NAU: Where students come to learn the architecture of strategic security - National
Source: https://www.national.edu/2026/04/15/strategic-security-degree-online-nau
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:31
NAU: Where students come to learn the architecture of strategic security - National
Apply Now
Request Information
800-209-0182
800-209-0182
Apply Online
Request Information
Degree Programs
College of Undergraduate Studies
Henley-Putnam School of Strategic Security
Harold D. Buckingham Graduate School
College of Legal Studies
Admissions
Get Started
First-Time Students
Graduate Students
Military Students
Transfer Students
Academic Partners
Admissions FAQ
Request Information
Tuition & Financing
Tuition and Fees
Financial Aid and Funding Options
Military & Veteran Funding Options
Canadian Financial Aid and Funding Options
Cost of Attendance
About NAU
Why NAU
Blog
Catalogs
Mission, Purpose, Vision & History
NAU 85 Year Anniversary Celebration
Careers at NAU
Information & Disclosures
Student Resources
Student Portal
Desire2Learn
Transcript Request
NAU: Where students come to learn the architecture of strategic security
Back
From a small-town sheriff trying to maintain public safety to a national security adviser identifying vulnerabilities in a potential cyberattack for the president of the United States, strategic security helps prevent and deter threats to community leaders, corporate executives and organizations in today’s complex world.
At National American University’s
Henley-Putnam School of Strategic Security
, students learn from the associate to the doctoral levels of study about intelligence and threat management designed to prepare them for careers in the security field, including government intelligence, private security and federal agencies. The program integrates intelligence management, counterterrorism and protection management into a cohesive strategic framework. Courses are taught by faculty with field experience in organizations such as the FBI, CIA and military intelligence.
Unlike traditional programs that often focus on political or military history, NAU’s curriculum emphasizes proactive deterrence and the application of objective information to prevent threats before they occur.
“We don’t teach the study of war,” said Barbara Burke, Ph.D., dean of Henley-Putnam School of Strategic Security. “We teach the architecture of safety, with the goal of protecting people, places, things and ideas. The most successful things our graduates have done, you’ve never seen. Why? Because they were successful in preventing a threat. Whether the goal is to protect a CEO, a power grid or a trade secret, our job is to make those entities untouchable, surrounded by a 360-degree shield.”
Burke said that “shield” can be thought of as guns, gates and guards. The presence of a gun says, “not today.” A gate, be it a physical border crossing or an IT firewall, serves as a point of denial. And, guards, who provide the human element of security, are trained to spot a lie or a threat long before it reaches the gate.
“We transform our students into safety architects,” Burke said. “They learn to handle the ‘what-ifs’ so the world doesn’t have to, ensuring that the ‘what-ifs’ never happened and never become what happened. We don’t just teach how to catch a thief; we teach how to make the thief realize he’s already lost before he even touches the gates.”
Graduates are trained to assume leadership roles in public and private sectors. These can include careers as an intelligence analyst, counterterrorism specialist, federal marshal, secret service agent, chief security officer or strategic security adviser, to name a few. Experts in the field are increasingly sought by corporations and nonprofits who protect critical infrastructure, data and personnel.
These jobs can include identifying competitors attempting to steal corporate trade secrets, protecting personnel globally in high-threat environments, planning security during the construction or renovation of a facility, identifying and neutralizing foreign intelligence activities, and limiting access to sensitive data and critical systems.
With the integration of AI into most facets of life today, Burke said graduates learn to become the “human in the loop” in terms of security technology.
“They learn to interpret and guide the subtle differences AI might produce during an exercise and learn how to question the feedback,” she said. “We teach them critical thinking skills, predictive analysis skills, communication skills so you can recognize what info needs to be gathered, how and where to get that info, to look at it critically and then have the courage to present it or speak against the group thought, and communicate to the decision-maker or become part of the decision cycle themselves. These are basic skills taught and wrapped around our courses from the associate through the doctorate level.”
For more information on NAU’s Henley-Putnam School of Strategic Security programs, please visit
national.edu/schools/henley-putnam
.
FAST FACTS
100
%
Online programs for maximum flexibility
80
+%
NAU students receiving transfer or experiential learning credit
100
+
Relevant degree and certificate programs
21
+
Years of online educational excellence
Need some help?
Accreditation
National American University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission - hlcommission.org -
800-621-7440
.
