Program Overview

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Emergency Management, BS

The Bachelor of Science in Emergency Management is designed to prepare future emergency management leaders through the development of various core competencies, including resilience, hazard mitigation and analysis, disaster response and recovery, emergency preparedness and planning, fiscal management, communication, intergovernmental administration, geographic information systems, legal and ethical decision making, cultural competency and diversity, and general emergency management.

Program at a Glance

• Program: Bachelor of Science in Emergency Management
• College: College of Community Innovation and Education
• Department: School of Public Administration
• Duration: 4 years
• Tuition:
  • In-state: $212.28 per credit hour
  • Out-of-state: $802.54 per credit hour

Program Description

The BS in Emergency Management prepares students to become future emergency management leaders by providing a well-rounded curriculum that covers the fundamental skills, theoretical understanding, and knowledge needed to succeed in the industry. The program focuses on supporting organizations and communities in preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery efforts from disasters, emphasizing ethical decision-making, resilience, and social responsibility.

Course Overview

The program includes a variety of courses that provide hands-on experience in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery, such as:

• Hazard Mitigation and Preparedness
• Disaster Response and Recovery
• Community Resiliency and Sustainability

Emergency and Crisis Management Skills

Students will learn to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of the National Incident Management System, Incident Command System, and Emergency Support Functions
• Identify programs available to individuals and communities to help recover from large-scale disasters
• Analyze historical responses to extract lessons learned from previous events and responses
• Compare effectiveness, cost, and implementation barriers among various mitigation tools and strategies applied in local efforts
• Understand the role of local, state, and federal government, and private and non-governmental organizations in mitigation, prevention, protection, preparedness, response, and recovery
• Exhibit expertise with ESRI-based GIS software and GIS technology through hands-on use
• Locate, analyze, interpret, and manipulate spatial data to assist decision-makers
• Apply theories and principles of public finance to budgetary decision-making and the budgeting process

Career Opportunities

Graduates may pursue careers as:

• Emergency Management Coordinator
• Crisis Response Specialist
• Training and Exercise Coordinator
• Emergency Services Coordinator
• GIS Analyst
• Disaster Assistance Specialist
• Health Preparedness Planner

Degree Requirements

Core Requirements: Advanced Level

• Total credits: 24-27
• Courses:
  • PAD 4204 - Fiscal Management (3 credits)
  • PAD 4390 - Hazard Mitigation and Preparedness (3 credits)
  • PAD 4392 - Emergency Management and Homeland Security (3 credits)
  • PAD 4395 - Disaster Response and Recovery (3 credits)
  • PAD 4712 - Information Systems for Public Managers and Planners (3 credits)
  • PAD 4822 - Intergovernmental Administration (3 credits)
  • PAD 4942 - School of Public Administration Internship Orientation (0 credits)
  • PAD 4941 - Public Administration Internship (3-6 credits)
  • PAD 4371 - Capstone: Resiliency in Emergency Management (3 credits)

Concentration Area

• Total credits: 12
• Students must complete 12 credit hours of PAD courses in one of the following concentration areas:
  • Public Service Certificate
  • Public Administration Certificate
  • Nonprofit Fiscal & Resource Development Certificate
  • Certificate in Community Planning

Restricted Electives

• Total credits: 9
• Students must complete at least 3 of the following courses:
  • CJT 3803 - Security Management (3 credits)
  • DSC 4012 - Terrorism (3 credits)
  • DSC 4013 - Homeland Security and Criminal Justice (3 credits)
  • INR 4074 - Immigration Policy (3 credits)
  • INR 4084 - Politics of International Terrorism (3 credits)
  • INR 4363 - Intelligence Analysis and Reporting (3 credits)
  • INR 4764 - Cyberwarfare Policy (3 credits)
  • PUR 4400 - Crisis Communication (3 credits)
  • POS 4682 - National Security Law (3 credits)
  • HSC 4201 - Community Health (3 credits)
  • INR 4360 - The Intelligence Process (3 credits)
  • PLA 4585 - Cybersecurity and the Law (3 credits)

BA/BS Option

• Students pursuing the BA degree must demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language equivalent to one year in college.
• Students pursuing the BS degree must earn a C- or better in each of the following two upper-level courses:
  • PAD 3733 - Professional Administrative Writing in the Public Sector (3 credits)
  • PAD 4720 - Research Methods in Public Administration (3 credits)

Grand Total Credits: 51-54

Degree Requirements

• Students who change degree programs and select this major must adopt the most current catalog.
• Students should complete the General Education Program before transferring within the Florida College System or State University System.
• Students should consult with a departmental advisor on a regular basis.
• No transfer course will be accepted with a grade lower than a "C-".
• The courses designated in General Education should usually be completed in the first 60 hours.
• Students must attain a minimum grade of "C-" (1.75) in all Common Program Prerequisite courses, Core Requirements, Concentration Requirements, Restricted Electives, and BS Requirements.
• Students must earn a 2.5 GPA in Core Requirements in order to graduate.

