Seeking Doctorate in National Security or Public Policy

[FireMedic_Philosopher]

Good morning... I have been lurking here for a bit and feel it is time to make my first post, as I would like some advice. I am a full time paramedic and part time firefighter. I've been doing it for twenty years (and teaching EMS as an adjunct) at the Community College level for 20 years. I already have several associates degrees, an RA B.S. degree where I double majored in Emergency/Disaster Management and Healthcare Administration, and an RA M.S. in Public Safety Administration (think MPA with first responder focus... heavy on grant writing, disasters, and terrorism, very light on community relations)...In addition to working as a medic, I am a part-time civilian with the USCG. (I am NOT a veteran and do not qualify for tuition assistance or the GI Bill) All that being said, my goal is to leave EMS behind soon. Three reasons: My back is ready for a change, the EMS agencies in my state (all private) do not provide anything for retirement, and finally I have hit the glass ceiling and cannot advance any higher. My interests have always revolved around history, the military, and national security/public policy. I am hoping to find an online doctorate, or one with very limited residencies in the field of homeland security, public policy, national security, or a mix thereof. My goal is to leverage this degree and my Coast Guard background into a position in consulting or academia, teaching national defense, homeland security et cetera. I am aware it is a bit of a niche area, but have still managed to find programs at Liberty, (PhD in Policy with National Security specialization), and Missouri State (Doctorate of Defense and Strategic Studies). I do not feel like a DPA or PhD in Public Admin or Criminal Justice would be appropriate because those are not something I've ever worked in before, and also a DPA or DCJ would focus on the wrong things. The Liberty and MSU programs both have the national strategy/military focus I am looking for. Both programs interest me greatly. The issue is cost. Even with the first responder discount at Liberty, I would struggle to afford the degree. (I do not qualify for the vets discount)...the Missouri State program is even more expensive. While I could probably get a full ride if I do a program in-house at a B&M program, I cannot afford to move, both for family and financial reasons.So... does anyone know of any Doctorate level online homeland security or public policy programs cheaper than Liberty?  I have spent hours on Google, but cannot find anything under 25,000. I am NOT looking for a shortcut or a diploma mill, or an African or Spanglish proprio... I am more than willing to bust my butt and do the work of a "real" doctorate. . . . It's just that I'm just a working class paramedic and can't afford the bigger better programs.

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Also, in case it matters, besides my USCG experience, I also spent time in my twenties working as a homeland security intern with both my state police agency and with my state public health department. So I do have some relevant experience I can point to, along with a few minor projects.

I am also a graduate of several military PME leadership courses, but those only provide credit at the undergrad or master's levels... Not suitable for credit at a doctorate program as I understand it.

[bjcheung77]

@FireMedic_Philosopher, that's a good introduction post but it's missing a few details of your variables, it's better to provide a greater overview of your situation by filling in the addendum and template details, a very simple and short one like this here, I mentioned this to someone asking for a Masters degree in this thread: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...#pid410308

BTW, would a different Doctorate work for you instead of National Security or Public Policy? The reason is, again, without your details, we don't know what can and can't transfer over. One of the institutions you mentioned, Liberty allows up to 50% transfer, but the subjects taught at the doctoral level is going to be hard to find 'cheap' elsewhere... Hmm, something to think about.

[freeloader]

One Potential option: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...#pid409884

[sanantone]

National security is international relations focused on war, espionage, weapons proliferation, and terrorism issues. Alternatives to national security would be international relations, global security, security studies, international security, international affairs, diplomacy, and potentially political science depending on the available electives or concentrations. Public policy may or may not have an international focus. Homeland security is different from national security. Homeland security is more focused on tactics to protect the homeland and is often combined with emergency management. National security and all its variations are more focused on international relations, foreign policy, and studying the ideologies behind foreign terrorist groups.

It doesn't get much cheaper than Liberty University with the first responder discount. There's also the American Military University.

[FireMedic_Philosopher]

Your Location: central Illinois 
Your Age: 40
What kind of degree do you want?: RA doctorate in Homeland Security (not CJ based) Public Policy, or National Security 
Current Regional Accredited Credits: RA Masters in Public Safety 
Current ACE, CLEP, or NCCRS Credits: none at the doctoral level
Any certifications or military experience?: yes, none that apply at the doctoral level.
Budget: $25,000 or less. Will be paying cash, No loans.
Commitments: Currently work 72 hours a week as a paramedic, firefighter, and EMS adjunct instructor 
Dedicated time to study: 2 twelve hour blocks each week
Timeline: hope to begin spring 2025 
Tuition assistance/reimbursement: none provided by employer. Honestly I am already very overqualified in my current role, even my boss only has a trade school certificate.
End goal: Get the hell out of being a first responder with a bad back and either enter academia full time, or move into a government role in the area of national defense, public policy, or homeland security.

[sanantone]

Another option would be to get the cheapest doctorate that is semi-related to the field you want to teach or to get a generic doctorate. You'll rely on your master's degree to qualify for the subject area, and the doctorate will check the box for the doctorate requirement. This is common in the occupational safety and environmental health field. A professor might have an EdD plus a master's degree in industrial hygiene or health and safety.

