California University of Pennsylvania
Guidelines for New Course Proposals
University Course Syllabus
Approved: 2/4/13
Department of Professional Studies
A.

Protocol
Course Name: Biological, Chemical, Nuclear, and WMD Threats in Homeland Security
Course Number: AST 760
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: None
Maximum Class Size (face-to-face): NA
Maximum Class Size (online): 25

B.

Objectives of the Course:
•
Summarize law and legislation related to biological, chemical, and nuclear threats that
impact Homeland Security.
•
Compare and contrast historic threats to our national security with the new arsenals in the
war on terrorism.
•
Illustrate historical reactions to national threats by employing the WMD mindset.
•
Implement specific programs and agency operations that seek to track and defend WMD
threats.
•
Categorize federal agencies that have erected bureaucratic structures dedicated to defense,
research and development and operations research.
•
Identify biological threats and develop a corresponding defense tactic.
•
Discuss biological attacks such as anthrax, food contamination, water pollution on a mass
scale, and other micro-organisms.
•
Identify potential chemical threats such as liquid and solid gases, nerve agents, and
industrial chemical stockpiles used for improper reasons.
•
Recognize potential nuclear threats, from low-level radiation to dirty bombs and
radioactive contamination.
•
Design a Threat Vulnerability Analysis and Assessment in biological, chemical and
nuclear contexts.
•
Compose a Risk Assessment Report for a local community or neighborhood.

C.

Catalog Description:
This course gives a thorough overview of the different types of biological, chemical and nuclear
weapons and weapons of mass destruction in existence today. The intelligence preparation for
vulnerability analyses from nuclear, biological and chemical weapons employment, including
low-level radiation, depleted uranium and toxic industrial chemical concerns are addressed.
Vulnerability reduction measures that can be implemented for protection are also discussed.
Formats for conducting risk assessments and vulnerability analyses are covered.

D.

Outline of the Course:
1)
Examining WMD Terrorist Threats
2)
Biological and Chemical WMD
3)
Radiological and Nuclear WMD

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4)
5)
6)
7)
8)

WMD Threat and Vulnerability Analysis
Preparedness and Response for WMD Attacks
Recovery and Remediation in the Aftermath of WMD Attack
Economic Effects of WMD
Risk Assessment: Preventing WMD Terrorism

E.

Teaching Methodology:
1)
Traditional Classroom Methodology: NA
2)
Online Methodology
A variety of teaching methodologies will be used in this course. These methods include: lecture
notes, podcasts, power point presentations, case studies, threaded discussions, chat room
sessions, and guided reading assignments.
Quality Matters™ Statement – The online course follows the standards of the Quality Matters™
rubric.

F.

Text
1)
WMD Terrorism: Science and Policy, (Stephen M Mauer, ed, MIT Press, 2009) ISBN:
9780262512855.
2)
Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation, 20th ed. (Harvard Law Review, 2015) ISBN:
978-0-692-40019-7.

G.

Assessment Activities:
1)
Traditional Classroom Assessment: NA
2)
Online Assessment
White Paper and WP Proposal: You must write a graduate level paper on a homeland security
policy topic. The paper will include the following components: research of relevant academic,
legal and professional material; and analysis of terrorism policy issues related to the topic.
Detailed instructions will be provided.
Discussion Boards: Each week students will be required to participate in threaded discussions on
various topics. Online courses lend themselves to the creation of a learning community which is
an informal learning environment where the emphasis is moved from teaching to learning. The
discussions will reflect the intellectual reasoning of the students relating to the topics and
questions raised by the instructor and each other. Engaging in an interactive discussion with
multiple substantive responses is the key to a good grade in these discussions. There will be
detailed instructions for each discussion.
Mid-Term and Final Exams: The exam answers must be well-researched, analytical, well-written,
and focused on providing a through intellectually reasoned response. The exam answers are in
the form of responses to analytical legal questions, case studies, or exercises. The answers require
students to research the assigned topic, analyze the relevant aspects of the topic using the
electronic resources available on the university’s online library system, and develop well-written,
organized succinctly stated responses. Exam answers require the student to exhibit a thorough
knowledge of the topics, to provide evidence the students has read and understood the reading
assignments, to complete additional research on the topic, to cite the sources used to support the
exam answers, and to demonstrate the ability to articulate an intellectually reasoned analysis of
the topics.
20%
20%
20%
40%

Discussion Board Posts
Mid-Term Exam
Final Exam
White Paper (including Proposal)

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H.
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities:
OSD
Revised June 2015
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Students reserve the right to decide when to self-identify and when to request accommodations.
Students requesting approval for reasonable accommodations should contact the Office for Students
with Disabilities (OSD). Students are expected to adhere to OSD procedures for self-identifying,
providing documentation and requesting accommodations in a timely manner.
Students will present the OSD Accommodation Approval Notice to faculty when requesting
accommodations that involve the faculty.
Contact Information:
•
•
•
•
•
I.

