Getting Your Emergency Management Master’s Degree Online

In MU's online master's in emergency management program, students learn the essentials of planning and coordinating emergency management efforts. This entirely online curriculum prepares scholars to pursue a variety of careers in the emergency management field in both the private and public sectors. Required classes include mental health and trauma, natural hazards and emergency preparedness, social dimensions of disaster, and principles of emergency management. MU master's students also choose from diverse electives including terrorism and homeland security and geographic information system applications. For graduation, master's students need to complete a culminating practicum course in which they demonstrate their ability to improve upon existing emergency response policies. In total, degree seekers need 30 credits to finish the degree. Full-time students can complete the program in two years or less.

Arizona State University offers an online master's degree in emergency management and homeland security where students choose from available concentrations in homeland security, emergency management, cybersecurity policy and management, community resilience, and biosecurity and threat management. In total, distance students need 33 credit hours for graduation. As an added online feature, ASU students have the ability to take classes from faculty members in Australia or the United Kingdom using the school's Plus Alliance membership and diversify their learning experience. Competitive applicants for this graduate program possess an undergraduate degree with a 3.0 or higher GPA. Applications must include two letters of recommendation, a current resume, and a personal statement.

Students can earn a master's degree in emergency management completely online at Capella. The curriculum is designed to meet the industry standards set forth by the International Association of Emergency Managers. Required courses include application of management theory, emergency management systems, risk management application, and emergency management policy and the administration of emergencies and disasters. Incoming students may transfer up to 12 credits toward the degree to save time and money. Graduates of the program who are interested in continuing their education at the doctoral level can apply up to 40 master’s credits towards one of Capella's emergency management PhD or DEM programs. Prospective master's students need a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution with a minimum 2.3 or higher GPA. Applicants do not need to submit their GMAT or GRE scores for consideration.

Distance learners can take advantage of Saint Leo University's online master's degree in emergency and disaster management with an optional concentration in fire science administration. Remote students engage with required major courses such as organizational leadership theories and applications, homeland security and terrorism, hazard mitigation, risk identification and assessment, and psychological and sociological aspects of catastrophic events. In total, disaster management students need 36 credits for graduation. Learners may enroll in this program as traditional or accelerated track students. Full-time traditional students take one class per term and finish in approximately 24 months. Accelerated students need permission each term to take more than one class and can finish in less than two years. Saint Leo graduates of this master's program in emergency management move on to careers in public safety agencies, private sector, non-governmental organizations, and military leadership roles. Saint Leo holds regional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

ATU is a public university located in Russellville, Arkansas, with accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The school offers a variety of online undergraduate and graduate degrees, including a master's program in emergency management and homeland security. Distance learners can complete this 36-semester-hour master's degree entirely online with no on-campus obligations. In addition to a master's thesis, online students complete required courses such as research design and methods, ethical, legal, and political considerations in emergency management, and fundamentals of homeland security. Incoming students may transfer up to nine credits with a "B" grade or higher toward the degree from previous college coursework. Prospective students need to possess a bachelor's degree from an accredited college with a 3.0 or higher GPA. Applications need to include official transcripts, a statement of intent that addresses the applicant's career goals and research interests, and a resume.

Located in Garden City, New York, Adelphi is a private institution with approximately 8,000 students. The school offers an online Master of Science in emergency management degree. Distance learners engage with a diverse curriculum focused on practical knowledge that is rooted in the latest training and emergency management techniques. The school prides itself on offering students training in all-emergency scenarios, including terrorist attacks, health epidemics, aviation emergencies, and natural disasters. Remote master's students complete all 39 credit requirements for the program entirely online, including a culminating capstone project. Most full-time students complete the program in two and a half years. Applicants need a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with a 2.7 or higher cumulative GPA. Required application materials include official transcripts, a personal statement, one letter of recommendation, and a professional resume. Applicants do not need to submit their GRE scores for consideration.

