HLSC 610 Understanding Terrorism and Homeland Security

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

The purpose of this course is to analyze terrorism in relation to homeland security. It is important for the student to understand the correlations between terrorism and the overarching goals of homeland security.

Textbook readings and lecture presentations/notes

No details available.

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Schedule and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview. 

Discussions

There will be eight (8) Discussions throughout this course. The student is required to provide an original thread in response to the provided topic for each prompt. Each original thread must have at least 250 words and demonstrate course-related knowledge. The original thread must be done according to the guidelines of APA (current edition). In addition to the thread, the student is required to reply to 2 other classmates’ threads. Each reply must be at least 100 words. A biblical citation is also required, and it is not calculated as a part of the source count.

Research Paper: An Examination of Terrorism Assignment

The student will complete a Research Paper providing an in-depth examination of terrorism. The student will detail the history of terrorism as it has developed over time. Further, the student will examine the following topics as they relate to terrorism: definitional issues; terrorist ideologies and typologies; terrorist’s tactic, behaviors, and methodologies of activity including a discussion of force multipliers; and terrorist structures and operational issues such as finance and administration will be examined. When discussing types of terrorists, you do not need to go into specific groups such and the Klan, ISIS, or the Weather Underground, etc. Instead discuss group at the larger level such as left, right, single interests, and domestic and international. Finally, discuss if the Bible speaks about or to terrorism in any way. The student will write at minimum a 7-full page research-oriented paper in APA format (current edition). The paper must include at least 7 sources (which can include the class textbooks and the Bible). The paper will be submitted through Turnitin.

Research Paper: Examination of a Terrorist Group Assignment

The student will choose a terrorist group and prepare an in-depth examination of it. The student may pick a single group or a larger grouping such as those who share a common ideology. For instance, one may pick ISIS or Al Qaeda or may choose to focus on Jihadist groups in general. Likewise, one may choose to examine the Klan or Neo-Nazis for example of right wing terrorist’s groups, etc. (The student will seek approval from the instructor through course room email by the end of Module 1: Week 1). The student will provide an in-depth analysis, starting with an overview of the group. The student will analyze the group’s overall ideology and its history. The geographic makeup of the group will be identified along with best known data such as size and activities past and present. The group’s tactics, behaviors, and methodologies of activity, including a discussion of force multipliers and terrorist structures and operational issues such as finance and administration, will be examined. The analysis will be written APA (current edition) using headings and references. A minimum of 5 references is required. The examination must be at least 5 full pages of content. The paper will be submitted through Turnitin.

Research Paper: The Nexus of Homeland Security and Terrorism Assignment

The student will examine the nexus between terrorism and homeland security. The student will analyze the use of all phases of emergency management (mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery and the subcomponents found in each phase) as much as is applicable as each relates directly to terrorism. Mitigation as it relates to terrorism will be examined and will include risk assessment as well as mitigation strategies both structural and non-structural. Mitigation of terrorism can and should be at many levels and in many ways, such as strategically and globally as well as tactically and locally and across a myriad of disciplines. Prevention will also be addressed and again holistically. Preparedness will be addressed, and there are many disciplines that represent the first responder community as well as the larger homeland security community. Response and recovery will be addressed and, once again, there are many groups involved in both phases. The analysis will be written in APA (current edition) format using headings and references. A minimum of 6 references are required. The examination must be at least 7 full pages of content. The paper will be submitted through Turnitin.