Frequently Asked Questions

If you can answer “yes” to all of the following questions, then you are eligible for this program and should complete the application process:

• Are you a current TSA employee?
• Have you been employed by TSA for at least six months?
• Is your personnel file clear of any disciplinary actions for the past 12 months?
• If you have ever been a DMACC student, are you in financial good standing? (Meaning either you do not currently owe DMACC any money, or you are not delinquent with payments if you do owe DMACC money.)
• Would DMACC allow you to be a student? (Meaning you have not been barred by DMACC from taking classes due to past behavior.)

It all starts with your TSA Coordinator. Contact them for additional information.

This program is free to selected students. TSA is paying all tuition, fees, and textbook costs.  Additionally, the entire program is online so there will be no travel costs associated with it.

No, the entire program is online.

No, this is an online program which allows you to work on it when it's convenient for you, however weekly activities will need to be completed based on the timeline outlined in the course syllabus.. There will be occasional “live” online meetings at specified times, but if you are unable to “attend” those sessions, you may view a recording of them at a later time. Therefore, this program should cater to any type of schedule.

Yes. The program will utilize DMACC's Canvas online educational website, and it is available 24/7. You gain access by a username and password. All you need is a computer and access to the Internet.

You will need a computer and access to the Internet.

Yes. Upon successful completion of the three core courses in the certificate program, you will have earned nine college credits from DMACC.  There may be the opportunity to participate in the TSA Associates Program Expansion following the completion of the three core courses. The TSA Associates Program Expansion is where TSA will cover the cost of tuition and books to complete an Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree in Criminal Justice at the Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC).  There are eligibility criterias to apply. Please see your education coordinator for additional information.

It depends on the college/university to which you'd like to transfer the credits. DMACC works diligently with other colleges and universities to ensure our classes will be accepted as transfer credits. You will need to check with the college or university you are interested in attending to determine whether any or all of the classes will transfer for credit.

It depends. DMACC's Fall and Spring terms are typically 16 weeks. Contact your respective education coordinator or the TSA Homeland Security Coordinator for more information about your specific timeline. 

Each student works at a different pace, so it's difficult to answer this question. Each course is three credit hours. Typically “credit hours” reflect how much time a student spends in the classroom (or in this case, viewing the course material online) per week. Usually students can expect to spend roughly three additional hours doing homework for every one hour spent in class. Therefore, you could anticipate spending around 12 hours per week on this program (give or take depending on your pace and efforts).

Yes. Contact DMACC Tech Support at 515-965-7300, toll free at 1-800-362-2127 Ext. 7300, or by sending an email to techsupport@dmacc.edu. Visit DMACC's Tech Support site for hours of operation and more information.

Yes. DMACC has a dedicated TSA Advisor:

Kristin Hixenbaugh
kmhixenbaugh@dmacc.edu
515-985-9640

Completing this program will give you further insight into how TSA and your actions individually affect others. Additionally, it shows a sense of commitment to yourself and your career that can help lead to opportunities of advancement into leadership positions.