Jefferson is a nonprofit, private university that offers a Master of Science in disaster medicine and management for remote students. All online learners participate in one on-campus conference week during a summer semester. Otherwise, learners complete asynchronous courses remotely at their own pace using the Blackboard learning management system. In total, master's students need 36 credits for graduation. In addition to the eight required courses, master's students need to complete at least 100 hours of experiential learning at an approved site, in-person, before their final term. Full-time students typically need one to three years to finish this graduate degree. Interested students must submit their official undergraduate transcripts, a current resume, personal essay, and two letters of recommendation for consideration. Students should possess a successful course history in college-level English composition, math or statistics, general biology, and introductory psychology. The school does not require GRE, GMAT, or MAT scores.

Lander University offers a two-year master's degree in emergency management for remote students. Master's learners complete 31 credit hours consisting of six core classes, four electives, and one capstone course. The curriculum covers essential topics in the field, drawing from interdisciplinary sources, including business recovery planning and execution, intergovernmental affairs, elements of law, and healthcare management. Required core courses include emergency mental health, continuity of government, response and recovery, and preparedness and mitigation. Popular electives include nuclear incident management, hurricane and weather, and leadership for emergency management. Upon completion of the program, graduates are prepared for work in various types of businesses, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations. Prospective students need a baccalaureate degree with a 2.75 or higher GPA. Additionally, applications should include three letters of recommendation, a writing sample, and a cover letter that describes the applicant's motivations for pursuing a degree in emergency management. Lander holds regional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

Students enrolled in APU's online master's in emergency management program develop the critical thinking and decision-making skills required of management personnel and leaders in the disaster management. The curriculum helps students explore the history of the field as well as the theory, recovery processes, response techniques, and economics of emergency and disaster management. With the help of faculty members, pupils evaluate modern case studies to further understand this public safety field and prepare for disaster management careers at government agencies, law enforcement organizations, and public safety organizations. For graduation, online degree seekers need to complete a master's final project or emergency and disaster management capstone course. In total, graduate students need 36 credits for graduation. Incoming learners may transfer up to 15 credits toward the degree. In most cases, full-time students complete the degree in two years. holds accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and

BU's Master of Science in security management prepares remote students for careers that focus on emerging threats, homeland defense, terrorism, information security, and critical infrastructure protection. Required courses include terrorism and homeland defense fundamentals, emergency preparedness and management, and homeland security principles and practices. Upon completion of this cohort-style learning program, graduates can lead organizational efforts in response to emergencies and disasters, use technology to conduct risk analysis and loss estimation, and assume leadership positions that require the latest security management and emergency preparedness methods. In total, master's students need 36 semester credit hours for graduation. Prospective students must possess a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited institution with a 3.0 or higher GPA.

The Master of Science in Emergency Preparedness offered by the University of Nebraska’s Online division provides emergency services professionals with the necessary competencies to advance into administrative and other leadership positions in the field. The 36-credit hour curriculum consists of coursework in subjects such as terrorism, public health, epidemiology, and emergency preparedness prevention. Academic study culminates in the research, writing, and presentation of a master’s thesis. The program is designed for working professionals and features asynchronous coursework that can be accessed and completed at times convenient to the student’s busy work and life schedules. Students interact with faculty and other students by email, and through chat rooms and discussion forums. All course requirements can be completed 100% online. Tuition costs for the program are the same for both Nebraska and out-of-state residents.

Walden University offers two master’s degree options for students interested in advancing their careers in emergency management. The 48-credit hour Master of Science in Criminal Justice with Emergency Management Specialization emphasizes the development of EM skills from a criminal justice perspective. Course topics include the nature of crime and criminology, risk assessment and preparation, and disaster response and recovery. Walden’s Master of Science in Public Administration with Emergency Management Specialization requires completion of 63 credit hours of coursework and approaches the subject of emergency management from an administrative perspective. Course topics include public policy analysis, strategic planning, finance and budgeting, and critical issues in emergency management. Both programs feature 11-week long courses, and both programs can be completed 100% online.