Bachelor of Science in Emergency Management (Online Degree Completion)
Emergency Management is the academic discipline providing education and training on theoretical and practical concepts and issues related to preparedness, planning, and mitigation for disaster-resilient communities.
The Bachelor of Science in Emergency Management (BSEM) online degree-completion program will provide an in-depth understanding of the essentials of emergency management and prepare you to apply
theoretical underpinnings of the field to practice. You will obtain allhazards knowledge from a scientific perspective and study the global, national, regional and local impacts of these events.
Completion of an internship or applied experience that focuses on application of theoretical information covered in major courses will expand the hands-on and practical elements of the degree curriculum.
This online program is designed for recent community college graduates and learners working in or entering fields in fire service, police service, emergency management, crisis and risk management, disaster and contingency planning, environmental response professionals, homeland security, safety, and other emergency and disaster management personnel or related areas.
*Please note, the online Emergency Management program is typically completed part-time.
*The Emergency Management program can also be completed on-campus as well.
PROGRAM BENEFITS
- 100% online courses
- Program start dates in spring, summer and fall.
- Flexibility to work while earning a degree.
- Courses offered year-round to allow you to complete your degree faster
Career Opportunities
A degree in emergency management prepares you for a broad range of career fields in both public and private sectors. Individuals with this degree can pursue a broad range of careers directly and indirectly
related to emergency management:
- Emergency management directors
- Emergency management coordinators
- Emergency management specialists (e.g., GIS specialists)
- Emergency and disaster planners
- Disaster planning specialists
- Public health preparedness coordinators and specialists
- Relief organization personnel
- Private sector consultants
- Crisis and emergency communication specialists
- Public information officers
- Crisis and risk managers
- Environmental response professionals
- Decision support professionals
- Healthcare disaster professionals
-
Admissions and Program Requirements
Admissions Requirements
To apply for admission, you must meet the following requirements:
- At least 30 transferable college credits
- A 2.0 or higher overall GPA
You must also submit the following:
- A completed online application
- An official transcript from ALL previous institutions of higher education attended
Early acceptance is also offered for students in their final semester of an Associate's program
PROGRAM PRE-REQUISITES:
Completion of an associate degree or at least 30 transferrable credits is required before beginning the program.
PROGRAM MAJOR REQUIREMENTS:
The online Emergency Management program is a 120-credit degree-completion program (including transferred credits).
REQUIRED MAJOR COURSES:
Required Core Courses (24 credits):
- EHEM 201 Intro to Emergency Management
- EHEM 205 Natural Hazards Impact Assessment and Mitigation
- EHEM 305 Disaster Management and Community Risk Reduction
- EHEM 309 Disaster Response and Recovery
- EHEM 315 Business Continuity and Continuity of Operations
- EHEM 316 Intro to Terrorism, WMD and Homeland Security
- EHEM 319 Emergency Management Planning
- EHEM 300 or EHEM 498 Internship/Research Project
- ESCI 101 Earth Systems and Natural Hazards
- ESCI 104 The World Ocean** **OR ESCI 261 Intro to Oceanography
- ESCI 107 The Atmosphere** **OR ESCI 109 The Atmosphere with Lab
- ESCI 120 Environmental Geology
- ESCI 245 Environmental Meteorology
- ESCI 281 GIS Applications for the Earth Sciences** **OR Both GEOG 281 Maps and GIS and GEOG 295 GIS I: Vector Data Analysis
- OSEH 120 Fundamentals of Safety, Health and Environmental Issues
- MATH 160 Precalculus
- COMM 371 Crisis, Emergency and Risk Communication
- ESCI 385 Global Climate Change: Science and Policy
Additional general education or elective courses may be required depending on transfer credits.
After applying, a transfer evaluation will be conducted to identify how many general education credits you will need to take to fulfill degree requirements.
-
Online Application & Acceptance Process
APPLY!
- To apply for admission to Millersville's online programs, please complete our quick and easy application!
SEND IN ALL OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS
- Electronic Transcripts-
- Send electronic official transcripts directly from the school to our office at onlineprograms@millersville.edu.
- Electronic transcripts are typically the fastest way to submit transcripts.
- Mailed Transcripts-
- Have mailed official transcripts sent directly to our office:
- Office of Online Programs
Millersville University
Lyle Hall, Room 208
P.O. Box 1002
Millersville, PA 17551
- Office of Online Programs
- Have mailed official transcripts sent directly to our office:
**Transcripts must be sealed, official copies sent directly from the university, college, or high school to our office. Any opened transcripts (electronic or mailed) are considered unofficial copies**
Millersville University’s Online Programs offer rolling admissions and applications are reviewed for acceptance as they become complete.
ONLINE ACCEPTANCE PROCESS
Once all application documents are received, an official admissions decision will be made and a transfer credit evaluation will be completed. If accepted into the program, a confirmation email will be sent to access your application portal.
To confirm acceptance and secure a spot in the program, the admissions response form must be submitted. Information on the response form will be sent to accepted students.
-
Cohort Start Dates
This program has cohorts starting every August (fall) and January (spring).
-
What Will You Learn?
PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
- Demonstrate knowledge of the five mission areas of emergency management and the role each plays in planning and mitigation.
- Apply theoretical underpinning of emergency management to practice.
- Examine the role terrorism plays in society and how it impacts public policy and decision-making.
- Identify core requirements of effective planning.
- Recognize effective methods for decision-making and problem-solving in emergency management.
- Exhibit competency in assessing risk susceptibility, resilience and vulnerability within a community or organization.
- Demonstrate knowledge of natural hazards in the context of emergency management.
- Interpret and analyze appropriate data and information technology related to natural hazards and emergency management.
- Show an understanding of the global, national, regional and local impact of disaster.
TOPICS YOU WILL LEARN
- All-hazards approach
- Natural hazards and associated impacts
- Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and other technology applied in the field of emergency management
- Fundamentals of emergency management
- Fundamentals of developing, designing and implementing preparedness and disaster plans
- Risk assessment and mitigation
- Business continuity and continuity of operations
- Crisis communications
- Social dimensions of disasters
- Disaster response and recovery
- Fundamentals of health and safety
- Disaster law and policy
-
FAQ'S AND ONLINE STUDENT RESOURCES
Visit the FAQ's page for our online programs for more information on our frequently asked questions!
Please also visit our Online Student Support Resources page for more information and additional resources available to online students! -
Support for Online Application and Admissions
Our Online Programs Admissions Counselor will work with students from the point of interest until confirming their acceptance to help answer questions, provide transcript updates, complete transcript evaluations, announce admission decisions and assist with confirming enrollment.
Our Online Programs Student Support Specialists will then continue to assist online students throughout the entirety of the program to assist with any and all non-advisement questions.
Contact our office at (717)871-7200 or onlineprograms@millersville.edu for any assistance! -
International Association of Emergency Managers
Millersville’s Student Chapter of the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) provides both online and on-campus students an opportunity to network and advance the emergency
management profession.The IAEM as a professional organization drives the development of the profession through its promotion of the Principles of Emergency Management, Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) Program and IAEM Scholarship Program. The Student Chapter of IAEM at Millersville University has been selected twice as Chapter of the Year by IAEM and hosts virtual meetings, seminar series, and other training and educational opportunities, including attendance at regional and annual IAEM conferences.
Learn more about the IAEM organization at https://www.millersville.edu/cdre/iaem/.