Do I need to degree for a successful career in security?
It is not essential to have a security-related degree for career success in security, but it can be beneficial depending on what kind of role you want to succeed in.
Many universities offer security-related undergraduate or postgraduate degree programmes. They can be completed as a full-time student, or on a part-time or full-time basis via distance or blended learning.
Expert advice
Greg Meek: Having a degree certainly won’t hold you back and compared with others without, you will have a head start. A degree has many benefits: the lessons you learn provide you with useable knowledge you can confidently debate over, apply to problems and contribute to developing further. It also gives you (and potential employers) confidence in yourself to complete a dedicated task over a longer time. It earns you recognition and this extends beyond reputation with colleagues. There are also fast-track benefits in applying to trade specialist organisations like the Security Institute or the Association of Security Consultants, which further enhance your professional presentation.
Sarah Austerberry: Taking a post- graduate security qualification can help to provide legitimacy for decision-making that you have been doing on the job. It can give a theoretical and academic rigour to what you might simply perceive to be “just doing my job and common sense”, and build confidence.
Angela Lawson: Studying and completing assignments requires tenacity to keep the momentum going to fulfil the course requirements. The topics available are currently more diverse than the apprenticeship route, which is appealing. The post-nominals also add gravitas to a Curriculum Vita (CV) and indicate the level of study achieved.
