus made by the instructor throughout the semester.
- Students are responsible for monitoring their grades.
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Students must contact their instructor (and teammates when working on any collaborative learning assignments) as soon as possible if they anticipate missing long periods of online time due to events such as chronic illnesses, death in the family, business travel, or other appropriate events. The instructor will determine the minimal log on time and participation required in order to meet course responsibilities. In the event of other unforeseen conflicts, the instructor and student will arrive at a solution together.
- Requests for taking exams or submitting assignments after the due dates require documentation of events such as illness, family emergency, or a business-sanctioned activity.
- Conflicts with dates on which examinations or assignments are scheduled must be discussed with the instructor or TA prior to the date of the examination or assignment.
- Students are responsible for following appropriate netiquette (network etiquette) when communicating with their instructor and classmates. For reference, see the Academic Success Kit.
- Behaviors that disrupt other students’ learning are not acceptable and will be addressed by the instructor.
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For severe and chronic problems with student disruptive behavior, the following will be applied for resolution:
- Senate Committee on Student Life policy on managing classroom disruptions: Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
- Penn State Principles
Privacy Notification
In order to protect your privacy, course access is limited to those individuals who have direct responsibility for the quality of your educational experience. In addition to the instructor, a teaching assistant or college administrator may be provided access in order to ensure optimal faculty availability and access. World Campus technical staff may also be given access in order to resolve technical support issues.
Military Students
Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or dependents with unique circumstances (e.g., upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.
Mental Health
If you have a crisis or safety concern, mental health services are available to you as a Penn State student. Crisis and emergency contacts are available, no matter where you are located:
- Anywhere in the United States: Call the Penn State Crisis Line at 1-877-229-6400 or text LIONS to 741741. You can also contact your local crisis services or hospital for emergencies.
- Outside the United States: Please contact emergency services in your current location. You can also use the International Crisis and Emergency Services listings.
- At University Park: Assistance is available at Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) locations on campus.
- At a Penn State branch campus: You can search for counseling information at your campus.
Disclaimer: Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus are subject to change, and you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. I will notify you of any changes.