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Emergency Management and Homeland Security, BS

Are you passionate about protecting communities from natural disasters, extreme weather or terrorist events? Gain an understanding of the changing nature of risk and how it impacts society, which provides you a foundation for working as a first responder or homeland security professional in many capacities.

Apply now
A student in protective gear holds a respirator during training, reflecting real-world scenarios in ASU's Emergency Management degree.

Quick facts

Courses

120 credit hours
Math intensity: General program math intensity general
First required math course: MAT 114 - College Mathematics
View more details

Additional facts

STEM-OPT extension eligible: No

International students (F1), this program is not eligible for the STEM-OPT extension.

Accreditation

Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Degree description

The School of Public Affairs offers the Bachelor of Science program in emergency management and homeland security. The program provides you with an understanding of the political and social implications of disasters, terrorism and national security. You gain the skills and knowledge to understand and manage natural and human-made threats and execute complex projects in response.

Coursework covering risk assessment, cross-boundary collaboration and rapid resource mobilization paired with practical skills such as operations continuity management, oversight of emergency operations centers, and techniques and best practices for developing prevention programs provide you with the tools to analyze complex situations and provide decision-making tools important for emerging leaders in the field.

Courses

Explore a sample list of courses you may take in this program.

Sample courses
PAF 112 Public Service and American Democracy
PAF 160 How to Survive the 21st Century
PAF 201 Economics and Public Policy
PAF 261 Hazards and Risk Management
PAF 301 Applied Statistics
PAF 302 Public Service Research Methods

Course checksheet and curriculum archive

The curriculum checksheet displays this program's required courses and other requirements you must complete for graduation.

What If

Current ASU students, see how your courses can apply to another major and find out how to change your major (opens in new window).

Already completed some college courses? Build on your success.

If you earned college credit outside ASU, our transfer tools map out your progress towards a degree and help you plan next steps.

See how your credits may apply (opens in new window)

What you'll learn

The following learning outcomes highlight some of the knowledge and skills you'll develop to support your future success.

  • Draw connections between disparate risks and vulnerabilities within complex systems.
  • Classify emergency management and homeland security organizations.
  • Improve extant policies, programs, and governance systems to mitigate risk and manage disruption.

Admission requirements

Here are the admission and application details

All students are required to meet general university admission requirements.

First year (opens in new window) | Transfer (opens in new window) | International (opens in new window) | Readmission (opens in new window)

A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00 is required to change majors into this program.

Students should visit the Change of Major form (opens in new window) for information about how to change a major to this program.


Explore expanded study opportunities

This program allows you to obtain both a bachelor's and a master's degree in as little as five years. As a high-achieving student, accelerated bachelor's plus master's degree programs are designed for you to share undergraduate coursework with graduate coursework to accelerate completion of your master's degree. These programs feature the same high-quality curriculum taught by ASU's world-renowned faculty.

This program is offered as an accelerated bachelor's plus master's degree with:

