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Public Safety

From an associate degree in law enforcement to a Ph.D. in public policy, programs in public safety prepare you to play a role in protecting the public from threats of all size and variety. Typically, associate and bachelor’s degrees help you prepare to be an individual contributor in areas such as law enforcement, fire safety, homeland security, or disaster relief. You may need a master’s degree or Ph.D. to direct an agency that protects the public safety, set public policy, or research ways to prepare for emergency situations.

Most public safety jobs are in local, state, and federal government, but some are in the private sector. The Department of Homeland Security coordinates security activities at all levels of government as well as in the private and nonprofit sector. It oversees organizations that manage emergency response and recover efforts, protect infrastructure, gather intelligence, maintain law and order during a crisis, maintain security in public places, or conduct research to protect the public health and well being. Some jobs with the federal government include air marshal, scientific researcher, and Coast Guard. Local governments hire emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics, law enforcement officers, fire fighters, and healthcare workers. In the private sector, you can specialize in protecting infrastructure such as financial institutions, communications, or utilities.