[FireMedic_Philosopher]

National security is international relations focused on war, espionage, weapons proliferation, and terrorism issues. Alternatives to national security would be international relations, global security, security studies, international security, international affairs, diplomacy, and potentially political science depending on the available electives or concentrations. Public policy may or may not have an international focus. Homeland security is different from national security. Homeland security is more focused on tactics to protect the homeland and is often combined with emergency management. National security and all its variations are more focused on international relations, foreign policy, and studying the ideologies behind foreign terrorist groups.

It doesn't get much cheaper than Liberty University with the first responder discount. There's also the American Military University.

AMU is too expensive and likely would be frowned upon given my goal of full time academia.

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@FireMedic_Philosopher, that's a good introduction post but it's missing a few details of your variables, it's better to provide a greater overview of your situation by filling in the addendum and template details, a very simple and short one like this here, I mentioned this to someone asking for a Masters degree in this thread: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...#pid410308

BTW, would a different Doctorate work for you instead of National Security or Public Policy? The reason is, again, without your details, we don't know what can and can't transfer over.  One of the institutions you mentioned, Liberty allows up to 50% transfer, but the subjects taught at the doctoral level is going to be hard to find 'cheap' elsewhere... Hmm, something to think about.

To answer your core question as succinctly as I can, I do not have any doctoral credits yet complete. Liberty has led me to believe (please correct me if I am wrong) that masters level credits would only transfer in towards a master's degree. They indicated that I could complete an executive level public policy certificate in-house and transfer those credits toward a Liberty PhD, but those certificates do not qualify for the first responder discount.

[sanantone]

National security is international relations focused on war, espionage, weapons proliferation, and terrorism issues. Alternatives to national security would be international relations, global security, security studies, international security, international affairs, diplomacy, and potentially political science depending on the available electives or concentrations. Public policy may or may not have an international focus. Homeland security is different from national security. Homeland security is more focused on tactics to protect the homeland and is often combined with emergency management. National security and all its variations are more focused on international relations, foreign policy, and studying the ideologies behind foreign terrorist groups.

It doesn't get much cheaper than Liberty University with the first responder discount. There's also the American Military University.

AMU is too expensive and likely would be frowned upon given my goal of full time academia.

---

@FireMedic_Philosopher, that's a good introduction post but it's missing a few details of your variables, it's better to provide a greater overview of your situation by filling in the addendum and template details, a very simple and short one like this here, I mentioned this to someone asking for a Masters degree in this thread: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...#pid410308

BTW, would a different Doctorate work for you instead of National Security or Public Policy? The reason is, again, without your details, we don't know what can and can't transfer over.  One of the institutions you mentioned, Liberty allows up to 50% transfer, but the subjects taught at the doctoral level is going to be hard to find 'cheap' elsewhere... Hmm, something to think about.

To answer your core question as succinctly as I can, I do not have any doctoral credits yet complete. Liberty has led me to believe (please correct me if I am wrong) that masters level credits would only transfer in towards a master's degree. They indicated that I could complete an executive level public policy certificate in-house and transfer those credits toward a Liberty PhD, but those certificates do not qualify for the first responder discount.

Liberty University would also be frowned upon depending on which direction you go. If you go more toward the homeland security, criminal justice, and emergency management direction, then Liberty will be fine. If you go more toward political science and international relations, then Liberty University might hurt you because of their entanglement with Christian fundamentalism and far right politics.

[FireMedic_Philosopher]

Another option would be to get the cheapest doctorate that is semi-related to the field you want to teach or to get a generic doctorate. You'll rely on your master's degree to qualify for the subject area, and the doctorate will check the box for the doctorate requirement. 

To your point, my goal of starting the thread is to find that "cheapest" RA doctorate. I will be funding my program out of pocket and am definitely working class in terms of pay at the present time. As to teaching based on my masters, my masters is focused on fire department and EMS administration. However, I am looking to move as far away from my current field as possible, and would not be interested in teaching in those disciples any longer. (I've already been a street level practitioner for 20 years and worked as an adjunct instructor and supervisor for 15). 

My goal is to somehow get a full time job with the federal government in the national security arena, get a job with a think tank like RAND, ISW, or get hired full time by a college or university school of public policy or government. As I said, earlier, I also have 16 years of part time experience with the USCG and have interned previously at the state level in the areas of disaster planning and counter-terrorism.

[sanantone]

Another option would be to get the cheapest doctorate that is semi-related to the field you want to teach or to get a generic doctorate. You'll rely on your master's degree to qualify for the subject area, and the doctorate will check the box for the doctorate requirement. 

To your point, my goal of starting the thread is to find that "cheapest" RA doctorate. I will be funding my program out of pocket and am definitely working class in terms of pay at the present time. As to teaching based on my masters, my masters is focused on fire department and EMS administration. However, I am looking to move as far away from my current field as possible, and would not be interested in teaching in those disciples any longer. (I've already been a street level practitioner for 20 years and worked as an adjunct instructor and supervisor for 15). 

My goal is to somehow get a full time job with the federal government in the national security arena, get a job with a think tank like RAND, ISW, or get hired full time by a college or university school of public policy or government. As I said, earlier, I also have 16 years of part time experience with the USCG and have interned previously at the state level in the areas of disaster planning and counter-terrorism.

For the federal government, all you'll need is another master's degree. Don't forget that history is also related to this field if your degree focuses on a foreign region.