The 10 Best Online Law & Security MBA Degree Programs

The world of law enforcement continues to grow. It has never been a better time than now to consider a career in law and security management. With so much at stake, organizations across the globe are in need of properly trained business professionals who can lead a staff responsible for keeping information, facilities, and people safe. The online Law & Security MBA is an excellent degree to pursue if a career in security management interests you.

For many, the attacks of 9/11 changed how we consider safety and security in the private and public sectors. “The Department of Homeland Security was established in 2002, combining 22 different federal departments and agencies into a unified, integrated Cabinet agency.” Since then, some of the best business schools in the nation have created concentrations in Homeland Security, Sports Event Security, Safety, and Justice Administration in order to equip students for careers which involve managing teams within security environments.

The online Law & Security MBA not only includes a solid foundation of management, accounting, economic, and leadership coursework, it goes the step further to prepare business leaders to be decision makers and problem solvers in business and in crisis. Disasters require leadership that can analyze and discern pre-emergency infrastructures in order to better ensure safety for employees and the public. When disaster does strike, leaders need to be able to assess damage, evaluate loss, and create a plan for disaster management and reconstruction. While emergencies often require agencies to work together, the online MBA with a security focus helps train students for meaningful careers in leadership.

This ranking has been designed to showcase some of the greatest online Law & Security MBAs. The programs within offer a spectrum of tuition rates and time periods required to complete them. Each degree features a high-quality curriculum and wonderful flexibility for distance learners.

Methodology

MBA Central is unwaveringly focused on value. By considering Affordability (33%), Support Services (33%), and Quality of Classes (33%), we ranked the top Online Law & Security MBAs to find prospective students the programs with the most value.

Each school is given an Affordability Score. Those programs with a base tuition under $15,000 are considered Very Affordable, between $15,000 and $20,000 are Affordable, between $20,000 and $30,000 are Average, between $30,000 and $50,000 are Above Average, between $50,000 and $100,000 are considered Expensive, and above $100,000 are considered Very Expensive.

#1 Park University College of Management – Parkville, Missouri

The College of Management at Park University offers an online Master’s of Business Administration with a concentration in Homeland Security. Students looking for an affordable degree with a total tuition rate of less than $20,000 will want to consider this best-of-the-best program in law and security. The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs is this degree’s accrediting body. Accounting for Management Decisions, Business Law and Ethics, Organization Behavior and Leadership, Operations Management, Strategic Marketing, and Managerial Finance are just some of the general core courses attached to this highly-accredited program. Students who have achieved an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university with a minimum 2.75 cumulative GPA are encouraged to contact the admissions office to begin the acceptance process. The business school has made this program available to candidates who lack an undergraduate business degree; however, these students may be responsible for foundational course completion. This stellar program scores high on U.S. News & World Report’s ranking of programs that offer exemplary support services.

Nearly 11,500 students are currently pursuing degrees at Park University. Some students take courses at the main campus in Parkville, Missouri while others seek degrees through distance education. The school got its start in 1875 when it was established by John A. McAfee on land donated by George S. Park, the school’s namesake. Today, Park operates as a private, four-year nonprofit university. Park is regionally accredited through the Higher Learning Commission. The online MBA offered at Park’s College of Management is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs. Other specializations offered by the business school include Global Executive, Disaster Emergency Management, Global Business, Human Resources Management, Management Information Systems, Management Accounting, Project Management, Quality and Innovation Management, and Finance.

Accreditation: ACBSP, Higher Learning Commission
Affordability Score: Affordable

#2 East Carolina University College of Business – Greenville, North Carolina

East Carolina University’s College of Business delivers an online MBA with a Graduate Certificate in Security Studies. Other certificates offered by the business school include Business Analytics, Finance, Health Care Management, Hospitality Management, Security Studies, Marketing, Management Information Systems, Project Management, and Supply Chain Management. Marketing Management, Principles of Accounting and Finance, Social Media Marketing, Principles of Business, Comparative Management, Organizational Behavior, Strategic Management, and Project Leadership and Communication are just some of the core courses associated with this very affordable program that can be pursued for less than $15,000 in total tuition. This online MBA is comprised of three elective courses and eight common body of knowledge classes. Candidates with prior business course experience may waive up to seven foundational courses allowing for a quicker graduation time and ultimately saving money on educational costs.

