ECU Online: Bachelor of Science in Security Studies Flight Path Program

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Ready to Finish Your Degree? Advance With ECU Online’s Bachelor of Science in Security Studies Flight Path Program.

Security is a broad and critical field that’s essential to the successful operation of many industries, including:

  • Law enforcement
  • Emergency services
  • Public utilities
  • US Intelligence
  • Government
  • Businesses in the private sector

In ECU Online: Flight Path Programs, we’re committed to helping you advance your career and your impact with our Bachelor of Science (BS) in Security Studies degree.

The program teaches the real-world complexities of the emergency management system to help you mitigate potential security risks and coordinate comprehensive solutions to manage incidents at international, federal, state, and local levels. You’ll graduate with a multifaceted understanding of global security challenges and how to address them, preparing you for a meaningful and impactful career as a security professional.

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What You’ll Learn

The ECU Online: BS in Security Studies Flight Path Program is designed to give you a practical skill set that leads to immediate employability. During your time in the program, you’ll gain interdisciplinary knowledge through classes from departments such as:

  • Political science
  • Homeland and international security
  • Threats and policy responses
  • Environmental health and safety
  • Geography
  • History
  • Criminal justice and criminology
  • Religious studies

Is a Degree in Security Studies Worth It?

Earning a security studies degree is an immediate investment of your time and money, but it’s also a long-term investment for your future career. It can provide you with applicable knowledge and skills that prepare you for careers in different sectors, each of which is integral to local and global security and safety.

Many of these careers have competitive salaries and promising career growth. For example, political scientists, including policy analysts, had a median annual salary of $139,380 as of May 2024 and expect to see 3% growth between 2023 and 2033. Emergency management directors, another potential career outcome, had a median annual salary of $86,130 as of May 2024, with a 4% career growth projected through 2033.*

Our graduates have gone into roles such as:

  • Communications Director for Congressman David Rouzer
  • Crisis Operations Team Lead at Google
  • Election Specialist in Harnett County Government
  • Senior Consultant at Booze Allen Hamilton
  • Global Threat Intelligence Analyst at Raytheon

Career Outcomes With a Security Studies Degree

A BS in Security Studies can prepare you for roles across the security and emergency management spectrums. You’ll learn in-demand skills needed to pursue careers in the following sectors.*

Border and Homeland Security

  • Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
  • National Security Agency (NSA)
  • Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
  • Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
  • State and local law enforcement
  • Secret Service

Intelligence and Analysis

  • U.S. military
  • Private sector intelligence roles (e.g. corporate security analyst)
  • Federal civil service agencies
  • Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
  • Department of State
  • Department of Defense (DoD)

International Security

  • U.S. military organizations
  • NATO and the United Nations
  • Regional security organizations
  • Department of State
  • Think tanks
  • Nonprofit organizations

Curriculum & Courses

Security Studies is a strong major that requires both hard and soft skills, which are reinforced in our curriculum. The Flight Path BS degree requires 120 total credit hours, with 40 hours of general education courses.

Keep in mind that as a degree completion program, we accept transfer credits, which may significantly reduce your required hours to graduate. The required Security Studies courses include the following:

General education requirements - 40 credit hours

For information about courses that carry general education credit, view the General Education Program section.

Research and seminar courses - 6 credit hours

SECS 1000 - Introduction to Security Studies
SECS 4000 - Senior Seminar in Security Studies

Core courses - 9 credit hours

JUST 1000 - Introduction to Criminal Justice
POLS 2020 - Introduction to International Relations
POLS 3031 - Research Design for Political Science

Required writing course - 3 credit hours

POLS 2090 - Writing for Political Science
or a program director approved rhetoric or writing course

Elective courses - 24 credit hours

Choose courses from at least 4 different prefixes with no more than 12 hours from any one prefix.
Choose a minimum of 24 credits from the below electives:

CRIM 3620 - Homeland Security
CRIM 4005 - Organized Crime
CRIM 4615 - Terrorism and Criminal Justice
CRIM 4620 - Transnational and Global Crime
EHST 2110 - Introduction to Environmental Health Sciences
GEOG 2300 - Environment and Society
GEOG 2350 - Climate Change: Science and Society
GEOG 3430 - Geographic Information Systems I
GEOG 4430 - Geographic Information Systems II
HIST 3121 - American Military History to 1900
HIST 3122 - American Military History Since 1900
HIST 3260 - The United States and the Middle East, 1783 to the Present
HIST 3350 - War and Society
HIST 3670 - History of the Middle East Since 1500
PLAN 1900 - Sustainable Cities
PLAN 4015 - Disaster Planning
POLS 3080 - Security and Weapons of Mass Destruction
POLS 3144 - American Foreign Policy
POLS 3155 - National Security Policy
POLS 3180 - The US Intelligence Community
POLS 3260 - Middle Eastern Political Systems
POLS 3290 - Communities in Conflict: Causes, Dynamics, and Resolutions of Civil Wars
POLS 3293 - International Organizations
POLS 4382 - Politics of Terrorism
POLS 4383 - Clash of Nations: The Drivers Behind Interstate Conflict
RELI 1690 - World Religions
RELI 2691 - Classical Islam

Minor and electives to complete graduation requirements - 24 credit hours

A minimum of 24 s.h. from sections 2 and 3 must be above 2999.
"I fully encourage anyone who might be considering distance education, to give East Carolina University serious consideration. Living at home and taking classes online meant that I had much more flexibility in my schedule and the ability to work full time without sacrificing my education. As a result, I was able to graduate on schedule, without any debt, and with a useful degree."
‐ Mariah James, ECU Online Graduate

Tuition and Financial Aid

$398 per credit hour plus fees*

*$477 per credit hour plus fees for out-of-state students; tuition subject to change

Active-duty military tuition rate with waiver is $250 per credit hour plus applicable fees.

