Emergency and Crisis Management, MECM

Overview

Cost

The total cost of the online MECM program for an in-state student is $11,784, including tuition ($10,374) and fees ($1,410). For out-of-state students, the total cost is $41,462 ($38,639 tuition; $2,823 fees). Additional costs may be added and tuition is subject to change. For complete information, see UCF Tuition and Fees.

Financial Aid

Financial aid is available to students through the UCF Financial Aid Office. For graduate students, the opportunities for assistantships can also be found in the UCF Graduate Catalog.

Curriculum

The MECM requires 36 credit hours for completion. FEMA’s Professional Development Series, a group of independent study courses that provide foundational knowledge of emergency management, is incorporated into the curriculum. The following courses are required to earn the degree. For more information, please view the UCF Graduate Catalog.

Student Resources

MECM Virtual Orientation

Certificates

Students accepted into a graduate program within the School of Public Administration may apply some applicable credits toward a graduate certificate. Students must apply separately for the certificate program. View the graduate certificates offered by the School of Public Administration.

Application and Admissions

Applications are accepted in the fall and spring semesters. Apply online through the College of Graduate Studies.

Note: The Graduate Record Examination is not required except for those students wishing to compete for a fellowship.

To be considered for admission, the following documentation must be on file with UCF by the appropriate application deadline date:

• Undergraduate transcripts.
• Graduate transcripts (if another graduate degree in a related field has been completed.)
• Supporting documents, including a resume, Statement of Interest, and three letters of recommendation from professors or professional individuals.

The MECM program typically admits students with an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0, depending on the space availability; those whose undergraduate degree is still in progress may be admitted conditionally until the transcript is provided showing the final undergraduate GPA. Students with GPA below 3.0 may be offered a provisional admission, provided their portfolio demonstrates considerable promise for success.

For more information on admission to UCF, visit UCF Graduate Admissions.

For specific questions regarding SPA's admission requirements, please contact our graduate advisor, Edlira Dursun.

Internships

Students must complete an internship as part of their advanced curriculum, unless they have two or more years of emergency management or related experience. MECM students have the advantage of developing internship placements through our experiential learning coordinator. Internship placement varies by student interest and semester. From Fall 2018 to Spring 2025, 56 MECM students have completed an internship.

INTERNSHIP HOST AND MAJOR PROJECTS

1. Lake County Public Schools Government Affairs Department
   In response to the growing need for community engagement and corporate social responsibility, the Lake County School District Employee Impact Network project was initiated with the primary goal of creating a dedicated software system. This innovative platform, developed in collaboration with the Marketing and Communications team and the Emergency Management team, aimed to facilitate and encourage employee volunteering in the community.
2. UCF Emergency Operation Center
   Update UCF binders for each Emergency Support Function (ESF) that would report to the UCF Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in the event of an activation.
3. Orange County Public Schools Office of Emergency Management
   Review OCPS Reunification plan and compare the best practices to the Standards Reunification Methods
4. American Red Cross
   Disaster response planning project to enhance the organization's emergency preparedness and crisis management capabilities. The project included analyzing existing emergency protocols, identifying areas for improvement, and proposing innovative solutions.
5. Lake County Sheriff's Office
   Identify establishments that may need a Critical Infrastructure Threat Assessment (CITA) and coordinate to conduct the assessments.
6. CH Consulting
   Development of functional and hazard annexes and several different exercise plans for trainings.
7. Ocoee Fire Department
   Assisting Ocoee Fire department with drafting and implementation of the Continuity of Operations Plan.
8. Orlando Health
   Develop a standardized guide on how to run and develop exercises within the Orlando Health network. Conduct a tabletop discussion, as well as a full-scale exercise.
9. Pasco County Emergency Management
   Successfully completed many online FEMA IS courses and in-person G-300, G-288, G-2300, G-191, and G-400. Specific projects included the Special Needs Registry (SPNS), Comprehensive Plan Review, Public Education Events, HERricane, Continuity of Operations (COOP), and PA Assistance.
10. Orange County Sheriff Office
    Updating the Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) within the agency's Uniform Patrol Division (UPD), which comprises approximately 800 personnel. Develop a survey, and scheduling interviews with respective sector captains and their administrative assistants.

Graduation Rates

MECM students have considerable flexibility in completing the online degree. Our program is designed so that a full-time student can easily complete the MECM during two full academic years (five semesters including summer). Many of our MECM students pursue the degree on a part-time basis, balancing their educational goals with work and family priorities. Graduation rates are reported on an “Academic Year -5” basis (AR-5). For the 2020-2021 cohort of the 57 entering students, 5  graduated within two academic years, 17 graduated within three academic years, and 26  graduated within four academic years.

Job Placements

MECM graduates work in various fields of the public, nonprofit, and private sectors. Our 2023-2024 graduates work for: