One of the largest industries in the United States today is also one of the fastest growing: Homeland Security. According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has a permanent workforce of 172,848, making it one of the largest departments in the entire Federal Government. But the massive size of the industry is not just limited to the public sector. Research and Markets noted that the total market size of the industry reached $546 billion in 2025, with an expected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.4%. This remarkable rate of increase means that new job opportunities and employment avenues will continue to open up for interested students.
Protecting our country’s infrastructure and communities in the face of human-made threats, natural disasters, terrorism, and other public safety issues will be of utmost importance in the years to come. As a result, the market is beginning to place a larger emphasis on employee professionalization and higher education. In fact, over the past 10 years, graduate programs focused specifically on issues of Homeland Security have grown by 85%1. Clearly, there is a demand for educated and highly skilled workers to fill this growing market.
At University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC), we’re determined to help meet this demand.
In the fall of 2026, UMGC is launching a brand-new online degree: the Master of Science in homeland security leadership. This career-relevant and future-focused degree program will give students the skills needed to develop into strategic leaders who can more effectively navigate the complex fields of Homeland Security, Intelligence, and Emergency Management. Some of these skills include data integration and analysis, emergency response evaluation, threat assessment and risk analysis, and the ability to analyze legal and regulatory frameworks. The rigorous and industry-relevant coursework for this upcoming program will emphasize both theory and practice to allow students to address contemporary security challenges and promote resilience in the face of ever-evolving threats. In addition, students who enroll in the degree program will be able to tailor their coursework to suit their specific career goals by choosing elective courses in cyber threats, intelligence analysis, and critical infrastructure.
We spoke with Mark Murtha, acting portfolio director of Homeland Security at UMGC, about what skills students can expect to master in their coursework, how this degree will help them futureproof their careers, what makes this program unique, and more. Mr. Murtha's answers were provided in collaboration with Kathleen Mitchell, PhD, collegiate faculty managing the intelligence management and homeland security graduate courses at UMGC.
What qualities are employers looking for in homeland security leaders, and how does this degree help students meet employer demand?
Employers in the homeland security and emergency management fields are looking for workers who can lead effectively during uncertainty, workers who can integrate intelligence and policy into operational decisions, and workers who can coordinate across multiple agencies during crises. They value employees who truly understand the emerging threats that our country will have to deal with in the future, such as cyber intrusions, AI‑driven misinformation, and critical infrastructure vulnerabilities.
Strong analytical skills, cultural competence, and the ability to navigate complex legal and ethical environments are central to current employer expectations. I’ve also found that the ability to communicate clearly with executives, policymakers, and the public is vital.
In UMGC’s MS in homeland security leadership program, students will be well-positioned to meet these employer demands through modern and vigorous coursework that explores AI and machine learning technologies, crisis communication strategies, ethical and policy considerations, and leadership tactics. Our coursework will equip students with qualities that employers are currently looking for, which is why we’re confident that students will be able to leverage the skills they learn in this program to obtain positions in the public, private, and non-profit sectors.
What are some of the career-relevant skills that students can expect to learn in this program?
The MS in homeland security leadership is focused on leadership, intelligence analysis, emergency management strategies, and policy implementation. These are extremely important skills! Students can expect to strengthen their crisis leadership and strategic decision‑making abilities while also gaining proficiency in threat analysis, risk assessment, and open‑source intelligence. Our curriculum also teaches crucial skills in emergency preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery, along with training in executive‑level writing, briefing, and interagency collaboration.
In summary: This combination of strategic, analytical, and operational skills directly matches what federal, state, local, and private‑sector employers are seeking. These skills are highly sought after and can help to differentiate you in the homeland security marketplace.
What jobs and career paths can this program help students prepare for?
Students who graduate from this program will be prepared for a wide range of roles, including intelligence analyst, emergency management specialist, critical infrastructure coordinator, fusion center analyst, corporate security manager, business continuity planner, and risk and resilience consultant.
Potential opportunities can span federal agencies such as DHS, FEMA, TSA, and CISA, as well as state and local emergency management offices, private‑sector security divisions, and non-profit or international disaster response organizations.
The interdisciplinary nature of this degree program makes it highly adaptable across sectors. That’s something we’re excited about. Specifically, this program integrates intelligence, policy, emergency management, and leadership into a unified skill set. Graduates can apply these competencies in roles ranging from federal threat analysis and emergency coordination to corporate security and disaster response, allowing them to transition effectively across sectors while addressing complex security challenges.
What are some examples of potential salaries associated with these career paths, and are there any trusted resources that students can access to find out more information about salaries?
Leadership positions in homeland security, intelligence, and emergency management roles often fall between $70,000 and $140,000, depending on experience, agency, and security clearance level.
For accurate information on potential earnings, trusted resources include the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), O*NET Online, USAJOBS, and crowdsourced platforms such as PayScale and Glassdoor. These sources often provide reliable salary ranges, but students should make sure to verify any information they’re seeing.
As an industry expert, what do you think makes this program unique?
What makes UMGC’s MS in homeland security leadership program unique is its emphasis on training working professionals, its practitioner‑faculty model, and its integration of homeland security, intelligence, and emergency management into a single cohesive curriculum. The program emphasizes applied, scenario‑based learning and aligns with national frameworks such as NIMS/ICS, the National Preparedness Goal, and DHS risk methodologies. What this means is that students will graduate with skills that are immediately relevant and actionable in real‑world environments.
UMGC also has an accelerated pathway associated with this degree. If you earned a BS in homeland security from us, you'll be able to reduce your coursework for this program by up to six credits. This allows you to save valuable time and money as you earn your degree, which is something that makes UMGC unique!
How can someone with a Master’s degree in homeland security leadership help to address some of the current challenges in the industry?
A person with this degree is well-positioned to address the biggest challenges facing the homeland security enterprise, including cyber‑physical threats to critical infrastructure, climate‑driven disasters, domestic violent extremism, supply chain vulnerabilities, and interagency coordination gaps. Graduates can use their skills to help organizations anticipate and mitigate threats, lead crisis response efforts, translate intelligence into operational decisions, and strengthen community and organizational resilience.
A student’s ability to integrate policy, intelligence, and emergency management skills is what will make them a valuable asset in a rapidly evolving threat landscape. You’ll learn all of these skills—and much more—when you enroll in this program.
What are some current market trends that seem to be increasing the demand for leaders in the field of homeland security?
The field of homeland security is increasingly in demand due to several converging trends: the rising frequency of natural disasters, an escalating rate of cyber threats, the expansion of intelligence‑driven decision‑making, an aging public safety workforce, and a growing private‑sector investment in risk and resilience. These factors create a strong and sustained need for professionals who can manage complex threats and lead organizations through crises.
Lastly, do you have any advice for someone looking to enter this field?
For those looking to enter the field, the most valuable advice I can give you is to build strong writing and briefing skills, obtain FEMA ICS certifications early, and stay engaged with professional associations such as IAEM, HS‑ISAC, and InfraGard.
Gaining practical experience through internships, volunteer work, or CERT programs is highly beneficial, as is developing cross‑disciplinary literacy in policy, intelligence, and emergency management. Pursuing a security clearance, if eligible, can also significantly expand career opportunities.
As a forward-facing program, we also want to make sure that students are prepared to integrate the latest AI technologies. Professionals entering the homeland security field need AI literacy, strong analytical and data interpretation skills, cybersecurity awareness, ethical judgment, and the ability to translate AI-driven intelligence into strategic decisions and clear executive communication. The program equips students with these competencies through coursework focused on AI technologies, policy implications, intelligence integration, and executive-level briefing.
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