Emergency Management Degrees

Consider a featured online public administration program currently taking applications.

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School Level Program
Anna Maria College Master Master of Public Administration - Emergency Management
Gain the most current tools and techniques to provide leadership and direction during and after a wide variety of crises, including weather disasters, terrorist attacks, hazardous chemical spills and healthcare epidemics.

Click to view more online public administration degrees that are taking applications for 2024.

There are multiple careers within the field of public administration that can hold a large amount of responsibility in public safety and planning.

The role of the emergency management specialists is to utilize pre-planning skills to establish emergency preparedness plans, disaster plans, and coordination of responders in the event of a widespread emergency situation. If you are the type of person that have great organizational skills, adept critical thinking abilities, and the desire to lead others, a degree in emergency management could be right for you.

The educational path towards becoming a leader in this field begins with in depth education programs focusing on public administration and emergency management. Some students choose to pursue the Bachelor's of Public Administration prior to follow-up with a Master's in Emergency Preparedness, while others may find it beneficial to complete bachelor's and master's programs focusing specifically on emergency preparedness.

Our team of educational experts has thoroughly researched emergency management degree programs in order to provide you with helpful information about what this degree program is and where it can lead you. Browse through the guide below to explore what type of experience you might have while completing your program.

Online Emergency Management Programs

One aspect of higher education that has shown to be beneficial to learners for a variety of reasons is the widespread availability of flexible learning paths. New college students that are already invested within a career might find convenient programs, such as those in the online setting, the best option for what they require.

Online degree programs can provide students with opportunities for flexibility that cannot be found in the traditional learning field. Online degree programs in emergency management might offer students the option of attending their classes 100% online, which means students can log in to their courses from their home or any other location that has the internet.

Most online classes also allow students to learn at their own pace. This can reduce the need for participating in class lectures or group projects that require students to be present at certain times of the day. Some students in the online setting only complete their studies and assignments at night after they have completed a regular work day.

Your schedule and availability should dictate whether or not online degree programs are the right option for you. In the next section, you can read more about the most popular form of degree for the emergency management specialization, the master's degree.

Consider a featured online public administration program currently taking applications.

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School Level Program
The University of Texas Permian Basin Master Master of Public Administration
Complete in as little as 12 months, six start dates a year, cost-effective tuition.
Syracuse University Master Executive Master of Public Administration
Earn an MPA for Executives from the #1-ranked Maxwell School. Complete in as few as 15 months.
American University Master Online Master of Public Administration
NASPAA accredited.
Aurora University Master Online Master of Public Administration
Finish in 1 to 2 Years.
Arizona State University Bachelor Online Bachelor of Science in Urban Planning
Study transportation, business districts, neighborhoods, green space and more.
Arizona State University Bachelor Online Bachelor of Science in Public Service & Public Policy
Public service and public policy degree curriculum emphasizes enabling positive change in local, national and global communities.
University of Delaware Master Master of Public Administration
NASPAA Accredited, 30-month program.
Liberty University Doctor Doctor of Public Administration
100% online DPA program. 2.5 year average completion time.
Utica University Bachelor BS in Criminal Justice - Public Policy and Leadership
120 Total Credits; 2-4 Years; 100% Online

Click for more 100% online public administration programs.

Masters in Emergency Management Degrees

The Master's in Emergency Management is the most popular level of degree for students that are interested in pursuing careers in the public domain that can influence overall public safety. Most master's programs in this field can prepare students for analyzing their current environment and implementing programs and planning that can set emergency personnel into action.

If you would like to acquire positions within your area that carry high influence in emergency planning and response, you should seek to achieve at least a master's degree within your field specialization. The Master's in Emergency Management can provide you with the knowledge you need to achieve leadership positions within this field.

Our team of educational researchers searched through available online programs in order to find more information about NASPAA-accredited programs for you to consider. NASPAA accreditation is an important component during your search for the right program, since it conveys reliability and ample coverage of topics related to your career field.

The programs listed in the section below have all received proper NASPAA accreditation for you to utilize during your degree experience. If you would like to see more programs with this type of accreditation, you can review current listings on the NASPAA website during your search.

  • The University of Colorado - Denver: Online MPA - Disasters, Hazards, and Emergency Management - 2 years to complete
  • The University of Nebraska - Omaha: Online MPA - Emergency Management - 2 years to complete

Typical Coursework for a Master’s in Emergency Management Degree

Proper training for a career in emergency management may include involvement in courses that outline the duties of professionals in this field. Once you have enrolled in an online Master’s in Emergency Management, you might find that the courses included begin with an outline of the history of emergency services and move quickly into teaching skills relevant to this professional field.

Some courses included within this program might explore some of the historical moments that have influenced emergency preparation. Natural disasters, terrorist attacks, and even mass illness have historically changed the way that communities act during potential crisis situations, making it necessary to plan for a wide variety of events in any community.

In some settings, emergency preparedness might include planning on a much smaller scale. There are specific courses that can outline the steps in emergency preparedness in schools, hospitals, or even in public settings. The goal of these courses is to provide students with a strategic mindset for use in a wide variety of public areas.

Our team has reviewed several online MPA programs that focus specifically on emergency management. Courses such as Strategic Planning can provide you with insight into the planning process that accompanies effective emergency management, while others such as Emergency Leadership and Decision making can help to shape your leadership style in the face of disasters and other unforeseen emergencies.

Emergency Management Career Options

After you have completed your degree in emergency management, you might be equipped for pursuing positions related to general public safety within your community. Some students even complete degree programs such as this one in an effort to obtain higher positions in their city, such as leadership positions responsible for management of several different responding agencies.

Other students pursuing this degree program might be on track for careers in public safety in schools or hospitals, which can contribute to a better emergency planning process that is implemented to keep citizens safe. Regardless of which specialized area you are interested in working in, there are career options available for you to consider.

Careers in emergency management may require you to lead several different groups of emergency responders in their day to day functioning. This can require you to be involved in the initial planning process, the implementation of emergency action plans, and practice drills to test your agencies ability to utilize emergency plans in the event that they are needed.

If you would like to learn more about the potential earnings of emergency management personnel, take a look at the list below. These salary figures are pulled from actual salary data of current emergency professionals in the field.

  • Emergency Management Directors: $74,420 on average per year (BLS).
  • Emergency Management Directors at Schools and Universities: $90,640 on average per year (BLS).
  • Emergency Management Directors at Hospitals: $84,040 on average per year (BLS).
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