"The Illinois IDEA: Homeland Security is an innovative collaboration among state universities to share courses. Illinois State University has decided to become a partner so that our students will have the opportunity to take courses in homeland security that they would not have access to without this collaboration. By fall, 2009, we hope that our faculty and departments/schools will develop and offer courses in the homeland security course sharing effort."

Illinois IDEA HS is an alliance between eight Illinois public universities for the purpose of expanding access to urgently needed homeland security education. Participating institutions are planning to share courses, faculty expertise, and other homeland security education resources in unique and unprecedented ways. Illinois State University is joined by Illinois IDEA HS members including Chicago State University, Eastern Illinois University, Governors State University, Northern Illinois University, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, and Western Illinois University.

Illinois IDEA HS Homepage

Students enrolled at one of these eight universities may take an approved Illinois IDEA HS course. The IDEA HS website and participating member catalogues will describe the courses and provide information about enrollment. Completed Alliance courses will appear on students’ transcripts at their home institutions.

Faculty members from the eight institutions are working together to identify homeland security related courses in which students may enroll. These courses may apply to degrees and certificates or be taken as electives. Each university wishing to make IDEA HS courses available to its students must first approve the Alliance courses through its regular curriculum approval process. Both undergraduate and graduate courses will be available. All Alliance courses will be delivered online and meet quality standards recommended by the Faculty Team and approved by the Board of Directors. Academic policies at member universities apply to faculty and student in IDEA HS courses.

Download the Faculty Course Development RFP

A Board of Directors consisting of provosts or their representatives leads the Alliance in developing operating policies and procedures. University staff in admissions, registration and records, bursars, and other operations coordinate credits earned by students, sharing of tuition and fees, and other interinstitutional business. Local Campus Coordinators facilitate administrative action and work with students. Although HECA grant funding supports the Alliance during its start-up years, students’ tuition and fees will eventually provide full support. NIU is the lead institution for the Alliance and partners with WIU to administer the HECA grant.