Location:
Phone:
Fax:
Email:
Web Site:

Carter Hall G-35
(724) 938-5781
(724) 938-4599
osdmail@calu.edu
http://www.calu.edu/osd

Title IX Syllabus Addendum
California University of Pennsylvania
Reporting Obligations of Faculty Members under Title IX
of the Education Amendments of 1972, 20 U.S.C. §1681, et seq.

California University of Pennsylvania and its faculty are committed to assuring a safe and productive
educational environment for all students. In order to meet this commitment and to comply with the
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and guidance from the Office of Civil Rights, the
University requires faculty members to report incidents of sexual violence shared by students to the
University’s Title IX Coordinator, Dr. John A. Burnett, Special Assistant to the President for EEEO,
Office of Social Equity, South Hall 112, Burnett@calu.edu, 724-938-4014. The only exceptions to the
faculty member’s reporting obligation are when incidents of sexual violence are communicated by a
student during a classroom discussion, in a writing assignment for a class, or as part of a Universityapproved research project. Faculty members are obligated to report sexual violence or any other abuse
of a student who was, or is, a child (person under 18 years of age) when the abuse allegedly occurred to
the person designated in the University protection of minors policy.
The University’s information regarding the reporting of sexual violence and the resources that are
available to victims of sexual violence is set forth at:
• Office of Social Equity, South Hall 112, 724-938-4014
o Social Equity Home Page
www.calu.edu/SocialEquity
o Social Equity Policies
www.calu.edu/SEpolicies
o Social Equity Complaint Form
www.calu.edu/SEcomplaint
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•
•
•
•
•
•

Counseling Center, Carter Hall G53, 724-938-4056
End Violence Center, Carter Hall G94, 724-938-5707
Student Affairs, Natali Student Center 311, 724-938-4439
Wellness Center, Carter Hall G53, 724-938-4232
Women’s Center, Natali Student Center 117, 724-938-5857
Threat Response Assessment and Intervention Team (T.R.A.I.T.) & Dept. of Public Safety
& University Police, Pollock Maintenance Building, 724-938-4299
o EMERGENCY: From any on-campus phone & Dial H-E-L-P or go to any public
pay phone & Dial *1. (*Identify the situation as an emergency and an officer will be
dispatched immediately.)

*************************************************************
Please Note:
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J.

Supportive Instructional Materials, e.g. library materials, web sites, etc.
Cal U Online Orientation
If this is your first online course with Cal U you should visit the following web Site:
http://www.calu.edu/current-students/online-student-resources/new-student-onlineorientation/index.htm
The university student handbook is available at:
http://www.calu.edu/current-students/student-services/files/11-12_Handbook.pdf
Netiquette
All members of the class are expected to follow rules of common courtesy in all email messages,
threaded discussions and chats. ""Netiquette" is network etiquette, the do's and don'ts of online
communication. Netiquette covers both common courtesy online and the informal "rules of the
road" of cyberspace." The Netiquette Home Page http://www.albion.com/netiquette/ provides
links to both summary and detailed information about Netiquette.
"The Core Rules of Netiquette" can be found at http://www.albion.com/netiquette/corerules.html
Learn Netiquette basics by reading this concise overview of network etiquette excerpted from the
book Netiquette by Virginia Shea. Shea's "Core Rules" are the classic introduction to the subject
and are widely cited in cyberspace.
Library Services:
Online Library Services:
As a student taking a Web-based course, you have access to the print and electronic resources of
the

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Manderino Library. You may receive reference assistance, library instruction, document delivery,
limited interlibrary loan, and access electronic course reserves. To learn more about resources
and services, please go to the Library’s Web page at: http://library.calu.edu/home . The electronic
resources of the Cal U library are extensive. You are expected to use these resources to locate
source material.
Distance Learning Library Support:
You may ask questions about distance education library support by contacting Bill Denny, a
Distance Learning Librarian. He can be contacted at 724-938-4451, Monday –Friday, 8:00 AM
to 4:00 PM, EST. Every attempt will be made to answer your questions within 48 hours but
questions received over holidays and semester breaks will be answered upon his return. In
addition, a librarian can be reached Monday – Thursday, until 9:00 PM, EST, Saturday, 9:00 AM
to 5:00 PM, EST, and Sunday 1:00 PM to 9:00 PM, EST by calling the reference desk at 724938-4094. http://library.calu.edu/distance-ed
Library FAQ’s for Distance Learning Students
This library web site has information about the resources available online through the Cal U
Library.
http://library.calu.edu/guidelist
D2L Technical Support
If you are having difficulties using any of the course tools, please contact Desire2Learn
Technical Support at 1-877-325-7778 or Click Here to submit an issue via email. The D2L Help
Desk is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
System Maintenance: Please note that on the 4th Sunday of each month there will be System
Maintenance which means the system will not be available 1am - 7am Eastern Standard Time.
Additional Resources
The D2L Help Desk above is only for D2L related issues. Here are additional resources that you
may utilize.

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