massachusetts-maritime-academy

Two Esteemed Emergency Management Degrees at MMA

Massachusetts Maritime Academy appears in our ranking of the 50 Most Affordable Schools for an Emergency Management Degree.

Since 1990, Massachusetts Maritime Academy has conferred a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Emergency Management where Buccaneers develop a well-rounded public safety foundation for planning government initiatives that mitigate disaster situations. Chaired by Dr. Daniel Murphy, the 122-credit, four-year Buzzards Bay curriculum offers an optional Homeland Security Minor for protecting America’s borders. Undergrads integrate two co-ops and one six-week internship into intensive 3000-level major courses from Natural Hazards to Public Health. Other opportunities include volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, joining the FEMA Corps, contributing to the Haiti Project, participating in the Fire Academy Program, interning at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, and taking Sea Term voyages.

At the Waltham Woods Conference Center, the Master of Science (M.S.) in Emergency Management admits cohorts of 24 Massachusetts Maritime Academy post-grads each Fall for building the leadership skills needed to head critical response teams effectively. Directed by Captain James McDonald, the 34-credit, 17-month option has an executive format for working professionals to meet in Cape Cod every other weekend. Expect six-week, IACBE-accredited courses, such as Business Continuity and Risk Management, with Embassy Suites hotel stays from Friday to Sunday. The $38,000 program ends with a hands-on capstone project in the Center for Maritime Training. Alumni have a 98 percent full-time job placement rate with the American Red Cross, National Grid, TMC Environmental, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Beth Israel Medical Center, and more.

About Massachusetts Maritime Academy

Massachusetts Maritime Academy originated on June 11, 1891, when the Commonwealth’s General Court passed legislation to create the Massachusetts Nautical Training School. In 1892, the school was loaned the USS Enterprise under Commander Albert S. Baker. In 1913, its name was shortened to the Massachusetts Nautical School. In 1936, the Nautical School was relocated from Boston’s pier to Hyannis Inner Harbor. In 1942, the Massachusetts Maritime Academy name was adopted. After World War II, it was moved again to its permanent location on Taylor’s Point in 1946. On March 25, 1948, it received the 2,715-ton USS Charleston for training. By 1972, Maritime’s Corps of Cadets shifted to a battalion system. In 1978, MMA started admitting women for U.S. Armed Forces service. In 1990, Maritime prepared for its centennial by expanding from traditional sea-related majors. In 2008, the LEED-certified school started using a Vestas 660-kilowatt wind turbine for power.

Endowed for $19.6 million, Massachusetts Maritime Academy now employs 106 faculty teaching 1,802 Buccaneers at a 17:1 ratio on a 55-acre Cape Cod campus on Buzzards Bay or at three satellite centers with 30+ clubs like the International Association of Emergency Managers. In 2014, MMA received the Boston Society of Architects’ Design Award Citation. In 2015, Maritime accepted the EPA Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator of the Year Excellence Award. MMA was a 2013 Planet Forward Climate Leadership Award nominee too. The U.S. News & World Report ranked Massachusetts Maritime Academy 19th in the North. On Niche, MMA boasts America’s 250th top public education and 300th best small classes. Forbes named MMA 334th overall with the 115th best public schooling. Money magazine picked Maritime for the 21st top value. The Brookings Institution placed MMA 11th for most value-added education. Business First chose Massachusetts Maritime Academy 98th nationally.

Massachusetts Maritime Academy Accreditation Details

On September 15, 2011, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (CIHE) sent an official notification letter to Massachusetts Maritime Academy that renewed the Level III accreditation through 2021 under President Rear Admiral Francis X. McDonald. Located 74 miles up Interstate 495 in Burlington, this splendid six-state Northeast Region accreditor is authorized by the U.S. Education Department to review MMA’s seven baccalaureate and three master’s degrees. Further, Maritime was accredited by the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE) on December 4, 2014.

