Homeland Security and Emergency Management, B.S.

Print Degree Planner (opens a new window) |

Coordinator: Wayne Sandford

Homeland security and emergency management is a broad, interdisciplinary field that deals in protecting the homeland and responding to and recovering from man-made and natural disasters. Students may choose to pursue courses which comprise the homeland security track, the emergency management track, or both tracks. The objective of the homeland security track is to provide an appropriate education and skill sets to men and women planning careers in homeland security at the federal, state or local level. This includes those agencies that protect the country from the threat of terrorism or criminal activity involving the movement of persons and goods across borders. The homeland security track also addresses potential threats to the nation's critical infrastructure. The objective of the emergency management track is to provide appropriate knowledge, training, and skill sets to manage and coordinate the multi-agency response to and recover from man-made and natural disasters.

PROGRAM OUTCOMES:

Analyze and manage multi-hazard emergency incidents.
Establish an incident command system at an emergency in accordance with national standards.
Make appropriate strategic, tactical, and task decisions to mitigate the incident.
Identify hazards within a community or organization and establish appropriate mitigation strategies.
Apply knowledge of leadership and management principles related to incidents of natural or human made.
Apply knowledge of federal regulations and national consensus standards to ensure organizational effectiveness in the administration of an incident of national significance.
Identify the principles of management of a public or private organization in the areas of budgeting, project management, contract negotiations, discipline, and conflict resolution.
Explain legal principles that affect the administration of a public or private response organization.

University Core Curriculum

The completion of 40 credits of University Core Curriculum with the following restrictions is required:

CC1 - Written Communication : ENGL 1112 or ENGL 1113
CC2 - Oral Communication and Presentation: COMM 1130
CC3 - Mathematical and Quantitative Literacy: MATH 1108 or higher
CC4 - Scientific Exploration: Any Course
CC5 - Critical Thinking and Problem Solving: UNIV 1141
CC6 - Historical Perspectives: Any Course
CC7 - The Individual and Society: PSYC 1111 - Introduction to Psychology
CC8 - Global and Intercultural Awareness- Any Course
CC9 - Perspectives on Creative Arts: Any Course
CC 1 Tier II ENGL 2220 Writing for Business/Industry
Plus 9 credits of additional CC Tier II courses

Required Major and Elective Courses

Students earning the B.S. degree in Homeland Security and Emergency Management are required to complete at least 121 credits, including the University Core Curriculum as defined above and the following courses:

Additional Requirements

Students must complete 12 credits from the following restrictive electives, in at least one track.

Restricted Electives - Homeland Security Track
HSEM 2101 - Infrastructure Protection
HSEM 3101 - Border Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement
HSEM 3105 - Transportation Security
And one of the following two courses:
NSEC 4538 - Weapons of Mass Destuction or
CJST 4578 - Homeland Security and Terrorism
Restricted Electives - Emergency Management track
HSEM 2202 - Technology in Emergency Management
FIRE 1102 - Principles Fire Science Technology
FIRE 2242 - Hazard Risk Management
FIRE 3341 - Hazard Mapping and Modeling

Direct Entry B.S. Homeland Security and Emergency Management/M.S. Emergency Management

The direct entry B.S. Homeland Security and Emergency Management/M.S. Emergency Management degree program is available to qualified upper-level students. If the undergraduate student completes courses HSEM 2241 and FIRE 2242 with a minimum grade of B-, they would be allowed to enter the graduate program of M.S. Emergency Management waiving the EMGT 6601 and EMGT 6602 graduate courses. During the fifth year, students complete the M.S. Emergency Management degree by taking ten more Emergency Management graduate-level courses.

To qualify for this accelerated program, the student must apply for admission no later than two semesters prior to the anticipated fulfillment of the B.S. Homeland Security and Emergency Management degree requirements and have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 at the time of application to the accelerated program (upon completion of 90 credits toward the B.S. Homeland Security and Emergency Management degree). The student must also submit one letter of recommendation by a Homeland Security and Emergency Management faculty member.