Security & counter terrorism courses

Security and counter terrorism is the study of global threats to people and nations. These threats can come from individuals, groups and foreign governments. In a counter terrorism and security degree, you’ll learn about the complex security challenges the world faces today and how to manage and mitigate potential risks.

Security and counter terrorism courses consider security issues on a local, national, and international level.

While the exact contents of your course will depend on the university offering it, you can expect to learn about:

• Historical and emerging security threats

• International relations

• International politics

• Military security

• Intelligence analysis

• Economic security

• Cyber security

• Global aid and security

• Violent extremism

• Foreign policy

The aim is to equip students with the knowledge and skills to analyse, intercept, and strategise solutions to security issues.

The goal is to give you the skills to understand, respond to, and help solve security issues.

Yes. Swinburne University, for example, offers a Bachelor of Social Science with a Major in either Security and International Relations or Security and Counter Terrorism.

Other security and counter terrorism degrees let you choose from relevant electives.

Postgraduate study opens up a wide range of specialties you can choose from, including policing, money laundering and counter terrorist financing, financial crime, and intelligence analysis.

Entry requirements differ depending on the course and education provider.

Before starting an enrolment, it’s important to read the entry requirements for your chosen course to ensure that you’re eligible to apply. If you don’t meet the entry requirements for the course you’re interested in, book a consultation with us. Our friendly team of student advisors may be able to help you find a pathway into your course through open-entry subjects.

It depends on the course and whether you choose something short or long-term. Here’s a general guide: 

If you study a degree in security through Open Universities Australia, you have the flexibility to choose how many subjects you take per term. This means you can complete your qualification at a faster or slower pace than you would on campus.

Work experience opportunities like internships and placements are available in some courses. Alternatively, your course may offer an industry project where you’ll work with real organisations and explore solutions to actual or simulated security challenges.

There are a range of security and counter terrorism jobs you can pursue once you’ve graduated from your security studies. As a graduate, you can pursue work as a:

Intelligence analyst or officer  Gather data related to threats to national safety. You’ll play a pivotal role in preventing terrorist attacks and extremist actions.

Security consultant  Assess security risks, implement security measures, and provide specialist advice on security matters to key organisations protecting the public.

Law enforcement or defence officer  Protect national security, counter terrorism efforts, and ensure public safety as a law enforcement officer.

Information security analyst  Monitor and protect the digital space from cyber attacks and security breaches, plus develop strategies to respond to and prevent attacks.

Border protection officer  Protect Australia’s borders by identifying and intercepting threats to national security. You’ll conduct border checks and prevent unlawful travel and trade. 

Here at Open Universities Australia, we make enrolling online as straightforward as possible. To get started, find the course for you by browsing the options on this page. You can also compare different qualifications using our handy comparison tool, or request help from one of our student advisors.

When you’ve made your choice, click ‘Apply now’ on the relevant course page and follow the prompts to begin your enrolment. We’ll ask you to supply some supporting documentation, including proof of your identity, your tax file number, and a unique student identifier (USI) during this process.

Your university will get in touch with you via email to confirm whether or not your application has been successful.

Please note that enquiries and applications for some courses are handled directly by the university. If this is the case, it will be indicated on the course listing page.  

For more information about enrolment, read our online self-service enrolling instructions. If you get stuck at any time, contact us and we’ll talk you through it.