Lamar Adds Online Cyber and Homeland Security Tracks

Working professionals in Southeast Texas can now earn a criminal justice master's with a cybersecurity or homeland security concentration fully online.

Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Distance Learning

Lamar Adds Online Cyber and Homeland Security Tracks

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Lamar University has expanded its Master of Science in Criminal Justice program with two new concentrations, cybersecurity and homeland security, both offered fully online. Each requires 30 credit hours and builds on the existing criminal justice curriculum.

Why it matters

The concentrations respond to emerging workforce needs in public safety, national security, and criminal investigations, giving working professionals in Southeast Texas a route to advanced, specialized credentials without relocating. Because the programs are online, they can fit around existing jobs and family obligations.

Both new concentrations require 30 credit hours and are offered fully online. Tuition, fees, application deadlines, and admission requirements were not included in the available announcement.

The players

Lamar University

A public university in Beaumont, Texas, offering graduate programs in criminal justice and other fields.

The details

Students in the master's program can now choose either the cybersecurity or homeland security concentration. The cybersecurity track includes digital forensics, cybersecurity law, and risk management, while the homeland security track includes emergency management and threat assessment. Both concentrations incorporate criminological theory, research methods, and organizational leadership, and both allow students to complete applied research through a capstone or thesis.

The expansion was announced on November 11, 2026.

Education Landscape

Graduate programs in criminal justice are increasingly adding specialized tracks in cybersecurity and homeland security as public safety threats move online. Lamar's expansion follows that pattern of pairing traditional criminology with technical and emergency-management coursework.

If you already work in public safety, cybersecurity, or emergency management, these online concentrations offer a way to add specialized credentials while keeping your job. Ask Lamar's admissions or graduate office about tuition, start dates, and application deadlines before planning your enrollment.

The takeaway

Online graduate concentrations are a practical option for working professionals seeking advancement in security-related fields. Contact Lamar University's graduate admissions office to confirm tuition, deadlines, and admission requirements before applying.