TESC BS in Homeland Security

[soupbone]

Do any of you know either some testing out options or fast course equivalents for the following courses offered through TESC:

1. HLS-355 Critical Thinking for Homeland Security- Offers an overview of critical thinking and its applications in the homeland security context. The focus is on essential elements of thought, asking the right questions, uncovering fallacies in reasoning and statistical misrepresentations. Evidence evaluation in a homeland security setting is featured with several examples interpreting real-world information.

2. SOC-322 Cultural Diversity in the US- Examines racial, ethnic, sexual, religious and other minority groups in American society. The course explores the impact of law and policy on these groups and promotes an understanding of individuals from diverse backgrounds.

3. SOS-440 Terrorism- This course covers the phenomenon of terrorism as explored along thematic and chronological lines that focus mainly on the American experience and perspective. The course delves into the evolution of terrorism, its impact on U.S. domestic and foreign policies, some pertinent international dimensions, and the prospects for nonconventional terrorism in the future.

4. HLS-420 Homeland Security: Preparedness, Prevention and Deterrence- This course focuses on how strategic planning, incident control systems, and intelligence techniques combine to provide the necessary foundation for anti-terrorism and emergency preparedness. Topics covered include infrastructure protection, National Incident Management System, threat and vulnerability assessments, information sharing, resource planning, and other issues relating to terrorism prevention and deterrence.

5. HLS-429 Protecting the Homeland —Response and Deterrence- This course focuses on processes, procedures and available resources in responding to and guiding recovery from disaster events. Topics covered include planning, leadership, technology, information gathering, coordination, communication, and other issues relating to response and recovery from disaster and terrorism scenarios.

6. SOS-492 Research Methods in the Social Sciences- An introduction to the research methods used in the social sciences. The course provides examples of research studies that employ a variety of research techniques, and it fosters an understanding of the knowledge these studies have produced.

7. HLS-498 Homeland Security Capstone- This course is designed to provide students with an opportunity to demonstrate the knowledge and skills that they have acquired in their academic program. Students will be guided through a process that includes self-reflection on their studies within the discipline of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness and the selection of a topic that will become the basis of their paper. That paper will demonstrate a critical examination and evaluation of their selected issue/s; students will incorporate key terms, concepts, and issues and historical and current theoretical concepts of their topic area into their final paper. Students will produce a final paper that truly reflects the depth and breadth of the knowledge acquired while completing their Bachelor of Science in Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness degree requirements at Thomas Edison State College. (I know this one probably doesn't have an equivalent but I was posting it to have it listed)


So I'm looking for the fastest, cheapest way of getting these done. I have moved along and finished most of the remainder of this degree so I'm just wanting to try and wrap this up. Any ideas?

[annegirl]

You might look into Excelsior College's Cultural Diversity exam. That's what I took for the cultural diversity requirement for my degree. I would think it would work for yours as well.

As for the capstone project, you're correct. You cannot take that anywhere except TESC.

[soupbone]

Thanks for the response. I see that AMU has a BA in Homeland Security and many courses but I don't see any that match up perfectly. Anyone else care to take a crack at it?
AMU Degree Program: Bachelor of Arts in Homeland Security

HLSS225 Intermediate Terrorism--

This course is a detailed exploration of the motivations of the international terrorist as well as the mechanisms of international terrorism. It will analyze the missions of key agencies involved with the “War on Terrorism,” evaluate their contributions, and determine ways they may work more synergistically. The course will examine the ideological basis and characteristics of international terrorist organizations. This will include differentiating and comparing the recruiting and financial support mechanisms of various international terrorist organizations, and evaluating their relative strengths and weaknesses.

This might match up to Terrorism for TESC but I'm not sure. Also if I read this right the courses at AMU are 8 weeks (11/02/09 - 12/27/09). This would be very helpful if I can find some equivalents that are quicker than the ones at TESC. I want to take the fastest available route.