In addition to this high-quality online MBA with a certificate in Security Studies, East Carolina University provides undergraduate through doctoral degrees to nearly 30,000 students currently. East Carolina was founded in 1907 as East Carolina Teachers Training School by the North Carolina General Assembly in response to the need for teacher training in the region. Today, this four-year public university is in Greenville, North Carolina. East Carolina is regionally accredited through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges. The university’s Business Administration Department is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. U.S. News & World Report has deemed the business school as one of the best places in the country for support services to online students and named it the 91st-best school in the nation to pursue an online MBA.

Accreditation: AACSB, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
Affordability Score: Very Affordable

#3 University of Southern Mississippi College of Business – Hattiesburg, Mississippi

The College of Business at the University of Southern Mississippi offers an online Master’s of Business Administration with a Sport Event Security Management focus. This 33-credit hour degree offers excellent value for the distance learner with an affordable tuition rate and high marks from U.S. News & World Report for incredible support services for online students. Applicants who have already achieved a high-level degree are exempt from having to submit GMAT/GRE test scores. U.S. News & World Report has deemed this o line MBA as the 136th best in the nation. Up to nine credit hours of foundational courses will need to be taken by incoming students who lack an undergraduate degree in business. This online MBA may also be pursued as a general MBA by students uninterested in this specialization. The school’s College of Business receives it prestigious business accreditation through the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Organizational Behavior and Leadership, Marketing Management, Analytical Decision Making, Managerial Accounting, Global Economy, Financial Management, Global Business Systems, and Global Business Strategy are some of the core courses included in this program.

This online MBA with a Sport Event Security Management concentration is just one of the fine degrees one can pursue at the University of Southern Mississippi. USM is home of the Golden Eagles and Lady Eagles and features the official school colors of black and gold. The school is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges and exists on a campus in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Founded in 1910, today USM is a four-year, public school delivering degrees to the nearly 14,500 students currently enrolled there. The university’s online MBA with a specialization in Sport Event Security Management will equip its graduates for careers as chief security and risk officers, emergency management directors, directors of safety and security of professional sports venues, and directors of public safety.

Accreditation: AACSB, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
Affordability Score: Affordable

#4 Liberty University School of Business – Lynchburg, Virginia

Liberty University offers an online Master’s of Business Administration with concentrations in American Legal Studies Program, Criminal Justice Administration Program, and International Legal Studies at the School of Business. Accounting, Finance, American Legal Studies, Criminal Justice Administration, Leadership, Healthcare Management, Human Resources, International Business, Marketing, International Legal Studies, Project Management, and Public Administration are just some of the other excellent concentrations students can choose from within this online MBA. This distance degree is comprised of 45-credit hours and is a great value with an average affordability among similar degrees. U.S. News & World Report cites the business school as offering exemplary support services for online students and ranks the program as the 136th best online MBA in the country. Some incoming students can transfer up to 50% of the program’s requirements, which allows wonderful savings in time and tuition expense. The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs accredits this online MBA.

Most students who take courses at Liberty University do so as distance learners. Liberty is a private, four-year nonprofit university that was established in 1971 by Jerry Falwell. The university got its start as Lynchburg Baptist College. The school’s first distance learners would take their coursework through viewing VHS tapes that were mailed to their homes. Today, Liberty University maintains a student body of over 75,000 and provides degrees from associates to doctoral levels. The school’s main campus is in Lynchburg, Virginia. Liberty features the official school motto of “Knowledge Aflame.” Featured courses for the university’s Criminal Justice Administration program include Criminal Justice Integration, Administration of Justice Organizations, Topics & Trends in Criminal Justice, and Operations Management.

