Bachelor of Science in Emergency Management and Homeland Security

What will I learn?

The Emergency Management and Homeland Security (EMHS) online degree program equips you to prepare for, manage and respond to major disasters and emergencies, including natural catastrophes, hazardous materials leaks, terrorism, cyber warfare, and more.

The curriculum covers a range of subjects, including:

• Leadership and project management;
• Threat assessment;
• Disaster vulnerability, research and planning, phases and behavior, and response and recovery;
• Terrorism;
• Hazard science and management; and
• Cyber disaster management.

Why Akron?

Our program was the first of its kind to be accredited, and the third of its kind to be established, in the world. It remains the only accredited EMHS bachelor’s program among public universities in Ohio.

The program was developed in 1998, in response to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) call for universities to implement emergency management education. For the past two decades, our faculty members have worked with FEMA — and, since 2002, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) — to set national educational standards, conduct research, and develop training courses for FEMA/DHS.

Moreover, our faculty have been nationally recognized, not only in EMHS, but also in cybersecurity and digital forensics, international disaster management, weapons of mass destruction and hazardous materials management, climatology and hazard science, and crisis and disaster leadership.

The University of Akron has been developing online courses for over a decade based on rigorous, research-based standards for quality online learning.

UAkron Online uses the nationally recognized Quality Matters rubric to ensure that our students experience online courses that are aligned to objectives, promote learner engagement, and utilize the right tools to create a robust learning environment. QM Standards have been thoroughly integrated into our course development process, from our technical workshops to our pedagogical seminars. Within the State of Ohio, UA has been a leader with more than 40 online courses receiving national recognition for meeting quality standards. We continue our commitment to creating excellent online courses and programs for our students.