Emergency Management and Homeland Security, Master of Science
Department website: https://www.atu.edu/emergencymanagement
The School of Professional and Community Education (PACE) at Arkansas Tech University offers advanced study in the disciplines of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (EMHS). Students will have the opportunity to study the emerging technology as well as the social, political, legal, ethical, and leadership aspects of EMHS from the perspective of a practitioner as well as a scholar. Graduates from the program are well-prepared to meet the growing demand for educated EMHS professionals in the private business sector, education, non-governmental organizations, and various government agencies and organizations at all levels-local, state, regional, national, and international.
This program may be completed online.
This degree offers a specialized program both for existing career professionals in the field, those seeking the academic foundation on which to build a career, and others who look to the Master’s Degree as the first step towards the eventual pursuit of a doctorate.
The curriculum reflects the latest research and practical applications in the fields of Emergency Management and Homeland Security. Associated emerging technologies and areas of concentration are integrated into the curriculum. The EMHS Program Director acts as faculty advisor to each student admitted to the EMHS degree program.
Unconditional Admission
Students are eligible to apply for unconditional admission to the Master of Science degree program in Emergency Management and Homeland Security (EMHS) if they meet all of the following requirements. Additionally, all application credentials are examined by the Graduate Program Director and the Graduate Program Admission Committee when determining admission status.
- Applicants must meet the admission requirements for the Graduate College.
- Applicants must have a minimum undergraduate or graduate cumulative grade point average of 3.00.
- Applicants must provide a statement of intent which addresses career goals, interests in graduate education, emergency management, and research interests. (300 word minimum).
- Applicants must provide a resume or vitae.
- Approval from the Program Director.
Conditional Admission
Conditional admission may be possible when the grade point average is between 2.5 and 3.0. In addition, all application credentials are examined by a faculty committee from the EMHS to determine admission status. If a student was admitted conditionally based on grade point average, the condition will be met if upon completion of twelve (12) semester hours a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or better is achieved.
Late Admission
Priority deadline date for fall admission is March 1 and spring admission is October 1. Any student requesting admission for any academic term must have their documentation material processed for admission to the program as required by the School of Professional and Community Education (PACE) by the first day of the term requested. Documentation includes undergraduate transcript(s), a Statement of Intent and either a Resume or a Vitae. If processing cannot be completed, and approval given by the Program Director, the student will be rejected for admission for that term and must wait to enter the next academic term.
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| EMHS 5023 | Technology for Comprehensive Emergency Management | 3 |
| EMHS 6033 | Leadership and Management | 3 |
| EMHS 6063 | Principles of Emergency Management | 3 |
| EMHS 6093 | Principles of Homeland Security | 3 |
| EMHS 6103 | Research Design and Methods | 3 |
| EMHS 6133 | Ethical, Legal, and Political Considerations in Emergency Management and Homeland Security | 3 |
| EMHS Electives | ||
| Elective EMHS or non-EMHS graduate courses tailored to each student's interests and career objectives | 9 | |
| Options | ||
| Select one of the following Options: | 9 | |
| Comprehensive Examination Option: | ||
| Research I | ||
| Capstone | ||
EMHS Elective | ||
| Thesis Option: | ||
| Research I | ||
| Applied Data Analysis | ||
| Master's Thesis | ||
| Practicum Option: | ||
| Research I | ||
| Professional Practical Experience and Project Development | ||
| Capstone | ||
| Total Hours | 36 | |
- The completion of 36 semester hours of graduate work is required, of which 18 semester hours must be at the 6000 level.
- After completion of the Research I course, students choose to pursue either an original research thesis, a practicum research project, or the comprehensive exam. Students selecting the comprehensive exam will take an additional three (3) hour elective; student pursuing a thesis or practicum research project, will select a chair to guide their research work and either engage with the data collection and analysis (thesis) or professional practice (practicum) before completing their research work. EMHS faculty advisors will assist students in designing a curriculum of study leading to the fulfillment of degree requirements. Additionally, the Program Director and the Graduate College will monitor the students' progress. Ultimately, it remains the students' responsibility to understand and to satisfy all degree requirements.
Students who complete the program will demonstrate:
Specialized Knowledge
Emergency Management Framework/Principles/Body of Knowledge
- Apply appropriate theories, concepts, policies, and emergency management measures to multiple emergency and disaster context.
- Summarize and apply the idea of extremism and the role it plays.
- Identify a research topic area and develop a feasible research question.
- Develop an empirically based introduction and literature review in support of selected research topic and question.
- Apply theoretical knowledge of social science methodology to conduct scientific research with practical application in the field.
- Apply the systematic process of scientific data collection and analysis to a personal research project supported by the EMHS body of knowledge.
Disaster and Homeland Security Risk Management
- Examine the future challenges and opportunities pertaining to the emergency management field.
- Effectively define terrorism
- Apply the systematic process of scientific research to a personal research project.
- Explain clearly the interactions of political, economic, social, built and physical environmental systems as disaster risk triggers; apply risk management principles to a specific situation; and assessing shifts in risk due to changing vulnerability utilizing a risk management framework.