Accreditation: ACBSP, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
Affordability Score: Average

#5 Lamar University College of Business – Beaumont, Texas

An online Master’s of Business Administration with a specialization in Criminal Justice Management is offered at the College of Business at Lamar University. The business school provides incoming students with an accessible application process that takes less than 30 days to complete. Business communication, organizational leadership, and management theory are integrated with the legal issues of law enforcement and business leadership within this stellar 36-credit hour program. One incredible advantage to a 100% online format is that classes can be scheduled around the distance learner’s professional and personal schedule. Candidates with the proper academic background can complete all requirements for this very affordable online MBA in just 16 months. U.S. News & World Report has awarded the College of Business with its 196th spot among the nation’s best online MBAs.

The College of Business receives its business accreditation through the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business and Lamar University is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges. Lamar’s motto is “Living the Legacy, Inventing the Future.” The university was founded on September 17, 1923, and originally named South Park Junior College. Classes for South Park met in upstairs classrooms at a local high school, and the college was approved by the Texas Department of education just two years after opening its doors. Today’s Lamar University operates as a public four-year university with a campus in Beaumont, Texas. Lamar provides a myriad of degree options to over 14,500 students currently enrolled. U.S News & World Report identifies the business school at Lamar as offering excellent support services to online and non-traditional students. The Criminal Justice Management-specific courses associated within this online MBA include Criminal Justice System and Policy, Theoretical Foundations of Criminal Control, Special Studies Applied Criminology Law, and Criminal Justice Leadership.

Accreditation: AACSB, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
Affordability Score: Very Affordable

#6 Wilmington University College of Business – New Castle, Delaware

An online Master’s of Business Administration with a concentration in Homeland Security is offered at Wilmington University’s College of Business. Analytics, communication, decision-making, and effective networking are just some of the important areas covered in this 36-credit hour program. Other concentrations associated with this online MBA include Accounting, Business Technology Management, Business Analytics, Finance, Environmental Sustainability, Health Care Administration, management information systems, and human resource management. Students taking the twelve courses at a full-time pace can expect to graduate in just one year. The College of Business at Wilmington receives its business accreditation through the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education. U.S. News & World Report calls this one of the nation’s best online MBAs. This affordable, 100% online program is priced between $15,000 and $19,999. Required courses within this program include Organizational Behavior and Ethical Leadership, Administrative Law, Quantitative Business Analysis, Managerial Accounting, and Global Marketing Management. A $35 fee, completion of a graduate application, and official transcripts are all thats needed to get the admissions process started.

The online MBA with a Homeland Security focus is just one of the degrees Wilmington University provides to the students currently seeking associate through doctoral level programs. Wilmington is regionally accredited through the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Fourteen thousand one hundred seventy students are currently enrolled at the school which was originally established in 1968 at Wilmington College. The university’s founder is educator Dr. Donald Ross. The private nonprofit four-year school’s main campus is in New Castle, Delaware. The two main priorities for Wilmington’s online MBA include a graduate’s competency in risk assessment and security management and the ability to forecast strategies for future challenges in an organization’s security.

Accreditation: IACBE, Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Affordability Score: Affordable

#7 Southeastern Oklahoma State University John Massey School of Business – Durant, Oklahoma

Southeastern Oklahoma State University provides an online Master’s of Business Administration with a concentration in Safety at the John Massey School of Business. The excellent business school also features degrees in Native American Leadership, Accounting, Management, Aerospace Logistics, Hospitality Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Healthcare Information Systems, Human Resources, Marketing, and Strategic Communication. Distance learners not interested in any one concentration can also pursue this degree as a general MBA. This online degree is one of the most affordable of its kind in Oklahoma. Students are often looking for an accelerated degree as it saves money on tuition and saves time. The 36-credit hour program offered by the John Massey School of Business can be completed 100% online in as few as 12 months. Contemporary Issues, Data Analysis for Managers Behavioral Management, Principle-Centered Leadership and Ethics, Management Economics, Accounting for Managers, Strategic Management, and Research Methods are some of the high-quality core courses associated with this degree. Six credits of this program are general courses while thirty are core courses. This very affordable online MBA can be pursued for less than $14,999 in total tuition.

