Protection, Security and Investigation

Description

Georgian College’s Protection, Security, and Investigation program delivers high-value, transferable skills that prepare students for long-term success in a variety of community safety careers. Throughout the program, students develop critical thinking, effective communication, emotional intelligence, report writing, and a strong foundation in legal principles. Students engage in topics such as intelligence analysis, risk management, mental health, investigations, leadership, cybersecurity, and conflict and crisis intervention that reflect the realities of modern security and public safety. With a focus on analytical decision-making and a mandatory 525-hour internship, graduates leave confident, capable, and career-ready.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the Protection, Security and Investigation program are prepared for a wide range of careers across public and private sector security, including roles with government agencies, police services, the armed forces, corporate and industrial security, as well as in industries such as hospitality, gaming, and retail. The program’s applied training and real-world experience also support opportunities in self-employment within the security and investigations field.

Graduates are eligible to write the provincial licensing exams administered under Ontario regulations for security guards and private investigators. Successful completion of these exams is required to apply for and obtain professional licensing in Ontario under the Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005.

Program Learning Outcomes

The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

1. work in compliance with established standards, relevant legislation and organizational policies and procedures in the protection, security and investigation fields;
2. make timely and legally defensible decisions to uphold protection and security;
3. execute delegated duties and responsibilities to meet the demands of different operational contexts in the protection, security and investigation fields;
4. interact equitably and justly with diverse populations to promote inclusion and respect;
5. collaborate as a member of a protection, security and/or investigation team to achieve organizational goals; 
6. assess and respond to crisis, conflict and emergency situations to ensure the safety and protection of individuals and property;
7. collect, preserve, and present evidence in investigations in compliance with legal standards to support case outcomes;
8. monitor, assess and document behaviours, situations, events and data to support protection and security operations;
9. develop and apply strategies for personal wellbeing and professional growth to enhance work performance and maintain currency with industry;
10. employ environmentally sustainable practices within the profession;
11. apply entrepreneurial skills, attitudes and approaches to active engagement and service within the community.

Program Progression 

The following reflects the planned progression for full-time offerings of the program.

Fall Intake

• Sem 1: Fall 2027
• Sem 2: Winter 2028
• Sem 3: Summer 2028
• Sem 4: Fall 2028

Articulation

A number of articulation agreements have been negotiated with universities and other institutions across Canada, North America and internationally. These agreements are assessed, revised and updated on a regular basis. Please contact the program co-ordinator for specific details if you are interested in pursuing such an option. Additional information can be found on our website at https://www.georgiancollege.ca/admissions/credit-transfer/

Admission Requirements

• Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent, or mature student status
• Grade 12 English (C or U)

Mature students, non-secondary school applicants (19 years or older), and home school applicants may also be considered for admission. Eligibility may be met by applicants who have taken equivalent courses, upgrading, completed their GED, and equivalency testing. For complete details refer to: www.georgiancollege.ca/admissions/academic-regulations/

Applicants who have taken courses from a recognized and accredited post-secondary institution and/or have relevant life/learning experience may also be considered for admission; refer to the Credit for Prior Learning website for details:
www.georgiancollege.ca/admissions/credit-transfer/

Additional Information

Work Integrated Learning: All programs with a work integrated learning component at Georgian contain mandatory work term experiences aligned with program learning outcomes. An Internship is a supervised, structured work opportunity designed to integrate academic learning with work experience, supporting the development of industry specific competencies and employability skills for academic credit.

Students may be required to obtain a security guard or private investigator license, first aid certificate, criminal reference/vulnerable sector check or a reliability screening prior to participating in the work integrated learning portion of the program.

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) requirements

All Georgian College students are required to bring their own device (BYOD) that meets the technology requirements for their program. Having access to a personal laptop that meets your program’s technical requirements will ensure you’re prepared for in-class, online and hybrid learning activities. Students are responsible for the cost, software installation, maintenance and repair of their device.  

Graduation Requirements

15 Program Courses
1 Communication Course
3 General Education Courses
1 Internship

Graduation Eligibility

To graduate from this program, the passing weighted average for promotion through each semester, from year to year, and to graduate is 60%. Additionally, a student must attain a minimum of 50% or a letter grade of P (Pass) or S (Satisfactory) in each course in each semester unless otherwise stated on the course outline.

Program Tracking

The following reflects the planned course sequence for full-time offerings of the Fall intake of the program. Where more  than one intake is offered  contact the program co-ordinator for the program tracking.

Plan of Study Grid

Semester 1		Hours
Program Courses
LAWS 1005	Introduction to Security Skills	42
LAWS 1019	Human Rights, Equity, and Social Justice in Community Safety	42
LAWS 1021	Public Safety and Emergency Management	42
PSIN 1000	Introduction to Private Investigation and Surveillance	42
Communications Course
COMM 1016	Communication Essentials	42
General Education Course
Select 1 course from the General Education list during registration.		42
	Hours	252
Semester 2
Program Courses
LAWS 2048	Mental Health in Community Safety	42
PSIN 1001	Radicalization and Counter Extremism	42
PSIN 2004	Physical Protection Planning and Threat Awareness	42
PSIN 2005	Advanced Investigation Techniques	42
PSIN 2011	Leadership and Security Management	42
PSIN 2012	Cyber Threats	42
General Education Course
Select 1 course from the General Education list during registration.		42
	Hours	294
Semester 3
Program Courses
LAWS 2049	Conflict Management and Crisis Intervention	42
PSIN 2010	Canadian Law and Indigenous Justice	42
PSIN 2013	Advanced Cyber Threats	42
PSIN 2014	Strategic Intelligence Analysis	42
General Education Course
Select 1 course from the General Education list during registration.		42
	Hours	210
Semester 4
Program Courses
PSIN 2015	Applied Security Operations – WIL Seminar	42
Internship
PSIN 2016	Internship - Protection, Security, and Investigation	525
	Hours	567
	Total Hours	1323

Graduation Window

Students unable to adhere to the program duration of two years (as stated above) may take a maximum of four years to complete their credential. After this time, students must be re-admitted into the program, and follow the curriculum in place at the time of re-admission.

Disclaimer: The information in this document is correct at the time of publication. Academic content of programs and courses is revised on an ongoing basis to ensure relevance to changing educational objectives and employment market needs. 

Program outlines may be subject to change in response to emerging situations, in order to facilitate student achievement of the learning outcomes required for graduation. Components such as courses, progression, coop work terms, placements, internships and other requirements may be delivered differently than published.