The online Advanced Certificate in Terrorism Studies program from John Jay College of Criminal Justice offers a dynamic online education taught by leading authorities in terrorism studies, law enforcement, and criminal justice. In the program, you will develop an understanding of terrorism and counter-terrorism. The online program is suitable for students interested in pursuing a career in homeland security at local, state, or federal levels; joining national and international counter-terrorism agencies; conducting research on terrorism in academia; or seeking opportunities in relevant industries.
The program operates in collaboration with the internationally renowned Center on Terrorism at John Jay College, which sponsors a highly regarded series of seminars integrated into the curriculum of the program. Key components of the program are:
- 100% online courses - Flexible course schedule. No scheduled meeting times. You can study when and where you want.
- Small class size - Typically no more than 20 students per class. That means more one-on-one time with the instructor.
- Accelerated 8-week session format - Earn credits every 8 weeks.
- Transferrable graduate credits – Credits may be applied towards earning an advanced degree, such as the Master of Arts in Criminal Justice at John Jay College.
- Prominent faculty - Our faculty are leading authorities in terrorism studies.
- Affordable price - We offer one of the most affordable terrorism studies programs in the U.S.
- A prestigious credential - Online or on campus, you’ll obtain a credential that is recognized worldwide.
A senior college of The City University of New York, John Jay College of Criminal Justice is a preeminent national and international leader in all aspects of education related to criminal justice and is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
For more information about our program, please complete the Request Information form, or apply today for admission.
Courses in the online Advanced Certificate in Terrorism Studies program are offered in sequence to allow timely completion of the program, typically within one year.
Plan of Study
All courses in the online Advanced Certificate in Terrorism Studies program are offered in six accelerated eight-week sessions each year, including two sessions in the Fall and two in the Spring. Students admitted to the program may enroll in up to six credit hours of courses during each eight-week session.
To complete the program, a student must earn a total of 12 credit hours.
Listed below are the courses offered by the program. All of them are three-credit courses.
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This course discusses the history of terrorism, especially since the French Revolution; its evolving definition and how it relates to state violence; and its protean contemporary forms. The course also examines topics including the attacks on the World Trade Center, Middle Eastern terrorism from the Palestinian Hamas movement and Israeli religious violence, to state terrorism in countries such as Iraq; right-wing terrorism in this country (Oklahoma City); the case of Shoko Asahara’s fanatical Japanese group, Aum Shinrikyo; and the specific threat of terrorists using weapons of mass destruction. Develops a global perspective in raising comparative questions about terrorism.
This course gives present and future law enforcement managers an overview of counter-terrorism policy in the context of current events and policies. The topics will include emergency response to disaster scenes, the identification of terrorists and terrorist groups, and the assessment of vulnerability and risk for population and infrastructure. The course will cover preventive law enforcement strategies and tactics, as well as methods to improve information sharing and coordination between agencies.
This course examines the new, apocalyptic or world-ending violence that reached American shores in its most tragic form on September 11, 2001. Discusses the history of apocalyptic movements (such as the Crusades), of violent cultic groups from the Middle Ages to the contemporary world (such as Jim Jones), of fundamentalism in the major religions of the world and how and why it so often gets connected to terrorism, and of the way nuclear, biological and chemical weapons have changed our psychological landscape.
The intensive seminar in terrorism studies is the core experience of all students pursuing their “Certificate in Terrorism Studies.” The seminar is open only to students seeking the certificate. Students are expected to read in advance publications by the distinguished scholars who present their work at the seminar, participate in discussions, and write critiques of the presentations they have heard and publications they have read. Students have access to online streaming videos of the seminars and may engage in online interactions with the professor, guest speakers, and fellow students.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Admission to the online Advanced Certificate in Terrorism Studies program is competitive, and evaluation is based on the student’s academic and professional records of achievement.
To be considered for admission, students must meet the following requirements:
- A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university in the U.S. or an international equivalent
- An undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher (or meet contingency requirements as determined by the program on a case-by-case basis)
- The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or IELTS, is required for international applicants who have not studied in English-speaking countries. John Jay College’s TOEFL code number is 2115-99. The minimum acceptable TOEFL score is 550 for the paper-based test, 213 for the computer-based test, and 79-80 for the Internet-based test. The minimum score for IELTS is 7.
- Submission of a complete application (see Application Process below)
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