Program Overview

Master of Science in Emergency Services Administration

The Master of Science in Emergency Services Administration (EMER) degree program at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) is a fully online program that prepares graduates for organizational leadership and senior-level positions across the emergency services sector. The program's high-quality, wide-ranging courses engage students in theory and research that inform the management of disaster risk.

Program Overview

The EMER program is designed for working professionals in the emergency services field, including firefighters, police officers, military personnel, emergency medical services personnel, and disaster response planners. The program is delivered exclusively online and asynchronously using Canvas, the University's online educational delivery platform.

Program Requirements

The EMER program requires satisfactory completion of 30 units of approved graduate courses, including:

• EMER 500: Information Literacy and Practical Writing Applications for Emergency Management (2 units)
• EMER 501: Emergency Planning and Management (3 units)
• EMER 530: Applied Research Methods and Analytical Techniques for Decision Support and Innovation (4 units)
• EMER 540: Emergency Management Organizations: Constructs for Influencing Complex Systems (3 units)
• EMER 548: Risk, Crisis, and Inter-Agency Communications (3 units)
• EMER 661: Emergency Management Leadership Across the Megacommunity (3 units)
• EMER 671: Strategic Planning and Integrative Practices in Emergency Services Administration (3 units)

Elective Courses

Students complete two additional elective courses selected in consultation with a faculty advisor (6 units).

Culminating Activity

Students may choose to complete a comprehensive exam, project, or thesis as their culminating activity.

Admission Requirements

Each applicant must have completed an appropriate baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum 3.0 grade-point average in the last 60 semester units attempted. A student whose overall grade point average is less than 3.0 but who presents acceptable evidence of professional potential, either through recent academic performance and/or experiential background, may be admitted by special action of the department's Graduate Committee.

Application Process

Admission to the Master of Science in Emergency Services Administration program requires approval by the University and the program's Graduate Applicant Review Committee. Applicants must submit:

• Official transcripts from all previously attended academic institutions
• A resume
• A statement of purpose
• At least three electronic recommendations using the Recommendations section of Cal State Apply

Tuition Fees

The cost per unit is $625, and the total cost of the program is $18,750.

Financial Aid

Students enrolled in this program are eligible for some forms of financial aid, with the exception of the State University Grant (SUG) and Cal Vet College Fee Waiver. GI Bill benefits can be used for this program.

Job Opportunities

The Emergency Services Sector comprises several disciplinary functions across settings, including local, state, and federal government; private companies; universities and schools; and nonprofit organizations. Each area has a wide range of job descriptions, including:

• Emergency Management
• Law Enforcement
• Fire & Rescue
• Public Works
• Emergency Medical Services & Public Health Emergency
• Risk Communications
• Military Support

Instructors

The program is taught by experienced faculty, including:

• Shirley Feldmann-Jensen, MPH, DPPD
• Margaret Gutierrez, MA
• Steven J. Jensen, PhD
• Linda Kiltz, PhD
• Douglass Weeks, PhD
• John Jost, Professor

Resources

Additional resources are available, including:

• EMER Handbook
• CSULB Catalog Pages for Emergency Management
• EM Weekly Podcast: Emergency Management Professional Ethics and How to Teach It
• EMER Volunteer Opportunities
• Scholarships, including the Julius Becton Jr. Scholarship for minority students studying emergency management or related fields.