In the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and horrific natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina, more universities have established emergency management degrees in Pennsylvania to produce government officials who can effectively plan for disasters as well as mitigate their impact upon occurrence. If you have strong leadership skills, plenty of stamina, and an ability to stay calm in the face of danger, then you may be the perfect match for becoming an emergency management professional for protecting the more than 12.7 citizens in the nation’s sixth most populous state. With a strategic position in the Mid-Atlantic region for abundant job opportunities in the dense metropolitan areas of New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Washington, DC, the following are the accredited emergency management programs that are offered by higher education institutions in Pennsylvania.
Arcadia University
College of Arts and Sciences
As a small comprehensive independent institution situated on a 76-acre suburban campus within 10 miles north of downtown Philadelphia with the nation’s highest percentage of study abroad students, Arcadia University is ranked as the 48th best college in the North by the U.S. News and World Report. In particular, the College of Arts and Sciences is focused on providing students with opportunities to participate together in global experiences around the world in preparation for careers that truly contribute to society.
Bachelor of Arts in Global Security and Emergency Management
With the goal of providing undergraduate students with the broad conceptual understanding needed to think critically about issues of security and global implications, the Bachelor of Arts in Global Security and Emergency Management program prepares graduates for both professional positions in emergency management as well as graduate-level education. As a 120-credit program with an optional concentration available in Forensic Criminology, the curriculum places a strong emphasis on the relationships between national security, global inequality, power, democracy, terrorism, and geopolitical change.
Accreditations
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Contact
450 South Easton Road
Glenside, PA 19038
(215) 572-2342
garciaa@arcadia.edu
http://www.arcadia.edu/academic/global-security/
Mercyhurst University
Institute for Intelligence Studies
Currently ranked as the 37th best college in the North by the U.S. News and World Report, Mercyhurst University is an independent co-educational Roman Catholic liberal arts institution with just over 2,800 students on its small 75-acre suburban campus at the northwestern tip of Pennsylvania in Erie. As the first school in the nation to center on world-renowned intelligence studies programs with cutting-edge research, the Institute for Intelligence Studies is known for offering the world’s first broad-based non-governmental intelligence master’s degree program.
Bachelor of Arts in Intelligence Studies
Structured to provide the essential background needed for graduates to pursue careers as research and/or intelligence analysts for government agencies, the Bachelor of Arts in Intelligence Studies is a unique interdisciplinary degree program strongly focuses on the collection, correlation, and analysis of intelligence data for national security. With an academically challenging curriculum, the program combines a strong liberal arts core with national and international studies as well as internships to further build analytical skills.
Master of Science in Applied Intelligence
With the goal of providing graduate students with an advanced theoretical and practical foundation for the study of intelligence in its application to national security, the Master of Science in Applied Intelligence program prepares individuals with the skills needed to succeed as intelligence analysts in federal agencies and/or private enterprises. Along with a rigorous 34-credit curriculum related to intelligence, the program requires students to complete a minimum of 200 hours of internship experience working as an intelligence analyst at a government agency before graduation.
Graduate Certificate in Applied Intelligence
Offered in a fully online format from anywhere in the world with an Internet connection, the Graduate Certificate in Applied Intelligence is designed to provide an intensive academic experience to graduate students seeking to build analytical skills, learn about the latest technologies in intelligence theory, and strengthen team management abilities. Within the nine-credit certificate program, students will take three advanced courses in intelligence theories and applications, intelligence communications, and advanced analytical techniques.
Accreditations
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Contact
501 East 38th Street
Erie, PA 16546
(814) 824-2131
info@iismu.org
http://www.iismu.org/academics
Millersville University
Center for Disaster Research and Education
Situated on a 250-acre rural campus in the small town outside of Lancaster as a highly regarded regional public institution with just over 8,200 students, Millersville University is currently ranked as the 81st best college and 22nd top public school in the North by the U.S. News and World Report. As a member of the Homeland Security Higher Education Consortium, the Center for Disaster Research and Education (CDRE) is committed to providing multi-disciplinary programs for students interested in the field of emergency/disaster management.
Master of Science in Emergency Management
Originally established in response to a nationwide shortage of well-trained individuals to coordinate emergency management efforts by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Master of Science in Emergency Management program is designed to develop graduate students’ skills in the planning, mitigation, and response stages of disastrous events. Offered in a flexible online format with class discussions, group work, and individual projects, the 30-credit program is open to professionals currently working in emergency management as well as those seeking to break into the field with limited experience.