Admission requirements for the John Massey School of Business include completion of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited school with an overall GPA of at least 3.0, or 3.0 GPA during the last hours of undergraduate work. The business school is just one of the excellent departments at Southeastern Oklahoma State University. SOSU is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. The main campus of Southeastern Oklahoma State is in Durant, Oklahoma, and the university functions as a four-year public school with a student body of just over four thousand students. The school offers undergraduate through graduate programs. The university’s online MBA program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs. There is no GMAT requirement listed for this degree.

Accreditation: AACSB, Higher Learning Commission
Affordability Score: Very Affordable

#8 Cardinal Stritch University College of Business and Management – Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The College of Business and Management at Cardinal Stritch University delivers an online Master’s of Business Administration with an emphasis in Justice Management. The business school’s MBA gives current business professionals the required tools to be successful in today’s global marketplace. Stritch gives its MBA distance learners a keen knowledge of the global, technical, ethical, and cross-cultural context of leadership through the filter of a management professional. The degree sharpens leaders interested in valuing people, planet, and profit. Stritch’s business school is regarded as a founder in innovative business academia. MBA grads will also gain competency in today’s business environment. The faculty within this program brings real-world experience into the classroom and helps distance learners understand how to apply solid business theory practically. All courses for this online MBA can be taken through distance learning without a visit to the school’s campus, in the classroom, or as a combination of the two through a blended education. The business school offers five different start times each calendar year. Six upper-level credits may be transferred into this online MBA. The 36-credit hour program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs.

The online MBA with a Justice Administration emphasis is just one of the excellent degrees offered at Cardinal Stritch University. Cardinal Stritch began in 1937 as St. Clare College. The Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi founded the college. The school’s original intent was to be a training institution for the sisters of the order. Lay women were admitted as students in 1953, and Cardinal Stritch achieved its university status in 1997. The university’s College of Business and Management has been awarded for offering the 205th best online MBA in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. The online MBA with a Justice Administration focus has been designed to equip students in the areas of risk assessment, mitigation, justice management, and policy and administration.

Accreditation: ACBSP, Higher Learning Commission
Affordability Score: Average

#9 American Public University School of Business – Charles Town, West Virginia

American Public University features an online MBA with an emphasis in Homeland Security Resource Allocation at the School of Business. The total base tuition price for this online MBA is less than $14,000. Accounting, Sports Management, Finance, Government Contracting and Acquisition, Information Technology Management, Analytics, General, Health Care Administration, Marketing, Entrepreneurship, and Global Business Management are the other specializations offered within this program. Fifteen credits of upper-level coursework may be waived by applicants who have the proper academic background. Full-time students can complete all requirements for this degree in as few as two years allowing for quicker graduation time. The monthly start times associated with this degree allow students to get a quicker start to a satisfying online MBA.

The business school’s online MBA is accredited by the ACBSP, and American Public University is regionally accredited through the Higher Learning Commission. APU is home of the Volunteers, and the university exists as a four-year, private nonprofit college with a student body of over 46,000 students. The university was birthed in 2002 out of the American Military University, which was established in 1991. “Educating those who serve” is the motto by which American Public University operates. The school’s MBA is divided between nine institutional requirements, 18 core requirements, and nine concentration credits. Elective and final program requirements may also be attached to this degree.

Accreditation: ACBSP, Higher Learning Commission
Affordability Score: Very Affordable

#10 Northcentral University School of Business – San Diego, California

The School of Business at Northcentral University features an online Master’s of Business Administration with an emphasis in Homeland Security. There are 21 total specializations distance learners can choose from including applied computer science, computer and information security, criminal justice, entrepreneurship, financial management, general business, healthcare administration, marketing, project management, public administration, and strategic management. This online MBA consists of ten courses and 30 total credit hours. The overall tuition rate for this degree is above average when out against comparable programs, yet this does not take away from the program’s excellent value. Start dates are every Monday so students can begin taking courses throughout the year. The business school has designed this online MBA to be completed in just 16 months which allows for better affordability and less time in the classroom than a two year or longer program. All classes are offered 100% online. Benefits of this program include personal attention from mentors who have achieved doctor’s degrees in their fields. There are no group assignments connected with this flexible and convenient MBA.