Undergraduate advisor
Melissa Bryant
602-496-0264
Melissa.Bryant@asu.edu
General contact
602-496-0182
Learn more about this program
Undergraduate advisor
Melissa Bryant
602-496-0264
Melissa.Bryant@asu.edu
General contact
602-496-0182
Learn more about this program
Undergraduate advisor
Melissa Bryant
602-496-0264
Melissa.Bryant@asu.edu
General contact
602-496-0182
Learn more about this program
Undergraduate advisor
Melissa Bryant
602-496-0264
Melissa.Bryant@asu.edu
General contact
602-496-0182
Learn more about this program
Undergraduate advisor
Melissa Bryant
602-496-0264
Melissa.Bryant@asu.edu
General contact
602-496-0182
Learn more about this program
Undergraduate advisor
Melissa Bryant
602-496-0264
Melissa.Bryant@asu.edu
General contact
602-496-0182
Learn more about this program
Undergraduate advisor
Alexander Sandage
602-496-1658
alexander.sandage@asu.edu
Graduate advisor
Katie Bonnesen
602-496-1928
katherine.bonnesen@asu.edu
General contact
602-496-0450
Learn more about this program
Undergraduate advisor
Melissa Bryant
602-496-0264
Melissa.Bryant@asu.edu
Graduate advisor
Katie Bonnesen
602-496-1928
katherine.bonnesen@asu.edu
General contact
602-496-0182
Learn more about this program
Undergraduate advisor
Melissa Bryant
602-496-0264
Melissa.Bryant@asu.edu
Graduate advisor
Katie Bonnesen
602-496-1928
katherine.bonnesen@asu.edu
General contact
602-496-0182
Learn more about this program
Undergraduate advisor
Melissa Bryant
602-496-0264
Melissa.Bryant@asu.edu
Graduate advisor
Katie Bonnesen
602-496-1928
katherine.bonnesen@asu.edu
General contact
602-496-0182
Learn more about this program
Undergraduate advisor
Melissa Bryant
602-496-0264
Melissa.Bryant@asu.edu
Graduate advisor
Katie Bonnesen
602-496-1928
katherine.bonnesen@asu.edu
General contact
602-496-0182
Learn more about this program
Undergraduate advisor
Melissa Bryant
602-496-0264
Melissa.Bryant@asu.edu
General contact
602-496-0182
Learn more about this program
Undergraduate advisor
Melissa Bryant
602-496-0264
Melissa.Bryant@asu.edu
Graduate advisor
Katie Bonnesen
602-496-1928
katherine.bonnesen@asu.edu
General contact
602-496-0182
Learn more about this program
Undergraduate advisor
Melissa Bryant
602-496-0264
Melissa.Bryant@asu.edu
Graduate advisor
Katie Bonnesen
602-496-1928
katherine.bonnesen@asu.edu
General contact
602-496-0182
Learn more about this program
Undergraduate advisor
Melissa Bryant
602-496-0264
Melissa.Bryant@asu.edu
Graduate advisor
Katie Bonnesen
602-496-1928
katherine.bonnesen@asu.edu
General contact
602-496-0182
Learn more about this program

Approval to pursue the accelerated master's is typically granted during the junior year of your bachelor's degree program. If you are interested, you can learn more about eligibility requirements and how to apply.

When you pursue concurrent degrees (also known as a “double major”), you earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. Working with your academic advisor, you can create your own concurrent degree combination. Some combinations are not possible due to high levels of overlap in curriculum.

Global experience

Understanding how different governments around the world manage disasters can provide insight for bringing solutions to students' own communities. Global Education programs can help students gain practical knowledge and experience in how governments function at varying levels in a community. Students increase their knowledge and experiential base through study abroad programs to bring about positive change in their own communities. The heightened cultural competency and the leadership and critical thinking skills students acquire through study abroad programs also enhance their resumes.

Paying for college

Use our calculator to estimate your full-time or part-time tuition fees for this program prior to any financial aid. Keep in mind that most of our students recieve financial aid, which can reduce out-of-pocket costs.

Get an estimate

Build the career and future you want

Our graduates are prepared for a variety of career paths, including:

Career opportunities showing job titles, projected growth rates, median salaries, and links to detailed information
Career Growth Median Salary More Information
Compliance Manager 4.9% $141,900
Emergency Manager 3.9% $93,330
Firefighter/EMT 3.7% $59,280
General Manager (GM) 5.0% $105,770
Military Officer Not available Not available
Police Sergeant/Detective 3.3% $106,040
Politician Not available Not available
Regulatory Affairs Manager 4.9% $141,900
Security Manager 4.6% $106,660
Social Services Director 7.2% $80,390

Example job titles and salaries listed are not necessarily entry level, and students should take into consideration how years of experience and geographical location may affect pay scales. Some jobs also may require advanced degrees, certifications or state-specific licensure.

Data obtained from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) under sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA).


More about careers

Graduates possess the knowledge and skills required for entry- and midlevel supervisory and managerial positions in the public sector at the local, state and federal levels, as well as other opportunities in the commercial and nonprofit sectors. Graduates have a significant advantage in the coming hiring boom within the field in response to the upcoming wave of retirees in the public sector and increasing demand for public services, especially at the federal level.

For those who already possess relevant knowledge and experience, the program provides complementary knowledge valuable for promotion in the field.

Graduates also may choose to further their education in graduate programs in emergency management, public policy, law or public administration.

Contact information

Use the contact information below to get in touch if you're a current student or have general questions.
Prospective students should fill out the Request for Information form.

School of Public Affairs | UCENT 400
spa@asu.edu
602-496-0450

Frequently asked questions about degree programs

Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.

Accelerated master's

These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).

Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.

Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.

Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.

ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.

ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.

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