Homeland Security & Emergency Management

You drive through your neighborhood, seeing how life can change in an instant—a big storm, chemical spill, terrorism. You also see the almost invisible net of protection and response: people ready to help—people trained to prevent, respond, and manage in the face of the big what-ifs.

A Calm Response to Our Big What-Ifs

Emergencies can bring out the best in people—especially if you have studied and prepared. Earning your AAS in Criminal Justice, with a focus on Homeland Security and Emergency Management, prepares you to respond with thought, care, and resilience.

A Good Career Making a Difference

Local, state, and federal agencies hire professionals to plan for widespread emergencies, assess threats, and manage both human-made and natural disasters.

Learn key principles of emergency management, counter terrorism, and recovery.

Intern with the County

Practice your preparation by interning locally. Get an up-close look at daily life managing the minutiae that must be ready when disaster strikes.

One Program, Multiple Goals

Your AAS in Criminal Justice: Homeland Security & Emergency Management can take you in many directions. Choose your electives based on your goal after the program:

Enter the police academy
Go to work for a county or city in emergency management
Transfer to earn a bachelor’s degree

Associate Degree

We offer a 60 to 63 credit associate in applied science (AAS) degree in Homeland Security.

100% Online

Work closely with your OCC advisor to build your best program.

Plan Your Transfer

If you want a Michigan Transfer Agreement (MTA) endorsement, work closely with your OCC advisor to take courses from the MTA list, including appropriate math courses. If you know where you want to transfer, consult that school’s advisors as well.

Transfer Success Center

Enroll Now

Begin your studies with these steps:

Apply to OCC. If you’re not already an OCC student, create a profile and complete our online application.
On the application, select your desired program.
Existing OCC students can update their academic program using the Change of Program Form.

“The Homeland Security program at OCC has opened my eyes to different aspects of global protection against terrorism and natural disasters. I promise that you will not regret being able to understand more about the world around you and navigate its nuances. I love being able to apply the information I learned to real-life situations.”

- Hannah Rohrer