Bachelor of Science Degree in Emergency Management Online
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Program at a Glance
- Gain the skills to help your career while fulfilling a critical role in your community.
- Learn how to address the challenges in today’s emergency management landscape, including disaster planning, disaster response, technology, human resource management, and fiscal responsibility.
- Prepare for leadership roles in emergency preparedness, disaster planning, and disaster response.
- Develop the practical skills and knowledge base to effectively assist communities in times of crisis.
- Explore the occupational and life safety challenges facing the emergency management profession.
- Shorten your path to a master’s degree with the accelerated bachelor’s-to-master’s option.
Upcoming Start Dates
We offer multiple start dates to give you flexibility in your education, life, and work schedules.
Course Effort
15–18 Hours per Week
Course Length
10-Week Terms
Average Completion
4 years
Of Full-Time Study
Credits Required
180
(120 Semester Credits)
Cost per Credit
$371
Bachelor of Science in Emergency Management Overview
Be the one who communities count on in times of crisis. With a bachelor’s degree in emergency management, you’ll be prepared to enhance public safety, manage important resources, and guide communities on the path to recovery. The program also develops your leadership potential. You’ll learn to take on new challenges regarding technology, fiscal responsibility, and human resources.
Program Outcomes
The online emergency management degree program enhances your ability to:
- Evaluate the ethical, social, civic, cultural, and political issues that directly affect emergency management and disaster planning services.
- Analyze the distinct characteristics of global emergency management and disaster planning.
- Develop a comprehensive understanding of operational, strategic, and tactical emergency management decisions and disaster management planning.
- Examine the psychological effects of emergency management.
- Use analytical tools to evaluate research about emergency management and disaster planning.
- Explore how technology informs operational, strategic, and tactical decision-making.
Accelerated Master’s Degree Options
Complete both your bachelor’s and master’s degrees in less time and at a lower cost than completing both programs separately. While you earn your bachelor's degree in emergency management, you can work toward a Purdue Global master’s degree in one of the following areas:
- Criminal justice
- Education
- Educational psychology
- Higher education
- Homeland security and emergency management
- Human services
- Instructional design and technology
- Legal studies
- Public administration
- Psychology
See the University Catalog for policy and degree plan information specific to this program. For accelerated master's degree option details and eligibility requirements, speak to an Advisor.
Military Transfer Credit
Servicemembers and veterans can earn a degree faster with our PME2Degree® program. Use our Military Transfer Credit Estimator to see how much of your training counts as credit.
How Many Credits Have You Earned?
Business Foundations Concentration
Personalize your education with the business foundations concentration and gain competencies in the fundamental concepts of business administration. Your courses will help you understand the four functions of management, the components of a marketing strategy, and the financial performance of an organization.
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.
Admissions Requirements
You must be a high school graduate or possess a General Educational Development (GED) certificate or other equivalency diploma. You are also encouraged to complete orientation before you start classes. Refer to the University Catalog or speak to an Advisor to learn more.
Ways to Save
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Transfer Credits
Earn credit for prior coursework completed at eligible institutions, including community colleges.
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Prior Work Experience
You could earn undergraduate credit for your life and professional career experiences.
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Financial Aid
Title IV federal financial aid is available for many of our degree programs.
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Grants
Learn about federal financial grants and loan programs that may be available.
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Corporate Partner Benefits
Employees of Purdue Global partner organizations may be eligible for special tuition reductions.
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Military Tuition Reduction
55% reduction per credit for current servicemembers, 38% per credit for veterans for undergraduate programs.
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Prior Military Experience
We offer credit for ACE-evaluated training and CLEP and DANTES examinations.
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International Tuition Reduction
International students living outside of the United States are eligible for a 25% tuition reduction.
Program Cost Estimator
Calculate your estimated tuition and ways to save.
What Courses Will I Take?
The online emergency management degree program builds your skills and increases your knowledge in the stages of the emergency management life cycle, including mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.
You’ll analyze the many influences on the profession and practice, including social, behavioral, ethical, and cultural topics. The bachelor’s in emergency management also equips you with the leadership and technical skills to help you adapt to future challenges.
See All Emergency Management CoursesSample Courses
- Preparedness and Planning for Emergency Management
- Emergency Management Exercise Design and Evaluation
- Mitigation and Risk Assessment in Emergency Management
- Disaster Policy in Emergency Management
- Strategies for Intergovernmental Effectiveness in Emergency Management
Concentration in Business Foundations
Build competencies in the fundamental concepts of business administration with a concentration that aligns with your career advancement. Develop an understanding of management, marketing strategy, and financial performance.
Program Requirements
- Core Credits45
- Major Credits90
- Elective Credits45
- Total Credits180
Concentration Requirements
- Core Credits45
- Major Credits90
- Elective Credits25
- Concentration Credits20
- Total Credits180
Choosing an Emergency Management Bachelor's Degree
Accelerate your career and find purpose in a rewarding field. Learn the skills you need to save lives and manage emergency services.
Visualize the road to a fire and emergency management career. See how a few small steps could help you stand out and get hired.
In emergency services, you never stop learning. Discover additional tools for continued training and build a more in-depth understanding of the field.
Career Opportunities
Overall employment for emergency management directors is projected to grow through 2031, with approximately 900 job openings expected per year on average.* With an emergency management bachelor’s degree, you gain the foundation to advance your career at various levels, from emergency management coordinator and emergency planner to emergency management director, public safety director, and more.
Top 5 Skills Employers Are Looking for:
- Complex Problem Solving
- Judgment and Decision-Making
- Service Orientation
- Speaking
- Active Listening
Top Jobs With This Degree
Labor market, salary, and projected growth information are supplied by Emsi. Average salary range is based on national data. Projected growth represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2018–2030) at the state level and is based on your geographic location. Actual outcomes vary by geographic area, previous work experience, and opportunities for employment. Purdue Global cannot guarantee employment placement, salary level, or career advancement. Additional academy training and education may be required for firefighting or emergency management jobs.
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.
View Criminal Justice and Fire Science Faculty Directory
98%
Faculty members who have advanced degrees
51%
Faculty members who hold a doctorate
395
Faculty publications in 2021–2022
More Than 38,000
Professional development hours logged by faculty in 2021–2022
Statistics include all Purdue Global faculty members and are not school or program-specific calculations. Source: Purdue Global Office of Reporting and Analysis, July 2022. 2021–2022 academic year.
Program Brochure
Download our brochure to learn more about the Bachelor of Science in Emergency Management and the benefits of earning your degree at Purdue Global.
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That’s the Purdue Global Commitment.
NOTES AND CONDITIONS
*Job Growth Projections: Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Emergency Management Directors, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/emergency-management-directors.htm. National long-term projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions, and do not guarantee actual job growth.