Easiest Emergency Management Degree Programs & Colleges

Are you the kind of person who prides themselves on keeping a cool head even when everyone else around you is panicking? You might consider a career in emergency management.

Emergency management and disaster management are two interconnected career areas that require leadership and action in the face of the unexpected and unpredictable.

So what are the easiest ways to get into a career in emergency management, what kind of degree can you get, and where? What are some of the easiest emergency management degree pathways? Read on as we point you in that direction.

How to Determine the Easiest Emergency Management Degree Programs

The concept of an 'easy' program is hard to pin down given that, first, 'easy' doesn't always equate to 'best,' and second, that what one of us finds easy might be hard for someone else.

So let us break it down into several measurable factors that you can consider as you determine the best route for yourself if you're looking for an 'easy' emergency management degree.

A handful of indicators that you might look at when researching emergency management programs include a school's or program's:

• Acceptance rate
• Average GPA (grade point average needed for acceptance)
• Number of credit hours within the degree program
• Required coursework for the degree
• Other specifics of the graduation requirements (internships, clinical work, capstones, etc.)

Additional considerations to research might include the following.

• How much does an emergency management degree cost at this college?
• Can I earn my emergency management degree online?
• What is the typical course load for an emergency management degree?

Easy-to-Access Degree Programs in Emergency Management

The following respected schools are among many that offer bachelor's degree programs providing easy access to emergency management careers.

1. Arizona State University

Available in-person or online, you can earn a Bachelor of Science in Emergency Management and Homeland Security from Arizona State University's (ASU) Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions.

This program aims to provide students 'an understanding of the political and social implications of disasters, terrorism and national security' as they learn to 'manage natural and human-made threats and execute complex projects in response.'

The 120-credit degree curriculum includes about 18 specialized major courses on topics such as international terrorism, biosecurity and biodefense, or hazards and risk management. Students finish with a capstone course.

Interdisciplinary electives are available in nonprofit leadership, parks and recreation management, criminal justice, and social work.

2. Arkansas Tech University

Claiming the pioneering status as the world's first accredited emergency management program, founded in 1997, the bachelor's and master's degree programs in emergency management and homeland security at Arkansas Tech University offer a comprehensive approach.

Certificates of proficiency are also available in cyber resilience, small unmanned aerial systems, global security, and emergency management.

The 120-credit B.S. program includes a capstone and an internship. The holistic approach to emergency management includes 'emergency planning, cultural considerations, human behavior, response strategies, and the intricate political and legal dimensions within the field.'

3. Jacksonville State University

In Alabama, Jacksonville State University is home to three highly respected degree levels in emergency management: a Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, and Doctor of Science. The BS program has been ranked as the Top EM Bachelor's Program in the nation by Forbes.com.

Moreover, these programs consist of online courses in virtual classrooms. The department awards a First Responders Scholarship and also issues a new cybersecurity micro-credential.

The 120-credit BS program aims to prepare its graduates with skills for emergency management careers in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Students may enhance their EM major with a minor in homeland security or public safety telecommunications.

4. Pierce College

In the state of Washington, Pierce College offers certificate programs, an associate degree, or a bachelor's degree completion program (built on a prior associate degree) in emergency management. The AAS and BAS degrees require internships.

Certificate programs at Pierce include the:

• Emergency Management Certificate
• Tribal Emergency Management Certificate
• Healthcare Emergency Management Certificate
• Disaster Risk Management Certificate

5. University of Central Florida

With its BS in Emergency Management, the University of Central Florida is well-positioned to prepare both in-state and out-of-state students with the preparedness they need to handle disaster response and recovery efforts in their communities.

The degree is available face-to-face, mixed-mode, or online. All UCF emergency management majors also choose a complementary minor field of study such as public administration, urban and regional planning, or nonprofit management.

The program partners with local agencies to provide internships and special training exercises in live emergency operations.

Students may also jumpstart their careers by obtaining the Certified Emergency Manager credential, which accepts a bachelor's degree instead of experience in the field.

6. Western Carolina University

The Bachelor of Science in emergency and disaster management at Western Carolina University is an online degree completion program that requires a prior associate degree or its equivalent. It includes a major core of 28 semester credit hours plus 21 credit hours of major electives.

Ranked second in the United States by the Emergency Management Degree Program Guide in 2014, this acclaimed program integrates theory and practice of public safety and security management.

After completing core courses in:

• Disaster management
• Risk assessment
• Vulnerability analysis
• Emergency and disaster management policy

Students culminate with a capstone project, gaining real-world work experience with a community emergency management organization.

What Career Paths Can You Pursue with an Emergency Management Degree?

If you decide to pursue a degree from an emergency or disaster management program, you might consider a career in disaster relief services, emergency services, homeland security, or public health.

Some emergency management careers range from working in:

• Emergency services: To coordinate or manage relief efforts and logistics
• Emergency medical services: You would need either specialized knowledge as a healthcare provider (e.g., first responders, emergency nurses, emergency physicians, hospital-based healthcare providers, EMTs, paramedics) or serve to coordinate their response
• Firefighting and law enforcement
• homeland security: Where you might coordinate law enforcement, intelligence, and defense in case of an emergency
• Public health
• Public Safety

Determining the easiest emergency management degree is a challenging task since what comes easily to one person might not seem easy to another. It all depends on the type of career to which you find yourself drawn � then finding the right educational program that will meet your needs.

Start Your Emergency Management Degree Today

The easiest way to earn an emergency management degree is to find an accredited degree program that checks all your boxes, whether online or on campus, and then follow the degree map to completion. If you already have two years of college under your belt, a degree-completion bachelor's program would be your best choice.