MSST Courses

An overview of risk, its definition and application to critical infrastructures as it relates to the National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP). Examines best practices to reduce the vulnerability of critical infrastructure systems due to accidents, material failure, natural disasters or terrorist attacks. (3 credits)

Course director:  Massoud Amin

Presents telecommunication, Information Technology (IT), cyber and computer infrastructures, and their inter-relationship with other critical infrastructures. Develops understanding of vulnerabilities of critical infrastructure systems to failure (focusing on cyberterrorism), and recommends security solutions required for operational levels of trust. (2 credits)

Course director:  Mike Kearn

In this course, we will focus on methods, theory, techniques and models including qualitative and quantitative risk modeling, decision analysis including fault-tree analysis and event-tree analysis, and probabilistic risk-assessment techniques.

We'll look at both the processes, methods and application of risk assessment and management. We will explore a broad range of approaches for building scenarios, assessing the effectiveness of alternative management strategies, and designing risk management plans and hazardous mitigation measures. We'll use case studies and simulations to highlight the complexities of risk-based decision-making due to multiple factors, conflicting objectives, incomplete information, and scientific uncertainty.
This course provides an overview of the steps of the research processes and methods used in scientific and social scientific inquiry. Students review various S&T policy research designs, including hypothesis construction and comparative case studies. They also are introduced to statistical methods, evidential reasoning, decision-making under uncertainty and risk, options theory as well as literature review and the appropriate use of evidence and warrants.

Students will gain a foundation for other courses in the program while learning the theoretical and methodological foundations and how to use emergency management tools, techniques and resources. (2 credits)

Course director: Brian Isle

Provides a broad overview of intelligence based on political psychology and behavior as well as psychological effects of terrorism; the status of and fallacies related to the interventions applied to victims of terrorism and the generalized fear and anxiety experienced by the public at large; current government strategies used to disseminate information to terrorist groups; psychological phenomena related to media coverage of terrorism; misconceptions and inaccuracies about the socio-political and religious motivations of terrorist groups. (2 credits)

Course director:  Ron Krebs

An exploration of challenges to American civil liberties and national security in times of terrorism. Ethical and moral concepts underlying American civil rights and acts of terrorism against the United States are examined, as well as the application of the U.S. Constitution to Homeland Security laws. Constitutional concerns and the roles of the various disciplines engaged in the effort are driven and impacted by the various local, state and federal systems of law. Examines the role of community policing in homeland security and defense, civil-military relations in prevention and response, the USA PATRIOT Act and the handling of US citizens detained for terrorist violations are just some of the subjects that dominate the discourse. (2 credits)

Course director:  Oren Gross

Overview of emerging science and pivotal technology disciplines for homeland security (including nanotechnology, sensor networks including bio sensing, critical infrastructure protection, food and bio safety, cyber and control systems security, and secure energy technologies). Current state-of the-art status for each technology, together with barriers and opportunities for commercialization will be addressed. (3 credits)

Course director: Elizabeth Amin

Provides methods to be able to leverage technology to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks and natural disasters. It provides an in-depth understanding of the scientific and technological underpinnings of: inspection, detection, sensors, and surveillance technologies; information sharing and knowledge management systems, and communication systems. (2 credits)

Course director:  Lockwood Carlson