The online MBA is just one of the excellent degrees offered at Northcentral University. Northcentral is a four-year private nonprofit university, which features a campus in San Diego, California. Ten thousand seven hundred eighty-eight students currently attend the school. Northcentral University receives its regional accreditation through the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Senior College and University Commission while the business school’s online Master’s of Business Administration is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs. U.S. News and World Report ranks this online MBA as the 205th best in the nation.

Accreditation: ACBSP, Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Senior College and University Commission
Affordability Score: Above Average

What is security management?

Security management encompasses all types of protection of an organization or corporation’s assets from threats of any kind. Because many organizations consist of different departments and include all types of assets, from personnel, infrastructure, facilities, intellectual and physical property and more, the security of these areas is important. A professional in security management carries the burden of being able to develop, document, and implement processes, policies, and procedures in order to safeguard a company’s assets.

A quick glance of recent headlines shows that even large corporations are susceptible to hackers who can breach firewalls in order to steal customer information. In recent years, the Target retail store chain had suffered data breaches that affected over 70 million customers when hackers stole credit card information and email and home addresses. In the wrong hands, information like this can be used for identity theft and other types of offenses. Breaches of information are not only a major inconvenience for retail customers, but it also causes members of the public at large to question if they can trust organizations.

Other types of security management involve overseeing staffs of security personnel at sporting event venues and large government, public, and private facilities. No matter what the job looks like, a career in security management can be a challenging and satisfying one to pursue. There are currently degrees like the online Law & Security MBA that have been designed to train leaders in this field of business. These degrees include solid business principles and valuable security-focused curriculums which equip graduate students with the tools they will need lead within in this field.

What kind of job can you get with a law and security MBA?

There is a spectrum of jobs available in law and security. Security management is the protection of an organizations assets, and that description is generally broad in nature. Some organizations require protection of their physical property and staff during a workday and perhaps through the night. Software companies may need the protection of their IT assets that require its security personnel to possess more technical knowledge.

A quick comparison of a security guard and an information security specialist helps to shed light on the many opportunities for vocations in law and security. A position as a physical security guard may require no education but may also yield a salary of less than $25,000 a year in some cases. An information security specialist position, on the other hand, may require its applicants to have achieved an undergraduate or graduate degree, but then offers an annual salary of over $90,000. This type of position requires a higher education but also greater opportunities to advance in the field of security management.

Other attractive jobs available to trained security managers include director of safety and/or security at professional sports venues. A leader in this position will be responsible for creating policies, procedures, and risk assessment for the facility and coordinating security personnel on a regular basis. Directors of Public Safety can work in local and state governments and coordinate efforts with fire, rescue, police, and medical entities to create and maintain services in these areas for residents.

No matter what profession you choose in security management, an excellent degree to consider beginning a career is an online master’s of business administration in law and security. Students with an undergraduate business background will often be able to waive foundational courses and go right to core courses with this flexible and convenient degree. Business schools across the country realize that graduate students working a full-time job need the ability to set their own course schedules and work through their programs at a pace which makes sense to them. Some of these degrees can be completed in as few as 12 months which allows students to save time and money on an excellent online education.

What is the benefit of getting a Law & Security MBA online?

The master’s degree is a highly respected level of education that has proven itself throughout the years as an important investment for students, both academically and financially. Some students interested in the field of law and security may not realize the many benefits of pursuing an online MBA with an emphasis in security management.

While there are excellent reasons to pursue online education, the greatest benefit of pursuing an MBA through an online format is the excellent level of flexibility and convenience distance learners enjoy compared to their on-campus counterparts. Students seeking degrees in brick and mortar campuses are forced to sacrifice many hours per week visiting the school campus during business hours. Online students have the opportunity and the flexibility to set their own schedules for when they will work through the curriculum offered in the program. Traditional students have to deal with issues like parking on campus and seeking childcare if they have a family while online students can literally complete their courses anywhere.

The area of tuition is another benefit to online students while many business schools across the country offer the same rates to distance learners that in-state traditional students enjoy. One common critic held by some against distance learning involves the limited access to mentors and classroom interaction; thankfully these areas have been addressed in many online MBA programs by business schools assigning mentors and group projects for online students. These are just a few reasons why pursuing an online MBA with a security management emphasis is a good idea.