Online Master's Degree in Homeland Security and Emergency Management
Additional academy training and education not provided by Purdue Global may be required for law enforcement positions.
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Master’s in Homeland Security and Emergency Management Overview
Are you driven to protect the public and lead others to do the same? It’s time to make a big move. Earn your master’s degree and advance your career in a challenging and dynamic field.
- Enjoy hands-on, project-oriented, and problem-based courses that explore real challenges and issues from a variety of perspectives.
- Gain insights from professors with the real-world experience to know what it takes to advance in the field.
- Learn how federal and private institutions find sustainable security and emergency management solutions on a local, regional, national, and global level.
- Examine the interrelationships of public and private sector businesses and industries, economics, policy, politics, culture, ideology, psychology, and human dynamics.
Real, Proven Student Outcomes
Earn a degree you can be proud of — and that employers will respect. Each term, we assess homeland security and emergency management students on their mastery of the course outcomes, which measure the skills, knowledge, abilities, and behaviors employers expect. View a summary of these assessments.
To review prior learning credits, student success rates, student survey results, and the number of graduates for the program, view this document.
IFSAC Accredited
This degree program is accredited by the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC).
Purdue Global Is Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission
The HLC (HLCommission.org) is an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Networking and Connections
Join a community of support. Engage with criminal justice professionals from around the country and learn from their diverse experiences. You can also take advantage of the Graduate Resource Center for professional memberships and clubs, career services, leadership opportunities, and more.
See Notes and Conditions below for important information.
Calculate Your Time and Cost
Estimate how much your prior learning credits can reduce your tuition and time to graduation.
What Courses Will I Take?
The Purdue Global Master of Science in Homeland Security and Emergency Management curriculum focuses on the legal, social, business, economic, and political aspects of the industry.
You'll gain insight from professors who bring real-world experience to the courses they teach.
Sample Courses
- Applied Research
- Crisis and Emergency Management Fundamentals
- Homeland Security Policies, Principles, Procedures, and Plans
- Planning and Operations in Crisis and Emergency Management
Program Requirements
1 semester credit hour = 1.5 quarter credit hours
Upcoming Start Dates
We offer multiple start dates to give you flexibility in your education, life, and work schedules.
Ways to Save on Time and Tuition
Purdue Global works with students to find ways to reduce costs and make education more accessible. Contact us to learn about opportunities to save on your educational costs.
Transfer Credits
Earn credit for prior coursework completed at eligible institutions.
Financial Aid
Learn about federal financial aid programs available for many of our degree programs.
Grants and Loans
Learn about federal and state grants and loan programs that may be available.
Corporate Partner Benefits
Employees of Purdue Global partner organizations may be eligible for special tuition reductions.
Military Tuition Reduction
Graduate tuition savings for military include a 17–30% reduction per credit for current servicemembers and 14% per credit for veterans for graduate programs.
Prior Military Experience
Earn credit for your military training. We offer credit for ACE-evaluated training and CLEP and DANTES examinations.
View the total cost of attendance for your program.
Possible Behavioral Interview Questions for This Field of Study
- Describe a time when you needed to communicate critical information quickly and clearly. What steps did you take to ensure your message was received and understood accurately?
- Describe a time you were responsible for developing or significantly updating an emergency plan. What was your process, what challenges did you face, and how did you ensure it was comprehensive and actionable?
- Tell me about a time you had to coordinate efforts between multiple agencies or departments (e.g., fire, police, public works, health) during an incident or exercise. What strategies did you use to ensure effective collaboration?
- Tell me about a situation where you had to work with someone on a team who had a very different working style or personality than yours. How did you adapt to ensure effective teamwork?
- Describe a time you encountered an unexpected obstacle or a problem that required you to think quickly and adapt your plan. What was the situation, and what did you do?
Sample Skills Developed and Used in This Field
- Management
- Operations
- Leadership
- Communication
- Emergency Management
- Coordinating
- Law Enforcement
- Writing
- Preparedness
- Investigation
- Incident Command Systems
- Emergency Departments
- Strategic Planning
- Resource Allocation
- Crisis Management
Take a Career Assessment
Discover your work interests and use them to chart your ideal career path.
Program Brochure
Download our brochure to learn more about the Master of Science in Homeland Security and Emergency Management and the benefits of earning your degree at Purdue Global.
Get to Know Our Faculty
Purdue Global faculty members are real-world practitioners who bring knowledge gained through the powerful combination of higher learning and industry experience.
Faculty members who have advanced degrees
Faculty members who have terminal degrees
Faculty publications in 2024–2025
Professional development hours logged by faculty in 2024–2025
Statistics include all Purdue Global faculty members and are not school- or program-specific calculations. Source: Purdue Global Office of Reporting and Analysis, August 2025. 2024–2025 academic year.