PUBLIC SAFETY ENGINEERING LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

Master’s Degree

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION
2. WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS PROGRAM
3. PROGRAM CORNERSTONES
4. PROGRAM FORMAT
4.1. Required core courses
4.2. Concentration Courses
4.3. Elective Courses 8
4.4. Independent Research / Internships
5. COURSE SEQUENCING
6. ADMISSIONS INFORMATION
7. SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION

ABSTRACT

The following paper is a working document for the proposed master’s degree for the University of Houston Public Safety Leadership Engineering Program. The objective of this program is to enhance the ability of engineers and engineering managers to meet the unique Homeland Security and Public Safety technological demands of the post 9/11 world. This program will produce a new discipline of professionals with rigorous education in both engineering and public safety. The paper consists of introduction, who will benefit, program cornerstones, program format, course sequencing, admissions information, and scholarship information sections.

PUBLIC SAFETY ENGINEERING LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

1. INTRODUCTION

This is a twelve month intensive program, designed to provide undergraduate engineering and hard science degreed professionals with a rigorous graduate level education in public safety engineering and technology. This objective is achieved by providing a comprehensive academic education in both the technical and managerial issues associated in the homeland security, public safety, and security sectors.

2. WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS PROGRAM

The events of 9-11 have forever focused attention on homeland security and public safety sector. This attention has resulted in increased pressure for advances in homeland security and public safety technology. An entirely new discipline of engineers is needed to responsively and effectively meet the demands of this specialized technology.

Fresh conventional engineering and hard science degreed graduates simply do not have the educational background to perform proficiently in this new discipline. Similarly, without specific homeland security or public safety backgrounds, even experienced engineering and hard science degreed professionals find themselves ill-prepared for these types of demands.

This master’s degree program is specifically designed to overcome the inherent deficiencies of existing undergraduate engineering programs and prepare graduates for the new engineering discipline of Homeland security and public safety engineering. Specific examples of engineering professionals who can benefit from this education include:

• Newly degreed engineers and scientists with interests in Homeland Security and Public Safety positions
• Existing undergraduate degreed engineers and scientists with Homeland Security or Public Safety Responsibilities

By combining graduate level engineering, homeland security, and public safety education, graduates of the master’s program will find themselves uniquely technologically and managerially prepared to take on a variety of engineering and technology leadership roles in this new market. These individuals will shape the future of homeland security and public safety engineering and technology.

3. PROGRAM CORNERSTONES

The program is structured to offer both a flexible and a comprehensive solution to undergraduate engineering and hard science degreed professionals. The program is based on the cornerstones of:

Awareness
Access
Analysis
Adoption

Awareness focuses on insuring that the program participants are exposed to both cutting edge and general public safety and security technology issues. Awareness is primarily achieved through the Leadership Issues in Public Safety Engineering and Technology seminar series.

Access means that program students are able to access the latest in public safety technology from a hands-on standpoint. This access is provided through the Shared Technology Laboratory.

Analysis means that the program students will have the ability to properly analyze the public safety and security situation and determine effective proactive and reactive responses. This ability is achieved through focused education in selected Public Safety Security Technology subject areas.

Adoption refers to the ability of students to properly manage the technical implementation process. This will help insure that the needed technology is effectively deployed through engineering project management principles.

4. PROGRAM FORMAT

The 12 course, 36 credit Master’s program is designed to be completed in a twelve month period. The program consists of:

Core courses
Concentration courses
Elective courses
Course Internship / capstone project

4.1. Required core courses

INDE 7397 Leadership Issues in Public Safety Engineering and Technology I
INDE 7397 Leadership Issues in Public Safety Engineering and Technology II

Issues I and II is a continuous course sequence involving both a wide spread and cutting edge presentation of technology, management, and legal related issues.

These topics closely follow the National Institute of Justices’ Research and Development Portfolio, specifically including:

• Communications Interoperability and Information Sharing
• Crime Prevention Technologies
• Critical Incident Technology
• Electronic Crime
• Learning Technologies
• Less-Lethal Technologies
• Investigative & Forensic Sciences
• Mapping & Analysis
• Protective Systems Technologies
• Standards and Testing

INDE 6332 Engineering Project Management

The third core course of the master’s program is the Engineering Project Management course. This course provides students with the skills necessary to successfully implement different types of Public Safety Technology.

