Order of the Sword and Shield Honor Society

 The Order of the Sword & Shield Honor Society (OSS) is the academic and professional honor society for homeland security, intelligence, emergency management, and all protective security disciplines.

Benefits include:

The Order of the Sword & Shield provides public recognition as an outstanding individual within the discipline, the opportunity to participate in activities that promote your interests, networking with high achieving individuals with a common interest, and the development of key skills in organization-sponsored events.

Lifetime membership fee:

$75.

If you are currently a member of the Order of the Sword and Shield, your group is active on Facebook. For assistance connecting with this group, email [email protected].

The Order of the Sword and Shield achieved ACTIVE standing, per the university's Chapter Standards program. Active standing demonstrates a notable level of chapter involvement and denotes excellence in chapter leadership and member engagement.

Active Chapter Standards Medal

Campus leadership opportunities are a great way to meet other students, alumni, and faculty at the university while also developing skills in the areas of:

  • Self-management
  • Administrative and project management
  • Organizational knowledge and strategy
  • Critical thinking and reflection
  • Communication skills
  • Leadership and teamwork

The Office of Student and Alumni Affairs is always looking for people to get involved and be campus leaders, including chapter officers, who lead student organizations like this one. If you’re interested in being a campus leader and chapter officer, please email [email protected] to ask if there are chapter officer openings for this organization!

Eligible students meeting the criteria below will receive an invitation during the months of March and September. If you believe you are eligible and do not receive an invitation, email [email protected].

Criteria:

  • Status Requirement: active student (completed at least one course in the past 12 months)
  • Program Requirement: enrolled in a graduate, undergraduate, or certificate requirement in one of the following areas:
    • School of Health Sciences: Public Health
    • School of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics: Cybercrime, Cybersecurity, Digital Forensic, Environmental Hazard Mitigation and Restoration, Environmental Planning and Design, Information Assurance, Information Security, Information Security Planning, Information Systems Security, IT Infrastructure Security
    • School of Security and Global Studies: all programs
  • Graduate: 
    • GPA: 3.50 or above cumulative GPA in current program
    • Semester Hour Requirement: 
      • Master: completed at least six semester hours with the university in the current program; completed at least nine semester hours toward core courses in the current program; completed at least 18 total semester hours toward current program (university and transfer credit)
      • Certificate: completed at least six semester hours with the university in the current program
  • Undergraduate: 
    • GPA: 3.25 or above cumulative GPA in current program
    • Semester Hour Requirement: 
      • Bachelor: completed at least six semester hours with the university in the current program; completed at least 12 semester hours toward core courses in the current program; completed at least 60 total semester hours toward current program (university and transfer credit)
      • Associate: completed at least six semester hours with the university in the current program; completed at least 12 semester hours toward core courses in the current program; completed at least 30 total semester hours toward current program (university and transfer credit)
      • Certificate: completed at least six semester hours with the university in the current program
  • Complied with the university policies on academic integrity

Note: The Order of the Sword and Shield also offers a professional membership and will consider applicants with at least five years full-time work experience within the homeland security, intelligence, emergency management or any protective security sector.

For questions on eligibility criteria, email [email protected]