Massachusetts Maritime Academy Application Requirements

Getting into Massachusetts Maritime Academy is classified “moderately difficult” by Peterson’s though 675 of the 758 Fall 2017 applicants were selected for 89 percent acceptance. First-year Buccaneers sailing into the Emergency Management B.S. must exhibit readiness for college-level academics after a high school or GED diploma. Four year-long courses in both English and Mathematics are mandatory. The Class of 2021 presented a cumulative secondary GPA of 3.16. The middle 50th percentile had SAT scores of 460-560 in Reading and 490-590 in Math. Mid-range admitted ACT scores were 20-26. Transfers must hold 12+ credits, including Chemistry I, graded C or better. Incoming undergrads with 12-23 credits need 2.5 GPAs. Having more regionally accredited credits lowers the benchmark to a 2.0 GPA. International learners must present a minimum 75 TOEFL iBT or 6.0 IELTS score. The M.S. in Emergency Management only admits four-year bachelor’s grads with GPAs of 2.5 and higher. The GRE-optional program strongly prefers entrants with two years of experience.

Massachusetts Maritime Academy set a freshman Early Action deadline of November 1st. Undergrads can apply through May 1st for Fall or October 1st for Fall enrollment. One exception is for readmission applicants who have until May 15th and November 15th. The M.S. in Emergency Management has rolling admission until a Fall cohort of 24 is filled. Accordingly, complete the $50 MMA Application online using Firefox or Internet Explorer. Forward official transcripts to 101 Academy Drive in Buzzards Bay, MA 02532. Directly send test scores via SAT/TOEFL code 3515 or ACT code 1856. Attach supplemental materials, such as the 300-word personal statement, two recommendations, notification of good standing form, passport photocopy, medical history, and resume. Contact (508) 830-5000 or admissions@maritime.edu with questions.

Tuition and Financial Aid

For 2019-20, Massachusetts Maritime Academy is billing in-state undergrads $10,018 annually. Non-resident B.S. in Emergency Management tuition climbs to $25,725 each year. The New England Regional Program cuts the cost to $15,104 yearly. Freshmen and transfers pay the one-time $1,373 orientation fee. Unless waived, health insurance is $3,444. The Bookstore sells the Seabag for $2,410. Training cruises cost $5,335 to $9,007 apiece. Living at the Buzzards Bay campus’ dorms like Wilson Hall adds $13,034 for yearly room and board. Annual undergrad attendance equals $23,052 in-state, $28,138 in New England, and $38,759 out-of-state. The M.S. in Emergency Management bills $238 per three-credit course for tuition. Post-grads have an $828 instructor fee, $772 technology fee, $272 lodging fee, and $185 food fee per course though. Each 17-month cohort spends roughly $38,000 in total.

According to the NCES College Navigator, the Student Financial Services Department in Flanagan Hall links 91 percent of new MMA Buccaneers to tuition aid averaging $11,129 each for $1.93 million combined. Institutional funds include the Captain Emery Rice Scholarship, Ahana Leadership Scholarship, Admiral Maurice Breshnahan Scholarship, Admiral William Flanagan Scholarship, John & Abigail Adams Scholarship, Dr. Jacqueline Fields Scholarship, Gary DellaPosta Scholarship, Lawrence & Maude Pande Scholarship, Association of Ship Brokers Scholarship, Sea Term Scholarship, and Alex Haas Scholarship. The Admiral’s Scholarship gifts up to $15,000 annually to outstanding Cadets who maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA. The Gateway City Scholarship covers full in-state undergrad tuition for minority residents of several Massachusetts towns like Salem, Springfield, Attleboro, and Fitchburg. Federal resources, such as the Pell Grant or Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant, require FAFSA forms coded 002181. The MASS Grant also supports full-time bachelor’s majors taking 12+ credits who have an expected family contribution below $5,486.

Keep reading about Massachusetts Maritime Academy at the Emergency Management Department website.