Build your own degree

[defscarlett]

Is anyone familiar with a school that will allow you to build your own degree. I've heard of some that will allow you to create your own degree by just mixing classes from various programs at the same school, but I'm more looking for one where you actually create your own classes. It seems no school offers a program that I feel meets my needs about what I want to learn or even comes close to it, if I look at various programs I see individual classes that I would want surrounded by classes that are not even close to what I want. I'm trying to avoid taking 1 class at 10 different schools to transfer in to TESC or something, but somewhere where I can create my own lesson plans and learning outcomes.

[cookderosa]

Is anyone familiar with a school that will allow you to build your own degree. I've heard of some that will allow you to create your own degree by just mixing classes from various programs at the same school, but I'm more looking for one where you actually create your own classes. It seems no school offers a program that I feel meets my needs about what I want to learn or even comes close to it, if I look at various programs I see individual classes that I would want surrounded by classes that are not even close to what I want. I'm trying to avoid taking 1 class at 10 different schools to transfer in to TESC or something, but somewhere where I can create my own lesson plans and learning outcomes.

There are several reasons you'll likely not find this, mostly due to regulation and policy restrictions and even laws. However, a liberal arts degree does allow you to pick and pull from all general education fields to create a degree. Social science (my degree) allowed me to use sociology, psychology, social psychology, anthropology, and history to create my degree. I had full flexibility to pick and choose, and found my major classes very enjoyable (some were unexpectedly so!).

Remember that a degree is a credential, so in order to earn that company's credential, you have to do what they say Nobody "wants" to take English 101 lol.

What are your interests? I might be able to help you brainstorm and find a way to pull in areas of interest.

[defscarlett]

It's not the general Ed I want to get out of lol. This actually would be a secondary bachelors for me. I want to get it in Security Management, but most of the classes offered are too heavy in law enforcement related material with only one or two classes in private security. And the ones that are primary security don't have the material I most want to learn. I want This degree just for the material that ill be learning in the classes as ill already have 2 degrees (1AAS and 1 BS) by that point, but want to show on my rÃsumà that I do know the information.

[cookderosa]

It's not the general Ed I want to get out of lol. This actually would be a secondary bachelors for me. I want to get it in Security Management, but most of the classes offered are too heavy in law enforcement related material with only one or two classes in private security. And the ones that are primary security don't have the material I most want to learn. I want This degree just for the material that ill be learning in the classes as ill already have 2 degrees (1AAS and 1 BS) by that point, but want to show on my rÃsumà that I do know the information.

I'm not familiar with that field, but I've advised students in my own field, so I'll suggest to you what I've suggested to them. Find a real person, make calls, use whatever resources (friend of a friend of a cousin's neighbor) and find someone in the field you want to be in. Talk to them. Ask them how they learned what they know. What are the paths to get there? What would they do in today's climate that is maybe different than when they started? Is there a good, better, or best way to break into this job? Are their really really TERRIBLE things that would prevent you from getting in? Lastly, can you call on them again? Maybe in 6 months to check in. Maybe in that 6 months you find 1 or 2 or 3 others in the field and do the same. Build a network of reliable resources. I promise you, with 100% certainty, that the people doing the job everyday will be very direct and can give you better career advice than anyone of us here. Education is not always the best route (my real field is as a chef, and even today with culinary arts being on TV, a degree isn't worth squat- its what you can do on the job that counts).

Finally, I want to tell you that I had considered a career change, and I did exactly what I suggested to you- I even did a job shadow in an office for 40 hours over a month plus took a volunteer job (that I ended up keeping lol for 2 years lol) but I had researched TO DEATH this that and the other educational plan. At the end of the day, the workers all brought me back into a reality check. At the end of the day, the degree wasn't going to be as important as I had worked it up in MY mind to be. Had I ended up going in the direction I planned (before) I would have dumped extra time and money (lots of both) to end up at the same starting gate as those who took a simple straight forward (much less education) approach.

I'm not trying to say that you're right or wrong, I'm just suggesting that "if" this type of training you seek were as essential to the job, then a program would probably exist. If it's just your particular interest, as opposed to a credential, then don't focus on the degree- you can fill your plate with seminars, conventions, continuing education, professional development courses, certifications, and on the job training or volunteer work. I do wish you the best!

[sanantone]

I used to be a supervisor for a private security company and this type of training is not essential. Most of the people who move up into security management have a military or law enforcement background. If you have that, no one really cares what your degree is in. It does help to have experience in the private security field, however, but employers are not focused on only or mostly hiring those with security management degrees with a heavy emphasis on private security.

Most of the people in security management probably have degrees in criminal justice and business administration. I knew a security specialist who was a former FBI agent and had a degree in an engineering discipline. I knew an owner of a security company who was a police officer, had a bachelor's in criminal justice, and a master's in public administration. My former manager has a degree in criminal justice and I have a degree in social science. I have yet to meet someone in security management with a security management degree. I'm not saying that it would hold you back or won't help you at all; it's just not a very common degree seen among private security professionals. It's not very well-known yet. Most of the job ads I've seen for management positions in security ask for a degree in criminal justice, police science, or law enforcement.

I don't think this degree has a heavy emphasis on law enforcement. It focuses on securing all kinds of places such as schools, ports, personnel, and the homeland.