Foreign Language Requirements

• Admissions: None
• Graduation: Students pursuing a BA degree must demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language equivalent to one year at college level.

Electives

• If students need additional credit hours to meet the 120 credit hour graduation requirement, additional electives can be taken from other allied supporting fields.
• Upon completion of general education, common program pre-req's, required core, BS required courses (or BA required foreign language), students may still need electives to reach the minimum overall credit hour requirement to be eligible for graduation.

Additional Requirements

• None

Departmental Exit Requirements

• The students must attain a minimum grade of "C-" (1.75) in all Core Requirements, Concentration Requirements, Restricted Electives, and BS Requirements.
• Students must earn a 2.5 GPA in the Core section in order to graduate.
• At least 27 hours used in the major must be earned at UCF within the School of Public Administration.
• No credit by exam (TSD, Military credit) may be used.

University Minimum Exit Requirements

• A 2.0 UCF GPA
• 42 semester hours of upper division credit completed
• 30 of the last 39 hours of course work must be completed in residency at UCF.
• A maximum of 45 hours of extension, correspondence, CLEP, Credit by Exam, and Armed Forces credits permitted.
• Complete the General Education Program, the State Writing and Math Requirement, and nine hours of Summer credit.

Additional Information

Honors In Major

• Interested students should speak with an advisor.

Related Programs

• Public Administration
• Criminal Justice
• Nonprofit Management
• English - Technical Communication
• International and Global Studies
• Political Science
• Computer Science
• Communication & Conflict
• Health Services Administration

Certificates

• None

Related Minors

• Criminal Justice
• Nonprofit Management/National Certification in Nonprofit Management
• Intelligence and National Security
• Leadership Studies
• Mass Communication
• Public Administration
• Secure Computing and Networks
• Terrorism Studies
• English - Technical Communication
• Urban and Regional Planning
• Health Services Administration

Advising Notes

• Orientation and advising are two of the most valuable tools that a student can make use of when transferring to UCF.
• Students are urged to have access to a personal computer, modem, and appropriate software to interact with the University and professors.

Transfer Notes

• Lower division courses do not substitute for upper division courses.
• Courses transferred from private and out-of-state schools must be formally evaluated for equivalency credit.

Program Academic Learning Compacts

• Program Academic Learning Compacts (student learning outcomes) for undergraduate programs are located at the University of Central Florida website.

Total Semester Hours Required

• 120

Plan of Study

The plan of study for the Emergency Management, BS program is as follows:

Freshman Year - Fall (15 Credit Hours)

• ENC 1101 - Composition I (3 credits)
• GEP Cultural & Historical Requirement (3 credits)
• GEP Social Foundations Requirement (3 credits)
• Free Elective (3 credits)
• Free Elective (3 credits)

Freshman Year - Spring (15 Credit Hours)

• ENC 1102 - Composition II (3 credits)
• MAC 1105C - College Algebra (3 credits)
• GEP Communication Foundation Requirement (3 credits)
• Free Elective (3 credits)
• Free Elective (3 credits)

Sophomore Year - Fall (15 Credit Hours)

• STA 2014 - Principles of Statistics (3 credits)
• ECO 2013 - Principles of Macroeconomics (3 credits)
• GEP Cultural & Historical Requirement (3 credits)
• GEP Science Foundation Requirement (3 credits)
• Free Elective (3 credits)

Sophomore Year - Spring (15 Credit Hours)

• GEP Cultural & Historical Requirement (3 credits)
• GEP Science Foundation Requirement (3 credits)
• Free Elective (3 credits)
• Free Elective (3 credits)
• Free Elective (3 credits)

Junior Year - Fall (15 Credit Hours)

• BA/BS Option Course: Foreign Language or PAD 3733 - Professional Administrative Writing in the Public Sector (3 credits)
• PAD 4390 - Hazard Mitigation and Preparedness (3 credits)
• PAD 4392 - Emergency Management and Homeland Security (3 credits)
• PAD 4822 - Intergovernmental Administration (3 credits)
• Restricted Elective (3 credits)

Junior Year - Spring (15 Credit Hours)

• PAD 4942 - School of Public Administration Internship Orientation (0 credits)
• PAD 4395 - Disaster Response and Recovery (3 credits)
• BA/BS Option Course: Foreign Language or PAD 4720 - Research Methods in Public Administration (3 credits)
• PAD 4712 - Information Systems for Public Managers and Planners (3 credits)
• Restricted Elective (3 credits)
• Restricted Elective (3 credits)

Senior Year - Fall (15 Credit Hours)

• PAD 4204 - Fiscal Management (3 credits)
• Restricted Elective (3 credits)
• Restricted Elective (3 credits)
• Free Elective (3 credits)
• PAD 4941 - Public Administration Internship (3 credits)

Senior Year - Spring (15 Credit Hours)

• PAD 4371 - Community Resiliency & Sustainability (3 credits)
• Restricted Elective (3 credits)
• Restricted Elective (3 credits)
• Restricted Elective (3 credits)
• Free Elective (3 credits)