National American University
4020 Jackson Blvd Suite 1
Rapid City, SD 57702
Mail:
PO Box 677
Rapid City, SD 57709
Privacy Policy
Links
Information & Disclosures
Investor Relations
Catalogs
NAU Canada Online
Request Transcript
COVID-19
NAU Gear Shop
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google
Privacy Policy
and
Terms of Service
apply
Apply Now
Request Information
800-209-0182
800-209-0182
Apply Online
Request Information
Degree Programs
College of Undergraduate Studies
Henley-Putnam School of Strategic Security
Harold D. Buckingham Graduate School
College of Legal Studies
Admissions
Get Started
First-Time Students
Graduate Students
Military Students
Transfer Students
Academic Partners
Admissions FAQ
Request Information
Tuition & Financing
Tuition and Fees
Financial Aid and Funding Options
Military & Veteran Funding Options
Canadian Financial Aid and Funding Options
Cost of Attendance
About NAU
Why NAU
Blog
Catalogs
Mission, Purpose, Vision & History
NAU 85 Year Anniversary Celebration
Careers at NAU
Information & Disclosures
Student Resources
Student Portal
Desire2Learn
Transcript Request
NAU: Where students come to learn the architecture of strategic security
Back
From a small-town sheriff trying to maintain public safety to a national security adviser identifying vulnerabilities in a potential cyberattack for the president of the United States, strategic security helps prevent and deter threats to community leaders, corporate executives and organizations in today’s complex world.
At National American University’s
Henley-Putnam School of Strategic Security
, students learn from the associate to the doctoral levels of study about intelligence and threat management designed to prepare them for careers in the security field, including government intelligence, private security and federal agencies. The program integrates intelligence management, counterterrorism and protection management into a cohesive strategic framework. Courses are taught by faculty with field experience in organizations such as the FBI, CIA and military intelligence.
Unlike traditional programs that often focus on political or military history, NAU’s curriculum emphasizes proactive deterrence and the application of objective information to prevent threats before they occur.
“We don’t teach the study of war,” said Barbara Burke, Ph.D., dean of Henley-Putnam School of Strategic Security. “We teach the architecture of safety, with the goal of protecting people, places, things and ideas. The most successful things our graduates have done, you’ve never seen. Why? Because they were successful in preventing a threat. Whether the goal is to protect a CEO, a power grid or a trade secret, our job is to make those entities untouchable, surrounded by a 360-degree shield.”
Burke said that “shield” can be thought of as guns, gates and guards. The presence of a gun says, “not today.” A gate, be it a physical border crossing or an IT firewall, serves as a point of denial. And, guards, who provide the human element of security, are trained to spot a lie or a threat long before it reaches the gate.
“We transform our students into safety architects,” Burke said. “They learn to handle the ‘what-ifs’ so the world doesn’t have to, ensuring that the ‘what-ifs’ never happened and never become what happened. We don’t just teach how to catch a thief; we teach how to make the thief realize he’s already lost before he even touches the gates.”
Graduates are trained to assume leadership roles in public and private sectors. These can include careers as an intelligence analyst, counterterrorism specialist, federal marshal, secret service agent, chief security officer or strategic security adviser, to name a few. Experts in the field are increasingly sought by corporations and nonprofits who protect critical infrastructure, data and personnel.
These jobs can include identifying competitors attempting to steal corporate trade secrets, protecting personnel globally in high-threat environments, planning security during the construction or renovation of a facility, identifying and neutralizing foreign intelligence activities, and limiting access to sensitive data and critical systems.
With the integration of AI into most facets of life today, Burke said graduates learn to become the “human in the loop” in terms of security technology.
“They learn to interpret and guide the subtle differences AI might produce during an exercise and learn how to question the feedback,” she said. “We teach them critical thinking skills, predictive analysis skills, communication skills so you can recognize what info needs to be gathered, how and where to get that info, to look at it critically and then have the courage to present it or speak against the group thought, and communicate to the decision-maker or become part of the decision cycle themselves. These are basic skills taught and wrapped around our courses from the associate through the doctorate level.”
For more information on NAU’s Henley-Putnam School of Strategic Security programs, please visit
national.edu/schools/henley-putnam
.
FAST FACTS
100
%
Online programs for maximum flexibility
80
+%
NAU students receiving transfer or experiential learning credit
100
+
Relevant degree and certificate programs
21
+
Years of online educational excellence
Need some help?
Accreditation
National American University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission - hlcommission.org -
800-621-7440
.
National American University
4020 Jackson Blvd Suite 1
Rapid City, SD 57702
Mail:
PO Box 677
Rapid City, SD 57709
Privacy Policy
Links
Information & Disclosures
Investor Relations
Catalogs
NAU Canada Online
Request Transcript
COVID-19
NAU Gear Shop
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google
Privacy Policy
and
Terms of Service
apply