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Emergency Management, BA/BS

Degree

Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science

School

Public Administration

Overview

The frequency of both natural and human-induced disasters has increased dramatically over the past two decades. This, in turn, has increased the need for emergency managers who can help their communities prepare for, mitigate, respond to and recover from these types of disasters.

The UCF School of Public Administration offers a Bachelor of Arts in Emergency Management and a Bachelor of Science in Emergency Management. Both degrees will provide a solid ethical, practical and theory-based foundation in emergency and crisis management.

Program Highlights

  • BA and BS options.
  • Face-to-face and online classes.
  • Curriculum includes FEMA’s Professional Development Series.
  • The Certified Emergency Manager credential accepts a four-year bachelor’s degree in lieu of experience, therefore, graduates of the program can earn this credential in a shorter period of time.

Curriculum

The BA and BS programs require 45 hours beyond the General Education Program. In addition, the BS requires 6 credit hours of upper-level PAD courses, while the BA requires students to demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language equivalent to one year in college. FEMA’s Professional Development Series, a group of independent study courses that provide foundational knowledge of emergency management, is incorporated into the curriculum.

For more information, please view the UCF Undergraduate Catalog.

Analysis of methods of securing public funds, the process of budget making, and techniques of management used in managing public funds.
Pre-requisites: PAD 3003 and PAD 3373
Offered in fall and spring.
This course offers specialized knowledge and skills necessary to develop proactive hazard mitigation plans to reduce the effects of natural and manmade disasters.
Pre-requisite: Must be a junior to take this course.
Offered in fall.
This course focuses on the philosophical and theoretical underpinnings of the emergency management and homeland security profession and the principles that define effective practice. This course will provide an understanding of mitigation, prevention, protection, preparedness, response, and recovery, and examine concepts such as risk, hazard, resilience, and vulnerability.
Pre-requisite: Must be a junior to take this course.
Offered in fall.
This course is the study of disaster response and recovery processes, programs, and problems through learning modules, readings, discussions, videos, field study, and case studies. We will study individual, group, organizational, and community behavior and recovery from disasters. Service delivery strategies are highlighted and complex dynamics of the recovery process are emphasized.
Pre-requisite: Must be a junior to take this course.
Offered in spring.
This course offers use of systems concepts, and an introduction to software and computer employment in contemporary public sector management and planning operations.
Pre-requisite: Must be a junior to take this course.
Offered in spring.
This course offers various approaches to studying and explaining the United States intergovernmental system. Emphasis is on inter-organizational activities such as negotiation, cooperation, collaboration and coordination within the administrative setting.
Pre-requisite: Must be a junior to take this course.
Offered in fall.
Supervised internship for students in the emergency management program. Requires a minimum of 300 hours of service in an emergency management organization. Students may receive credit for an internship a maximum of two times.
Pre-requisite: Must be a junior to take this course.
Offered in fall and spring.
Supervised internship for students in the emergency management program. Requires a minimum of 300 hours of service in an emergency management This is the capstone course for the program, bringing together the areas of knowledge and skills learned throughout the undergraduate emergency management program. Students will apply what they’ve learned, in an integrative manner, to the most current challenges facing emergency managers.
Pre-requisite: Must be a senior to take this course.
Offered in spring.

Admissions and Advising

There are no additional requirements for admission into this program beyond admission to UCF. For more information on admission to UCF, visit UCF Undergraduate Admissions.