- Apply the systematic process of scientific information collection and analysis to a personal research project to meet a need within the practical field and supported by the EMHS body of knowledge.
- Apply the systematic process of scientific data collection and analysis to a personal research project supported by the EMHS body of knowledge.
Broad and Integrative Knowledge
Scientific Literacy
- Apply the systematic process of scientific research to a personal research project.
- Evaluate how information technologies may be effectively applied in all phases of emergency management.
- Synthesize research and theoretical literature related to an EM topic to produce a new body of knowledge.
- Analyze needs of practical environment and develop a product to address an identified need using appropriate techniques supported by the EMHS body of knowledge.
- Collect and analyze data using appropriate software and techniques supported by the EMHS body of knowledge.
Geographic Literacy
- Have a working knowledge of terrorism and its history.
- Apply systematic and spatial reasoning to a community risk reduction problem.
- Develop in-depth understanding of fundamental geospatial concepts, including geospatial data collection, mapping, and spatial analysis.
- Evaluate the value of their project and the resulting product and identify the communities and geographical regions to which their findings apply.
- Evaluate the value of their study and identify the communities and geographical regions to which their findings apply.
Sociocultural Literacy
- Apply appropriate theories, concepts, policies, and emergency management measures to multiple emergency and disaster context.
- Distinguish among the many organizations and communities involved in the multiple aspects of emergency management.
- Explain how political and legal processes can impact disaster preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery.
- Demonstrate fairness and respect toward people with different customs, backgrounds, and beliefs within the community.
- Evaluate the value of their project and the resulting product and identify the communities and geographical regions to which their findings apply.
- Evaluate the quality and meaning of their study. Demonstrate the place within EMHS systems in which their research impacts.
Technological Literacy
- Apply Geographic Information Systems to hazard processes and risk assessment.
Intellectual Skills
Critical Thinking
- Differentiate effective emergency management leadership within daily operations from leadership in a complex crisis.
- Analyze and evaluate quality peer-reviewed research articles. Differentiate scientific research from other forms of publications.
- Develop and complete a research project related to hazard analysis using geospatial technology beginning with problem identification and concluding with results documentation and presentation.
- Apply scientific skills and methods of social science research, including the gathering, analysis, interpreting, and updating the data; and articulate policy implications from the data.
- Evaluate the quality and implementation of their developed product. Apply these finding within the EMHS framework and body of knowledge.
- Evaluate the quality and meaning provided by the data analysis. Apply these findings within the EMHS framework and body of knowledge.
Professional Ethics
- Examine the social and ethical responsibilities of leadership in EMHS.
- Be able to interpret the governmental homeland security.
- Apply research ethics to research process and the use of human subjects.
- Differentiate various ethical and legal principles and theories.
- Introduce ethical and legal considerations into a stakeholder discussion.
- Demonstrate professional ethics by conducting an inquiry in a professional manner by following APA guidelines.
- Apply research ethics to research process and the use of human subjects.
Applied & Collaborative Learning
Systems Literacy
- Articulate the opportunities and challenges of EMHS leadership in an interconnected and interdependent world.
- Differentiate and interpret emergency management policies, the types of hazards that threaten the United States, and the measures to mitigate, prepare, respond, and recover from such hazards.
- Effectively apply knowledge to border security, immigration and customs enforcement.
- Evaluate the quality and meaning of their project and product. Demonstrate the place within EMHS systems in which their product impacts.
- Evaluate and recommend future research and practical applications at the final stage of their thesis study.
Leadership
- Compare and contrast leadership and management characteristics.
- Differentiate effective emergency management leadership within daily operations from leadership in a complex crisis.
- Apply appropriate theories, concepts, policies, and emergency management measures to multiple emergency and disaster context.
- Demonstrate respect for diversity of thought.
Civic & Global Learning
Continual Learning
- Generate strategic ideas to promote organizational learning as applied to EMHS policies and operations.
- Analyze and evaluate quality peer-reviewed research articles. Differentiate scientific research from other forms of publications.
- Demonstrate graduate collegiate writing skills and apply APA 7 formatting to all written work with appropriate in-text citations, empirical support, and no plagiarism.
- Conduct a collaborative inquiry in a group project;
- Review and assess research journal articles to ascertain support for research finding and what that means for decision making in practice.
- Evaluate and recommend future research and practical applications as the final stage of their practical project.
- Demonstrate graduate collegiate writing skills to support dissemination of findings to the EMHS academic and practitioner communities. Apply APA 7 formatting to all written work with appropriate in-text citations, empirical support, and no plagiarism.
Community Engagement
- Distinguish among the many organizations and communities involved in the multiple aspects of emergency management.
- Maintain communication and engagement with existing community stakeholders.
- Demonstrate graduate collegiate writing skills to support dissemination of findings to the EMHS academic and practitioner communities. Apply APA 7 formatting to all written work with appropriate in-text citations, empirical support, and no plagiarism.
Governance and Civics
- Be able to interpret the governmental homeland security.
- Maintain communication and engagement with existing community stakeholders.
- Simulate bringing a wide range of stakeholders together to address a disaster risk issue.