AMU Degree Program: Bachelor of Arts in Security Management

There is only so much you can study about private security. It's a pretty simple job and the management aspect is mostly business. If you want to be a consultant, you're going to have to learn all aspects of security. I will warn you that security management is mostly a job where the semi-retired go. It's hard to move up without military or law enforcement experience unless you have the patience to work 10+ years as a low-paid security guard. I strongly recommend getting a degree in criminal justice because it has a lot more flexibility just in case you don't get that dream job in private security. Although, I don't generally recommend a CJ degree; but, I think it's a better option than security management. If you're going to finish the Homeland Security degree, do not get a degree in Security Management! That would be a total waste. I've gotten interviews for jobs requiring a CJ or law enforcement major with my social science degree because I would mention on my resume that I had about 30 CJ credits. You'd be much better off getting an MBA, MPA, or even a master's in criminal justice after the BS in Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.

Some people recommend these certifications. They aren't asked for much, but it might catch on in the future. Someone is always coming up with some stupid, expensive, and useless certification convincing everyone that it's necessary so that they can make money.

http://www.asisonline.org/certification/index.xml

Then, there are these pointless certifications that might get you $12 an hour instead of $10.

http://www.ifpo.org/products/index.html

[ryoder]

Have you considered info sec? Info sec professionals don't come from police or military backgrounds. You can learn info sec at wgu.edu in their ms info sec assurance degree. This is a very applied degree and you will learn actual job skills while completing it. I almost enrolled in the degree and bought some of the required texts. They are the real deal and most lead to industry certifications.

[defscarlett]

Thanks for the responses everyone, looks like this is something that's not possible Oh well. Like I said I was more interested in getting some of the knowledge and figured I might as well get a piece of paper that says I did on the way. I'm already in the industry and while I'm not doing bad for myself, I do know that I have some deficiencies in my knowledge of certain areas. I would like to get in to higher end security consulting. I'm not particuarly interested in Homeland security type careers that degree is just because it's the quickest for me to get in my field of study (Emergency Management, Security, Criminal Justice etc). I have both military and law enforcement experience and soon a Homeland Security degree, so it's not really going to specifically be a career booster.

I'm looking for classes that cover the following topics if anyone has any ideas Security Planning and Assessments Vulnerability, Law related to the security industry, as in what are liabilities, what can security officers do legally (this changes based on the state), and repercussions if there is a failure as well as classes on specific types of security such as loss prevention, school, attraction and museum etc. Also possibly specific crime and how to respond as security and not law enforcement, such as white collar etc.

[cookderosa]

Thanks for the responses everyone, looks like this is something that's not possible Oh well. Like I said I was more interested in getting some of the knowledge and figured I might as well get a piece of paper that says I did on the way. I'm already in the industry and while I'm not doing bad for myself, I do know that I have some deficiencies in my knowledge of certain areas. I would like to get in to higher end security consulting. I'm not particuarly interested in Homeland security type careers that degree is just because it's the quickest for me to get in my field of study (Emergency Management, Security, Criminal Justice etc). I have both military and law enforcement experience and soon a Homeland Security degree, so it's not really going to specifically be a career booster.

I'm looking for classes that cover the following topics if anyone has any ideas Security Planning and Assessments Vulnerability, Law related to the security industry, as in what are liabilities, what can security officers do legally (this changes based on the state), and repercussions if there is a failure as well as classes on specific types of security such as loss prevention, school, attraction and museum etc. Also possibly specific crime and how to respond as security and not law enforcement, such as white collar etc.

Ooooo, have you checked into APUS?? I think it might be exactly what you are looking for. (very affordable, super-CLEP friendly/transfer friendly, nearly identical to TESC in that regard, they require 15 credits in house I believe). Check this list and see if any of the degrees have the type of courses you are looking for. P.S. Unlike TESC, APUS offers every course that they require.

Also- APUS consists of 2 "colleges" American Public University and American Military University. They are identical, so you just pick whichever you feel would suit your needs. This links you into the military college, but apus dot edu will take you back out to the homepage. AMU Bachelors Programs

Bachelor's
Business Administration

Bachelor of Arts
Child and Family Development
Criminal Justice
Emergency and Disaster Management
English
General Studies
History
Homeland Security
Hospitality Management
Intelligence Studies
International Relations
Management
Marketing
Middle Eastern Studies
Military History
Military Management and Program Acquisition
Philosophy
Political Science
Psychology
Religion
Retail Management
Reverse Logistics Management
Security Management
Sociology
Transportation and Logistics Management

Bachelor of Science
Accounting
Criminal Justice
Environmental Science
Fire Science Management
Information Systems Security
Information Technology
Information Technology Management
Legal Studies
Nursing
Public Health
Space Studies
Sports and Health Sciences

[sanantone]

Thanks for the responses everyone, looks like this is something that's not possible Oh well. Like I said I was more interested in getting some of the knowledge and figured I might as well get a piece of paper that says I did on the way. I'm already in the industry and while I'm not doing bad for myself, I do know that I have some deficiencies in my knowledge of certain areas. I would like to get in to higher end security consulting. I'm not particuarly interested in Homeland security type careers that degree is just because it's the quickest for me to get in my field of study (Emergency Management, Security, Criminal Justice etc). I have both military and law enforcement experience and soon a Homeland Security degree, so it's not really going to specifically be a career booster.

I'm looking for classes that cover the following topics if anyone has any ideas Security Planning and Assessments Vulnerability, Law related to the security industry, as in what are liabilities, what can security officers do legally (this changes based on the state), and repercussions if there is a failure as well as classes on specific types of security such as loss prevention, school, attraction and museum etc. Also possibly specific crime and how to respond as security and not law enforcement, such as white collar etc.

Security is very state-specific. The best way to learn the laws is to study for your state's security consultant, private investigation, and/or security management exam. They should have something official or at least recommended study material. The recommended study material and official courses for the certifications I linked to above should help too. Really, most of the laws for what security officers can or cannot do should be covered in the required training for licensure, but this doesn't always happen in states that are lax on regulating training providers.