15 Best Master’s in Emergency Management Online

Known for its inviting campus and fueled by a positive and thriving student life, Jacksonville State University offers a comprehensive Master of Science in Emergency Management program online. Its online curriculum covers analytical and management skills. These include topics from hazard assessment to developing skills in crisis management. 

JSU’s online Master of Science in Emergency Management program requires students to complete a grand total of 30 credit hours. Twenty-one of these credit hours are dedicated to mandatory curriculum, while the remaining nine hours are made up of emergency management electives. Their electives list is extensive and impressive, ranging from Exercise Design & Evaluation to Terrorism & Homeland Security.

JSU claims no difference between the quality of its in-person classes and its online programs. Unlike many online university programs, JSU requires no on-campus sessions to successfully complete its Master of Science in Emergency Management online program. It caters to the various needs of distance learners all over the nation.

Named by BestColleges.com as one of the highest national rankings of Best Online Master’s in Emergency Management Programs in 2017, Millersville University of Pennsylvania offers a master’s program completely online. The school claims a completion time of two calendar years for full-time students. However, its flexible platform allows for varied completion rates. 

MUP’s Emergency Management program is offered year-round to further acquiesce to the lives and needs of distance learners. The school’s program requires completion of 30 credit hours for graduation. Its final practicum course involves students implementing what they have learned in a real-world organization or job site. They work to improve the current criteria of the organization or volunteer on-site. 

Alternatively, students may complete the program by developing and defending a thesis involving research and real-world evidence and experience. MUP’s Emergency Management online program comprehensively covers the topics of the field, from minute and civilian-related information to broad concepts and protocols. Some of these topics include mental health and trauma, crisis communication, and emergency preparedness. 

Eastern Kentucky University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, guaranteeing education of the highest quality. Its Master of Science in Safety, Security, and Emergency Management online program ensures the correlation of real-world applications and knowledge to online learning structures. 

EKU’s Master of Science in Safety, Security, and Emergency Management online program boasts a curriculum held completely online, with no on-campus commitment required. Students, with diligence and full-time dedication to their schoolwork, can complete the program in two years. With certain training and/or courses, students may qualify for up to six hours of credit toward their degree. 

This program offers opportunities for job openings and doorways to internships in the field. Chad Clark, EKU graduate and Safety Associate for Georgia-Pacific, said “Graduates of EKU come straight out of school and are landing some great jobs. The best part is [that] companies are coming to EKU to recruit students directly.” 

Offering an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the field, Lander University’s online Master of Science in Emergency Management program trains students in the topics of both man-made and natural disasters alike. Its curriculum is comprehensive and thorough in all aspects of emergency management, including the nitty-gritty of business, insurance policies, and finance. 

LU promises its prospective students a speedy program completion of two years. Students may take two courses per term, with a total of six terms. These include summer classes. LU’s Master of Science in Emergency Management program totals at 31 credit hours, with six core courses, four elective courses, and one capstone course. 

Students attending LU’s MS in Emergency Management program have the option to transfer up to nine approved credits from a different institution. LU also promises each student personal assistance with the admission process, a quality not all universities can claim. Instructors of this program are experienced in the emergency management field, giving students access to professional guidance and tutoring. 

Adelphi University promises its prospective students a modern and high-quality curriculum with its Master’s of Science in Emergency Management online program. It offers military personnel an especially flexible schedule, allowing them to continue their duties while they advance their education. Upon completing the first six courses of the program, students receive a Graduate Certification in Emergency Management as an added credential. 

AU’s Master’s of Science in Emergency Management program focuses on modern and relevant topics in the field. Some of these include current technology used in response to a crisis, collaboration and communication skills, and military and public service. The program focuses on building leadership skills for professional individuals working in the field and looking to advance their knowledge and career.

AU does not require any on-campus instructional sessions to graduate from this program. The professors guiding students through the course are leaders themselves in the profession and have experience in facing and recovering from disasters such as health epidemics, natural disasters, terrorist attacks, and more. 

Promising graduates with both theoretical and practical skills and knowledge in emergency management, Virginia Commonwealth University offers an online Master of Arts in Homeland Security program. Its curriculum requires a combination of on-campus sessions as well as off-campus sessions. Students must complete a minimum of 36 credit hours to graduate from the program. 

Based in VCU’s L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, the Master of Arts in Homeland Security online program focuses on domestic and international security policies and natural disaster protocols. The program instills knowledge of emergency preparedness and skills concerning the improvement of emergency response policies put into place. 

Graduates of VCU’s online emergency management program will advance in their careers with the ability to analyze emergency policies, develop advanced skills in written and oral presentation, and perform risk assessment on policies to draw methodological and practical conclusions. Graduates will find opportunities in both the public and private sectors. 

With a curriculum aligned with Federal Emergency Management Agency standards, the University of New Haven offers a Master of Science in Emergency Management program held completely online. There are no on-campus requirements. Further catering to the needs of even the busiest of distance learners enrolled in the program, students are allowed to take only one course at a time per term. 

Each course in UNH’s Master of Science in Emergency Management program takes six to seven and a half weeks to complete. Students must complete a total of 36 credit hours to complete the program. While each credit costs $947, there is a course discount available for firefighters and police officers applying to the program. 

Students complete the program by designing their own Emergency Response Plans for organizations and government entities. The course educates students on the roles and responsibilities that emergency management positions demand. It focuses on disaster mitigation, response, recovery, and preparedness. It uses real-world research and applications to build emergency management professionals into leaders in their field. 