Availability is limited each term

120 CREDIT HOURS*

*Transfer credits may reduce number of hours.

ECU Online: Flight Path Programs tuition for in-state students is just $398 per credit hour plus fees. For out-of-state students, the tuition is $477 per credit hour plus fees. Active-duty military service members are eligible to receive a waiver that brings the tuition balance down to $250 per credit hour for select programs, with a maximum benefit of $4,500 per year.* With transfer credits and financial aid, your bachelor’s degree is within reach.

*Military tuition assistance does not cover books, technology fees, or other course-related fees.

Learn More

STRONG EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Recent graduates have gone into roles within government organizations such as the FBI, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, and private organizations like Raytheon, Google, and Oracle.

ADVANCE YOUR CAREER

The program will deepen your understanding of the current intelligence and emergency management landscape, empowering you to advance more quickly.

TRANSFER-FRIENDLY

You can transfer credits from coursework you’ve already completed and fast-track your path to a BS—with just 42 core credits required for our online security studies degree.

BEYOND ACADEMICS

Our focus on individualized attention, student support, and careermservices ensures that you leave not only with academic proficiency but also the tools for advancement.

TOP RANKED

ECU was ranked in the top 10 of America’s Top Online Colleges 2023 by Newsweek, meaning that you’ll graduate with a degree respected by employers nationwide.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

ECU is more than a university—it’s a community. Even as an online student, you’ll benefit from a powerful network of peers and faculty who truly care about your success.

The next class start date is approaching. Don’t wait to apply!

Student-Centric Online Learning Experience

We understand that on-campus learning doesn’t work for everyone, but that doesn’t mean you should sacrifice a robust student experience. That’s why our programs are immersive, accessible, and tailored for those with determination.

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Admissions

Online undergraduate students are required to have a minimum of 24 hours of transferable credits for admission. Students are evaluated under the transfer applicant criteria below:

  • A minimum of 24 hours of transferable college-level coursework (complete or in progress).
    • Only courses with a grade of “C-” or higher from regionally accredited institutions are eligible to transfer and can be used to gain admission.
    • Students under the age of 21 will also be expected to meet NC High School Minimum Course Requirements and are required to submit a final high school transcript.
  • A minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA for all college-level coursework attempted.

Undergraduate Students Application Materials

  • A completed online application .
  • All official transcripts from each college, technical institute, or university attended, if applicable. Send transcripts to:

    Office of Undergraduate Admissions
    Mail Stop 517
    East Carolina University
    Greenville, NC 27858-435

    We also accept electronic transcripts from most transcript services. Please request to have them sent directly to transfer@ecu.edu .

Residency Determination

The Residency Determination Service (RDS) has been established by the North Carolina State Legislature as the centralized service for determining residency for students. If you are a student applying for admission and claiming in-state residency for tuition purposes, you must visit NCresidency.org NCresidency.org to verify your residency.

If you’ve already completed the residency verification process and obtained your Residency Certification Number (RCN), you can enter your RCN when filling out our application. If you do not already have your RCN, you may submit your application and then come back and enter your RCN once you have it.

For more information, visit the Office of the Registrar’s Residency page , or contact RDS by phone at 1-844-319-3640 or by email at rdsinfo@ncresidency.org .

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many credits are generally required to complete an ECU Online: Flight Path Program?

For most programs, 120 total credit hours are required to graduate. This includes transfer credits and credits you earn at ECU.

Can I transfer credits from other institutions to an online Flight Path Program?

Yes. 24 transferable credits are required to apply.

Are ECU Online: Flight Path Programs accredited?

Yes. East Carolina University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral degrees. Learn more about accreditation .

What financial aid resources are available for students enrolled in ECU Online: Flight Path Programs?

ECU online program tuition for in-state students starts at just $398 per credit hour plus fees. For out-of-state students, the tuition starts at $477 per credit hour plus fees. Active-duty military service members are eligible to receive a waiver that brings the tuition balance down to $250/credit hour for select programs, with a maximum benefit of $4,500 per year. Military tuition assistance does not cover books, technology fees, or other course-related fees. The military rate of $250 per credit hour is only applicable to the BS in Criminal Justice and BS in Security Studies programs. Please note that tuition is subject to change. Learn more about financial aid opportunities .

About ECU Online: Flight Path Programs

ECU is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACSCOC) and was the first university in North Carolina to offer online degrees. We’ve continued to enhance the online experience ever since. As an established institution in North Carolina, we pride ourselves on offering a student-first, community-centric experience that empowers graduates to complete their online degrees from a reputable institution that employers recognize.

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*General labor market and salary data are sourced from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and Payscale. Salary and employment outcomes vary by geographic area, previous work experience, education, and opportunities for employment. ECU does not guarantee employment placement, salary level, or career advancement. Additional training and experience may be necessary for leadership positions.