Bachelor of Science In Emergency Management

Our country must deal with continuing threats from wildfires, floods, and other natural disasters. With our B.S. in Emergency Management, you will acquire the skills and leadership ability needed to protect our nation from both man-made disasters and Mother Nature’s predictable and unpredictable bouts of fury.

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Learn what it takes to protect, serve, and respond

Emergency Management focuses on protecting the country and preparing for, responding to, and recovering from the man-made and natural disasters that rock our world. Our B.S. in Emergency Management is one of the few programs whose faculty comprises both academics and practitioners. Students receive not just a complete body of knowledge of the field but also the skills that allow them to enter it fully qualified to make an immediate contribution. Prospective employers are actively seeking such ready-for-action additions to their staff.

Through the program, students learn ways of navigating the complex issues that arise from emergencies and disasters through an understanding of organizations, policies, and social processes. You will prepare for careers at the federal, state, or local level with a skill set that includes:

  • The ability to analyze and manage multi-hazard emergency incidents
  • Knowing how to establish an incident command system at an emergency in accordance with national standards
  • The ability to make appropriate strategic, tactical, and task decisions to mitigate the incident
  • Identifying hazards within a community or organization and establishing appropriate mitigation strategies
  • Identifying the principles of management of a public or private organization in the areas of budgeting, project management, contract negotiations, discipline, and conflict resolution
  • Knowing the principles of fire science technology
  • Explaining legal principles that affect the administration of a public or private response organization

Forge your own path

Our program includes 6 free electives embedded into the program that allow you to minor in a related field, such as fire science, criminal justice, or national security. These minors will expand your skill set and make you more competitive in the field.

We also offer outstanding internship opportunities for our students. One of them is a six-week summer internship with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), during which you can earn $25 per hour as a disaster assistance employee. Some of your responsibilities will include follow-up and relief efforts and assisting with strategy in the aftermath of disasters such as fires, hurricanes, and tornadoes.

Consider the career possibilities

Nearly 80 percent of federal employees work for the Department of Homeland Security (under which FEMA exists), and job opportunities are projected to increase each of the next ten years. Potential careers are available in FEMA, local and state governments, and the private sector. In fact, almost every major corporation in the United States has an emergency management office. Your possibilities for employment are nearly limitless.

Envision Your Future

The information below from Salary.com shows some of the possible career titles, with their salaries, that you could pursue with your major. Salaries represent the national average, based on Human Resources data.

$155K

Emergency Services Director

$146K

Disaster Recovery Manager

$110K

Emergency Preparedness Specialist

Selected Courses and Programs

  • This course covers the responsibilities and operating modes of officers commanding fire department units, including engine, ladder, and rescue companies. It includes a basic study of the Incident Command System and its application and initial evaluation of the problems confronting first responding units. Additional subjects include an outline of particular problems encountered in various types of occupancies, buildings, and situations, stress on safety of the operating forces as well as of the public, and standpipe and sprinkler system use.

  • The course explores the application of technology to emergency management. Examples of current and emerging technology applications will be illustrated along with an explanation of critical issues that are a part of the technology application.

  • The purpose of this course is to provide students with a working knowledge of the different processes and actions required of a community or entity wishing to reduce or otherwise manage their vulnerability and risk. The student will gain an understanding of: the influence and effect of risk perception; analyzing and assessing hazard risk; communicating risk; understanding, assessing, and acting on risk mitigation options; and assessing the overall risk management process. Students will look at both domestic and international experience and draw lessons learned and best practices from both.

  • This course will cover the three major classes of hazards: natural, technological, and intentional. The course will encompass the big picture of disasters in the world and elicit responses from students while exploring the Universe of Hazards diagrams. Coursework will compare and contrast varying definitions for natural hazards with key terms and basic concepts such as natural disasters, risk, vulnerability, resilience, and adjustment. Model hazard management mapping will be presented and will challenge students to identify within the model the four stages of emergency or disaster management: mitigation, preparedness planning, response, and recovery.

  • The University of New Haven offers a wide variety of in-depth courses that create a transformational educational experience for our students. To view the complete list of courses you'll take while pursuing a bachelor's degree in Emergency Management, check out the Academic Catalog:

Learn from professors who are dedicated to your success.

Our faculty are leaders and innovators in their fields, bring both deep professional experience and academic rigor to the classroom.

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Nationally Recognized Center for Career Development

All University of New Haven students have access to the many resources available through the University’s Career Development Center, which has been named one of the best in the nation by The Princeton Review.

From career assessments, networking, and job shadowing to on-campus interviews and salary negotiation, the Career Development Center provides the skills and connections to identify a meaningful career and an opportunity to pursue your passion.

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Next Steps

  • Whether you're still in high school or are transferring from another college, we offer full- and part-time opportunities for undergraduates from inside the U.S. and abroad. The admission process can begin as early as the end of your high school junior year.

    The Application Process

  • We offer a comprehensive financial aid program, with students receiving assistance in the form of grants, scholarships, student loans, and part-time employment. Funds are available from federal and state governments, private sponsors, and from university resources. More than 85 percent of the University's full-time undergraduate students receive some form of financial assistance.

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