Public Safety Leadership Graduate Certificate Programs

Updated: Oct 31, 2024

An online Public Safety Leadership graduate certificate program is an option for people looking to advance in a career in public safety, such as law enforcement, homeland security, fire & rescue, or emergency management. Obtaining a graduate certificate can lead to increased management responsibilities, or open up a specific career path within public safety. Some certificates can be obtained in as little as 8 weeks in a focused online setting. Another advantage of online certification is that participants don’t necessarily have to interrupt an ongoing career to complete the coursework.

What Are the Online Public Safety Leadership Graduate Certificate Requirements?

Admission requirements will vary based on the type and branch of public safety that an applicant is pursuing. In general, admission requirements will include some or all of the following:

A graduate degree in Public Safety and official college transcripts
Some programs require a minimum GPA
A minimum number of years’ experience working in public safety, law enforcement, corrections, homeland security or a similar field
Letters of recommendation from an employer, supervisor and additional references
Completed application form and application fee

What Type of Classes Are Included in the Online Public Safety Leadership Graduate Certificate Curriculum?

Coursework in an online Public Safety Leadership graduate certification program will vary based on the branch of public safety being pursued. In general, coursework will focus on organizational management and leadership of a public safety entity, such as a local, state or federal law enforcement agency.

Here are some examples of the types of coursework required in Drury University’s online Public Health Leadership program:

Integrated Approaches to Public Safety
Strategic Planning and Evaluation
Human Resource Management and Employee Wellness
Effective Project Management

What Type of Careers Can I Pursue with an Online Public Safety Leadership Graduate Certificate?

A master’s degree plus a Public Safety Leadership graduate certificate (or multiple certificates) are often required before a person can become a candidate for a management position in any type of public safety career. Here are some examples of careers that can be pursued once a person obtains a graduate certificate in public safety:

Police Chief: A Chief of Police or similar position such as Sheriff manages the police force of an entire municipality. Due to the managerial and organization complexities of running a modern police department or sheriff’s department, post-graduate training is often required.
FBI Agent: A person needs at least a bachelor’s degree to become an FBI agent, but hiring preference is given to those with master’s degrees and additional post-graduate training. FBI agents investigate and combat cybercrimes, terrorism, gambling, public corruption and other types of crimes.
CIA Agent: CIA agents gather and analyze foreign intelligence to assess and respond to threats against the United States.
Criminologist: Criminologists work for local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. Their job is to study crime itself and analyze the reasons why certain groups commit crimes, and to theorize methods of reducing crime with that knowledge.
Criminal Profiler: Almost all criminal profilers have advanced degrees and certificates, and are primarily employed by federal law enforcement agencies such as the FBI or the US Marshals. They use psychology, forensics knowledge and other training to aid law enforcement in theorizing the type of person that may have committed a crime.