Akron, USA
DURATION
4 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
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EARLIEST START DATE
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STUDY FORMAT
Distance Learning
Key Summary
Scholarships
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Introduction
What will I learn?
The Emergency Management and Homeland Security (EMHS) online degree program equips you to prepare for, manage and respond to major disasters and emergencies, including natural catastrophes, hazardous materials leaks, terrorism, cyber warfare, and more.
The curriculum covers a range of subjects, including:
- Leadership and project management;
- Threat assessment;
- Disaster vulnerability, research and planning, phases and behavior, and response and recovery;
- Terrorism;
- Hazard science and management; and
- Cyber disaster management.
Why Akron?
Our program was the first of its kind to be accredited, and the third of its kind to be established, in the world. It remains the only accredited EMHS bachelor’s program among public universities in Ohio.
The program was developed in 1998, in response to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) call for universities to implement emergency management education. For the past two decades, our faculty members have worked with FEMA — and, since 2002, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) — to set national educational standards, conduct research, and develop training courses for FEMA/DHS.
Moreover, our faculty have been nationally recognized, not only in EMHS, but also in cybersecurity and digital forensics, international disaster management, weapons of mass destruction and hazardous materials management, climatology and hazard science, and crisis and disaster leadership.
Admissions
Curriculum
1st Year
Fall Semester
- English
- or English Composition I
- Introduction to Disaster, Hazards & Risk
- Statistics for Everyday Life
- Natural Science Requirement with Lab
Spring Semester
- Technical Report Writing
- or English Composition II
- Homeland Security Policy and Process
- Introduction to Sociology
- or Introduction to Geography
- Natural Science Requirement
Select one of the following:
- Professional Communications and Presentations
- Speaking Requirement
2nd Year
Fall Semester
- Introduction to Terrorism
- or Terrorism: Perpetrators, Politics, and Response
- Introduction to Geographic & Land Information Systems
- or Geographic Information Systems
- Introduction to Ethics
- Specialty Block Credits
Spring Semester
- Principals of Emergency Management and Homeland Security
- Applications in GIS using GPS
- Humanities in the Western Tradition from Ancient Times to 1500
- or Humanities in the World since 1300
- Specialty Block Credits
- Select one of the following:
- Diversity in American Society
- Death & Dying
- Domestic Diversity Requirement
3rd Year
Fall Semester
- Disaster Research Methods
- Disaster Preparedness & Response
- Disaster Mitigation
- Emergency Management and Homeland Security Approved Elective
Select one of the following:
- Visual Arts Awareness
- Exploring Music: Bach to Rock
- Viewing Dance
- Arts Requirement
Spring Semester
- Disaster Recovery
- Hazard Science and Management
- Emergency Management and Homeland Security Approved Elective
4th Year
Fall Semester
- Crisis Leadership
- Disaster Vulnerability
- Emergency Management & Homeland Security Internship1
- Emergency Management and Homeland Security Approved Elective
Spring Semester
- Emergency Management & Homeland Security Capstone
- Technology & Human Values
- Contemporary Global Issues
- Emergency Management and Homeland Security Approved Elective
1 The students should be aware that most internship sites require a background check. If students are unable to pass a background check, internship placement cannot be guaranteed. Accordingly, job placement will be difficult. Please meet with the Program Lead to discuss this.
Policy Alert: By the end of your first 48 credit hours attempted, you must have completed your required General Education English, Mathematics, and Communications (Speech) requirements.
Flexible Coursework
The program’s online format allows you to complete assignments at a time that is convenient for you — offering flexibility if you work full time or have many responsibilities and obligations outside of school.
The program will typically take four years of full-time study to complete. If you begin with an associate degree, you can finish in two years of full-time study, not including summers.
Experiential Learning
Gain real-world experience through a service-learning project or internship with an emergency management agency, business, hospital, or nonprofit organization. Our students have interned throughout the country and world — responding to real emergencies and crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Career Opportunities
What can I do with this degree?
There is a growing demand for professionals skilled in emergency management. EMHS personnel work for government agencies — such as emergency medical agencies, fire and police departments, FBI, CIA, etc. — and for hospitals and other health organizations, private businesses, and nonprofits such as the American Red Cross.
EMHS professionals work as risk management specialists, safety specialists, emergency managers, public health planners, emergency preparedness coordinators, protective service specialists, business continuity specialists, and more.
Career Outlook
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the 2019 median annual pay for emergency management directors was $74,590. The number of jobs in this field is expected to grow by 5% between 2018 and 2028.