Accreditations
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Contact
8 High School Avenue
Millersville, PA 17551
(717) 872-3631
cdre@millersville.edu
http://www.millersville.edu/cdre/msem/index.php
Pennsylvania State University
Online World Campus
Nationally recognized for being the 37th best college, 8th top public school, and 1st best university for military veterans in the country by the U.S. News and World Report, Pennsylvania State University is an elite public research institution with 24 campuses statewide for serving the academic needs of over 100,000 students. Since being one of the first major accredited universities to provide online education in 1998, the Online World Campus has grown to offer more than 100 of the most in-demand degree programs through online delivery.
Master of Professional Studies (iMPS) in Homeland Security
Featuring an all-hazards approach that crosses into both the public and private sector, the Master of Professional Studies (iMPS) in Homeland Security program is designed to provide qualified graduate students with a fundamental understanding of homeland security within a global context to foster national and international career paths. In an effort to make the learning experiences in the 33-credit exclusively online program more applicable to professional goals, the program offers the ability to specialize in General Homeland Security, Public Health Preparedness, Geospatial Intelligence, Information Security Forensics, or Agricultural Biosecurity and Food Defense.
Graduate Certificate in Homeland Security and Defense
Ideal for graduate students seeking career opportunities in facilities management, emergency management, disaster recovery, policy planning, community practice, and/or research, the Graduate Certificate in Homeland Security and Defense is structured to provide a broad-based education for shaping future professional leaders in the homeland security field. Developed in collaboration with the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) with input from the federal Department of Homeland Security, the program requires just 12 credits centered on preventing and responding to manmade or natural disasters.
Graduate Certificate in Public Health Preparedness: Disaster and Bioterrorism
Available for candidates who hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, the Graduate Certificate in Public Health Preparedness: Disaster and Bioterrorism is offered online for emergency management professionals who wish to demonstrate their initiative in obtaining the latest competencies needed to prevent, mitigate, and respond to natural or manmade disasters. As the nation’s first online homeland security certificate established in partnership with a medical school, the program requires the completion of just 12 credits within the Penn State College of Medicine through the World Campus.
Accreditations
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Contact
777 West Harrisburg Pike
Middletown, PA 17057
(717) 948-6050
wdadmissions@outreach.psu.edu
http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/degrees-and-certificates/homeland-security/overview
Philadelphia University
College of Science, Health, and the Liberal Arts
Situated on a 100-acre suburban campus on the outskirts of the state’s largest city as a four-year private liberal arts institution with more than 3,600 students, Philadelphia University is currently ranked as the 81st best college in the North by the U.S. News and World Report. Through Nexus Learning to educate the next generation of leaders for the 21st century, the College of Science, Health, and the Liberal Arts offers inter-disciplinary programs with a truly innovative curriculum that tackles real-world issues.
Master of Science (M.S.) in Disaster Medicine and Management
Delivered in collaboration between Philadelphia University and the Department of Emergency Medicine in the Albert Einstein Health Network, the Master of Science (M.S.) in Disaster Medicine and Management program aims to prepare students with the expertise needed to fulfill the increasingly complex emergency preparedness requirements for the 21st century. Ranging from biological terrorism and war to hurricanes and tsunamis, the distinctive curriculum fully prepares graduates with the skills to become leaders in all areas of disaster management. As a 36-credit program, students can complete the degree in as little as 12 months through a full-time hybrid format with on-campus and online learning.
Accreditations
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Contact
4201 Henry Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19144
(215) 951-2558
bailj@philau.edu
http://www.philau.edu/disastermed/index.html
Saint Joseph’s University
College of Arts and Sciences
Since being founded in 1851 as a comprehensive four-year private Jesuit institution on a 105-acre suburban campus in the heart of the nation’s fifth largest city, Saint Joseph’s University has grown to become the 11th best college and 4th top up-and-coming school in the North according to the U.S. News and World Report. As the largest university division with over 50 undergraduate and 30 graduate degree programs to choose from, the College of Arts and Sciences is devoted to advancing the professional ambitions of students by providing an academically challenging and supportive learning experience.