Located in the warm and bustling Phoenix, Grand Canyon University is a private Christian school. It offers a Master’s in Homeland Security and Emergency Management program that develops the leadership skills of each student. The program totals 34 required credit hours to graduate from the program. 

Students enrolled in GCU’s online Master’s in Homeland Security and Emergency Management program examine principles and policies of crisis response through the lens of a Christian worldview. Its program builds students’ self-evaluation skills for a highly personalized development of leadership abilities. GCU guarantees students confidence in their future professions as emergency planners, consultants, and leaders. 

This program focuses not only on students’ individual leadership skills but on collaborative and communicative skills as well. Students will positively influence others throughout the program and achieve common goals alongside their peers. With theories and practice in leadership, students will encourage growth and advancement and graduate as competent professionals in the emergency management field.

Ranking as the most affordable program on this list, Arkansas Tech University’s online Master of Science in Emergency Management and Homeland Security tuition costs $7,254 for in-state applicants and $12,678 for out-of-state applicants. The program requires students to complete 36 credit hours to graduate. 

Students looking to apply for ATU’s Master of Science in EMHS program have the option to take the course completely online or find a combination of on-campus and online coursework that works best for them. Of the 36 required credit hours, 18 are dedicated to core classes. Another nine are dedicated to electives that students choose based on the objectives of their careers and their personal interests. 

The remaining nine required credit hours are put towards either practicum courses or thesis courses. Students have the option of completing either an original thesis backed by research and evidence or a practicum research project based on hands-on experience. ATU’s Master of Science in EMHS covers a wide range of emergency management facets, from the fundamentals of homeland security to the foundations of leadership. 

Bellevue University’s online Master’s in Security Management program takes both a widely comprehensive and closely analytical approach to emergency management. The program totals 36 required hours for successful completion. It develops a sense of teamwork and creates a tight-knit community of peers through collaboration and communication throughout the course. 

Weighing in at $585 in tuition cost for each credit hour, this program is outfitted with classes designed to be taken in a specific order so as to create a strong and unwavering understanding of the field. Upon successful completion of the program, students will graduate with transferable credits that, should they wish to continue, will speed up any higher education. 

Distance learners in BU’s Master’s in Security Management program will study homeland defense and terrorism principles, cyber-security and information protection, vulnerability assessment, and analysis of security, among many other topics. Graduates will possess a high level of understanding in the field and will proceed with the knowledge and skills necessary to lead an organization in the preparedness and mitigation of a disaster. 

The senior college of the City University of New York, John Jay College of Criminal Justice is a school dedicated to all things related to security, public service, criminology, and justice. It comes in second on this list in terms of affordability. For its Master of Science in Emergency Management online program, the tuition rate for in-state students is $7,270 and $14,940 for those out-of-state. 

Students typically take two years to complete this program. The coursework is divided into three equal parts that may be taken in various sequences to best fit the life of the students. The first 12 of the 36 total credit hours are constituted of core classes that instruct students in emergency preparedness and response; the next 12 are required courses related to management and analytics. 

The final set of 12 credit hours go towards electives. Students must choose four out of over 15 elective options based on their personal interests and career plans. Some of these include the study of theory in creating fire safety systems, politics related to terrorism, technology implemented in emergency management, and many others. 

With a hefty 48 credit hours required to graduate from its program, Colorado Technical University’s Master of Science in Criminal Justice – Homeland Security online program instills knowledge of critical infrastructure, vulnerability assessments, government policy concerning homeland security, and more. Students will become familiar with lawful and societal policies concerning the field. 

CTU’s Master of Science in Criminal Justice – Homeland Security online program is divided into two parts. The first 28 credit hours are made up of coursework related to criminal justice and leadership and managerial skills, such as ethics in justice, managerial decision-making, and public policy. The remaining 20 credits are concentrated courses in homeland security. 

Throughout the course, learners will study the current structures of law and security and develop effective strategies to face real-world issues. Students exiting the program will have the skills relevant to the current demands of employers and those required for successfully leading an organization. 

Ranked by the U.S. News & World Report as No. 1 for emergency management graduate degrees, Arizona State University holds a highly respected online Master of Arts in Emergency Management and Homeland Security program. Its alumni have found employment in international government agencies, the Secret Service, and other positions of leadership. 

ASU’s Master of Arts in EMHS program is held completely online. With a total of 33 credit hours, the program requires students to take 11 classes. Each class takes seven and a half weeks to complete, for a sum of 82.5 weeks. Uniquely, with full-time dedication, students can complete the program in as little as one year. 

Students must choose from one of five sets of concentration courses. These are Biosecurity and Threat Management, Community Resilience, Emergency Management, Homeland Security, and Cybersecurity Policy and Management. Students also have opportunities to study abroad in the United Kingdom or Australia through ASU’s PLuS Alliance program. 

Southern New Hampshire University touts an online Master’s in Emergency Management program that caters to the busy lifestyles of distance learners. Its program is available at all hours of every day. It also offers access to a nationwide community of alumni to offer support and advice to all its students. 

SNHU’s Master’s in Emergency Management online program covers FEMA’s policies of crisis response, planning and preparedness, and recovery. Students will also explore crisis communication, risk assessments and policy evaluation, and leadership skills in the event of a disaster. SNHU offers military personnel on active duty and their spouses a tuition discount of 25%. 

The program requires students to complete 36 credit hours to graduate. Divided into two parts, 24 of these credits are spent studying core classes. The remaining 12 credit hours are put towards elective classes or concentration courses of the student’s choosing. With the skills acquired, graduates will have opportunities in emergency preparedness consulting, coordinating, managing, and communicating.