Principles of engineering project management
Project selection
Project planning
Project leadership
Project control
Issues, skills associated with interdisciplinary and multi-jurisdictional projects.

INDE 7397 Homeland Security Engineering Management (new course)

The fourth core course of the master’s program is the Homeland Security Engineering Management course. This course is designed to provide an introduction into non-technical issues associated with Homeland Security and Public Safety management.

• Terrorism as a form of political extremism
• Structure, dynamics, and tactics of major terrorist groups throughout the world
• Threats to the United States
• Methods of counter-terrorism

4.2. Concentration Courses

A total of three courses are taken in one of five concentration areas. The concentration areas are:

• Interoperability
• Operations Analysis
• Crisis Management
• Information Systems Security
• Infrastructure

Interoperability
ECE 7397 Access Control System Engineering Technical
ECE 6301 Sensor Design and Applications Technical
ECE 6332 Wireless Telecommunication Systems Technical
ECE 6354 Digital Video in Telecommunications Technical
ELET 6300 Computer Network and Programming Technical
ELET 6302 Advanced Wireless Networks Technical

Operations Analysis
INDE 7397/6370 Simulation Modeling and Analysis of Systems Technical
INDE 7397/6385
Training Simulator Software Engineering For Public Safety Applications Technical
INDE 6372 Operations Research and Analysis of Systems Technical
INDE 6337 Human Factors in Systems Design (Ergonomics) Technical
INDE 7397 Engineering Statistics Technical
INDE 6364 Advanced Engineering Statistics Technical

Crisis Management
POLS 6319 Seminar In Emergency Management Non-technical
CJ 5360 Security and Crisis Management: Theories and Practices Non-technical
CJ 6371 Security Program and Policy Analysis Non-technical
INDE 6335 Engineering Administration Non-technical
INDE 6320 Safety Engineering Management Non-technical

Information Systems Security
ITEC 5321
Principles of Information Systems Security Technical
ITEC 6322
Secure Enterprise Computing Technical
ITEC 6323
Cryptography and Information Systems Security Technical
ITEC 6324
Information Systems Security Risk Analysis Technical
ELET 6313 Network Security Technical

Infrastructure
INDE 7397 Logistics and Distribution System Design Technical
CIVE 4337 Transportation Engineering Technical
CHEE 6379 Safety and Reliability Technical
PETR 6372 Petroleum Production Operations Technical
CIVE 5360 Urban and Regional Planning Technical

4.3. Elective Courses

Students take an additional three elective courses. These elective courses will normally be selected from the above list. Students may petition to take courses outside of the approved list.

4.4. Independent Research / Internships

INDE 7397 Independent is a six credit sequence taken during the final semester. It is designed to allow the student to become involved in a significant research project. Students enrolling in this option must receive project approval by a program faculty member.

5. COURSE SEQUENCING

The program is designed to be completed full time in a 12 month period starting each fall semester. In some instances students may complete the required coursework in two semesters. The remaining independent research project or internship may be completed back at the students’ home base. Students may also elect to reduce the number of courses in the first two semesters and remain on campus to take their remaining courses and independent research project the final semester.

Part time students may also enroll in the program. However, the course sequencing for part time students will be subject to the student’s availability.

FALL SEMESTER

INDE 7397 Leadership Issues in Public Safety Eng. and Technology I 3 credits
INDE 6332 Engineering Project Management 3 credits
INDE 7397 Homeland Security Engineering Management (new course) 3 credits
Concentration Area Course 1 from approved list 3 credits
Concentration Area Course 2 from approved list 3 credits

Semester Total 15 credits

SPRING SEMESTER

INDE 7397 Leadership Issues in Public Safety Eng. and Technology II 3 credits
Concentration Area Course 3 from approved list 3 credits
Elective 1 from approved list 3 credits
Elective 2 from approved list 3 credits
Elective 3 from approved list 3 credits

Semester Total 15 credits

Summer Semester

INDE 7397 Independent Research / Internship 6 credits

Semester Total 6 credits

Program Total 36 credits

6. ADMISSIONS INFORMATION

All applicants will need to meet the College of Engineering graduate level admission requirements for the Department of Industrial Engineering. This includes an undergraduate hard science or engineering degree. All applicants are also required to take the GRE. Admission decisions may also be based on an applicant’s professional experience and letters of recommendation.

7. SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION

Applicants may apply for a variety of U.S. government and private sector scholarships to help defray educational and living expenses. Interested applicants should contact the program administration for more information.