Master of Science (M.S.) in Public Safety Management
As a 33-credit program offered to qualified graduate students who have already received a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university, the Master of Science (M.S.) in Public Safety Management is focused on building the practical problem-solving and critical thinking skills needed to address the pressing challenges of the emergency management field. Regardless of whether students choose to complete the degree on-campus, online, or in a hybrid format, the curriculum covers relevant topics in public safety, technology, homeland security, environmental crime, terrorism, disaster planning, risk analysis, emergency medical services, and more.
Master of Science (M.S.) in Environmental Protection and Safety Management
In response to the rising demand for maintaining safe and healthy public environments, the Master of Science (M.S.) in Environmental Protection and Safety Management program has been designed to provide graduate students with the necessary administrative skills needed to protect lives, property, and the physical environment in our high-tech world. Due to the growing complexity of threats to communities around the world, the 33-credit program has been specifically structured to meet the professional competencies established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for employment options at the local, state, or national levels.
Master of Science (M.S.) in Homeland Security
At Saint Joseph’s University, the Master of Science (M.S.) in Homeland Security program is strongly focused on providing the high-quality learning experiences for examining security strategies, executing disaster response plans, building communication skills, learning critical infrastructure protections, and identifying threats for homeland security incidents. As a real-world practical graduate program that requires the completion of 33 credits, the rigorous curriculum places an emphasis on issues of terrorism that affect both the public and private sectors in the United States today. Graduates of this program often go on to achieve positions in emergency management as directors, federal officers, law enforcement agents, and more.
Public Safety Management Graduate Certificate
Available for individuals with a bachelor’s or master’s degree who wish to pursue a shorter program of focused study, the Public Safety Management Graduate Certificate is designed to develop a concentrated understanding of current public safety issues involved in the emergency management, occupational health, and environmental protection fields. In order to receive the certificate, students must complete six courses in fire department organization, environmental protection management, disaster planning, risk analysis, occupational safety, and emergency management. At the Post-Master’s certificate level, there is also the opportunity to pursue a concentration in Law Enforcement Administration with one additional course.
Accreditations
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Contact
5600 City Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19131
(610) 660-3131
gradcas@sju.edu
http://www.sju.edu/majors-programs/graduate-arts-sciences/masters
Westmoreland County Community College
Department of Public Services
Based on a suburban main campus in Youngwood on the outskirts of Pittsburgh with satellite locations scattered across Fayette, Somerset, Greene, Armstrong, and Indiana counties in the Monongahela Valley, Westmoreland County Community College is a two-year public community college with more than 7,000 students in a booming industrial center. In particular, the Department of Public Services is committed to offering accredited degree options for students seeking to enter the fields of criminal justice, education, fire science, homeland security, human services, library science, or paralegal.
Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S) in Homeland Security
As the winner of the first-ever Higher Education Program Award by the National Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) of the Department of Homeland Security, the Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S) in Homeland Security program has a national reputation for introducing students to a vast variety of career aspects in the homeland security field. Within the 63-credit two-year undergraduate program, students will learn about security operations, physical protection systems, threat assessments, emergency management, and law enforcement to protect our nation’s communities from disastrous attacks. The program is ideal for any students who are interested in obtaining entry-level employment or transitioning into a related bachelor’s degree program in the southwestern region of Pennsylvania.
Homeland Security Undergraduate Certificate
In addition, Westmoreland County Community College offers the Homeland Security Undergraduate Certificate for current public safety officers who are seeking a more advanced training to better understand the nation’s threats for homeland security and how to become more prepared for the problems at hand. While the 18-credit program is traditionally delivered in an on-campus face-to-face classroom setting, the vast majority of the coursework is also available through online studies from the convenience of home. Graduates can utilize this certificate to obtain career advancement opportunities within the private sector as well as in local, county, state, regional, or federal government agencies nationwide.
Accreditations
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Contact
145 Pavilion Lane
Youngwood, PA 15697
(724) 925-4038
uhring@wccc.edu
https://wccc.edu/pages/future-students/academic-programs/public-services/homeland-security/
Emergency management professionals are strongly in-demand for conducting local emergency response training, applying for emergency funding, implementing disaster assessment, developing training procedures, coordinating evacuations, collaborating with law enforcement officials, revising disaster response strategies, and reviewing medical facilities to ensure adequacy for meeting community needs in the event of an emergency. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports employment growth for emergency management specialists to grow by a rapid rate of 22% before 2022. If you are interested in fulfilling the critical shortage of qualified disaster planning officials, be sure to check out these top-notch emergency management degrees in Pennsylvania to get on the right track towards a rewarding professional career.