Future emergency management professionals can benefit from a comprehensive and respected school program, and finding the best degree option for a student’s career goals requires some research. Excellent degree programs often exhibit similar characteristics like experienced faculty and affordable tuition, as well as regional and programmatic accreditation.
Respected programs will also help students pay for college with financial aid programs and exhibit high rates of student retention. However, choosing the best emergency management program means looking for several essential characteristics related to the industry. Here are some of the features that future professionals and graduates should look for in an emergency management program.
Related resource: Top 20 Emergency Management Degree Online Programs
Curriculum That Aligns with the Emergency Management Institute
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides continuing professional education resources for professionals working for the government in emergency management, and students may benefit from a program that aligns with courses and independent study options. Within its Emergency Management Institute, FEMA offers courses in Maryland like Supply Chain Intelligence, Community Planning & Capacity Building Assistance, and Foundations of Emergency Management. A quick comparison at the courses offered by FEMA and the courses listed in a prospective emergency management program should help a student determine whether the school program offers an appropriate and similar curriculum.
Career Assistance Options for Emergency Management Graduates
According to information shared by the Department of the Interior, which houses the Office of Emergency Management, billions of dollars and millions of jobs come from the management and protection of the country’s public lands. An emergency management program that allows the student to learn about private industry jobs, as well as jobs in the public sector and the federal government will help improve the post-graduation employment search. Comprehensive emergency management programs not only instruct students on the processes and procedures used in modern emergency management scenarios, but also the environments where emergency management professionals work.
Membership Opportunities with National & International Associations
Like most professions, the emergency management industry possesses several professional associations that provide benefits like career fairs, continuing education classes, and industry conventions. Emergency management programs that help students become novice members of professional associations give students the boost required to find employment after graduation, as well as benefit from the expertise of working professionals. Organizations with which a school may partner include the National Emergency Management Association, The International Association for Disaster Preparedness and Response, and the International Association of Emergency Management.
Internship Programs for Emergency Management Experience
Completing an internship is a common part of most degree programs in higher education and participating in emergency management work as an intern will help students gain the experience they need to find a job after graduation. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shares that one may work in emergency management as a director with a bachelor’s degree and at least five years of experience. Time spent in an internship will help the student enhance his or her resume with work experience that may translate into job opportunities after graduation.
Assisting people in times of crisis can offer emergency management professionals a satisfying and rewarding career. The Federal Emergency Management Agency provides a great list of universities and colleges that offer emergency management programs. An excellent emergency management program may help recent graduates find work quickly with government or private sector emergency management organizations.