Those with emergency management degrees in Louisiana swing into action when major disasters strike. They are the men and women coordinating for supplies, ensuring that people safely evacuate from different cities and that problems and issues do as little damage as possible. While some think these workers only spring into action during an emergency, they actually work all year long. They identify signs of potential problems, run training exercises and look out for the welfare of people living in the state. If you love research, technology and working with others, a career in the emergency management field might be the right fit for you.
Northwestern State University
Department of Criminal Justice, History and Social Sciences
Established in 1884, Northwestern State University of Louisiana opened with classes meeting in one single building. Originally used as a large private home and later a convent, the building provided enough space for the few students attending classes there. The college is one of the few in the state capable of granting Associate, Bachelor and Master level degrees, and many students enroll in an Associate program and transfer to a Bachelor program after earning enough credits. The Department of Criminal Justice, History and Social Sciences offers degrees in emergency management, psychology, sociology, history, criminal justice and other related fields.
Master of Science in Homeland Security
Northwestern State University of Louisiana offers a Master of Science in Homeland Security degree. Though it isn’t a specialized emergency management degree program, it does provide students with the skills that those managers need. A large number of students later work for the Department of Homeland Security and other government agencies. Students learn how to identify potential terrorist threats, what to do during emergency situations, the legal implications of working with homeland security and how potential threats can affect the nation at large. Students can enroll in the thesis or non-thesis program. The non-thesis program lets students earn a degree without completing a degree, but those students need to take more courses. Thesis students take fewer courses and end the program with a large paper or project that they research and create while attending classes. Courses in this program include domestic terrorism prevention and analysis, managing chaotic organizations and constitutional issues and global security.
Accreditation
Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Contact
100 South Hall
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6967
crim_justice@nsula.edu
Website
Tulane University’s Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy
School of Social Work
The Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy opened as a branch of Tulane University as a way to prevent future problems from affecting New Orleans and the state at large. Students enrolled in the academy spend a large amount of time looking at potential problems and identifying how those problems might affect the city and state. Best known for the work its students and faculty members did after Hurricane Katrina, the academy is unique in that it looks at problems from a local perspective rather than a global perspective. Though students have the option of taking courses on national and global problems, many courses focus on local issues.
Master of Science in Disaster Resilience Masters
The Master of Science in Disaster Resilience Leadership is a joint program through the Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy and the School of Social Work at Tulane. It is a 36 credit hour program that students can complete in two years, but the academy also offers an accelerated program that lets students earn a degree in three semesters or one year. Students must take 18 credit hours of work in specific courses: psychosocial and behavioral leadership sciences, disaster operations leadership management and policy, leadership analysis, environmental hazards sciences, research methods and quantitative analysis. Students fill out the remaining credit hours with electives that include environment and development, stress and trauma, crisis and emergency communications and special needs in disaster response. The academy also lets students earn credits with courses that they take while studying abroad in Rome. Those courses look at how to provide support in humanitarian relief programs.
Accreditation
Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Contact
1555 Poydras St., 7th Floor, Suite 716
New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 314-7057
Website
Tulane University School of Continuing Studies
School of Continuing Studies
The School of Continuing Studies at Tulane started as a teaching college when it opened in 1886. Designed for students hoping to work as teachers in the state, the college later changed its course catalog to reflect the changing needs of its students body. Approximately 70 percent of students enrolled in the college come from New Orleans, but the school also boasts a large population of students from other cities across the state and some neighboring states. Students fresh out of high school take courses through the school, but the School of Continuing Studies also offers opportunities for older students.
Bachelor of Arts in Homeland Security Studies
Earning your Bachelor of Arts in Homeland Security Studies through the Tulane University School of Continuing Studies lets you work for the Department of Homeland Security or in emergency management positions after graduation. This 120 credit hour long program requires the completion of at least 55 credit hours in general education courses. You must take one math course, two foreign language courses and one composition course. The program also asks that you take 12 credit hours of humanities courses, science courses and social science courses, one speech class and a writing course. Students will also take seven required courses that include homeland security, medical issues in emergency management, domestic and international terrorism, emergency management, intelligence research, method and analysis, critical infrastructure protection and transportation and border security. Courses in applied computing, history, politics and law will also count towards your requirements, and you’ll have the chance to take a few electives.
Master of Professional Studies in Homeland Security
Designed for professional students and those with an undergraduate degree, the Master of Professional Studies in Homeland Security offers an in-depth look at emergency management. This 30 credit hour long program asks that students take four core classes and six upper level courses to graduate. Those upper level courses can include classes on homeland security and emergency management, but you can also take classes from other graduate departments at the university. The core classes include health and medical issues in emergency management, intelligence analysis and critical thinking, homeland security and approaches to counter-terrorism and maritime and border security. While you will have some flexibility with your other courses, some of the more popular classes include cyber threats and homeland security, crisis and emergency communication, public health law and ethnic conflict. The program teaches students how to look at issues from a social, political, historical and environmental viewpoint.
Accreditation
Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Contact
6823 St. Charles Ave.
New Orleans, LA 70118
(504) 865-555
askscs@tulane.edu
Website
University of Phoenix-Louisiana Campus
The University of Phoenix is one of the largest schools of its type in the country. Though it once only had one campus in Phoenix, it later opened campuses in other parts of the southwest before expanding across the nation. Classes typically meet in office complexes, business parks and other locations that the school rents in various cities, and it also offers nearly all of its programs online too. The founded of the university established the school for older students, busy working professionals and adults, but it now welcomes a wide range of students of all ages and backgrounds.
Bachelor of Science in Organizational Security & Management
The University of Phoenix understands that students often lead busy lives, which can make attending traditional courses difficult. The Bachelor of Science in Organizational Security and Management lets students living in Louisiana complete the program online, take classes on campus or use a combination of both online and traditional learning. Courses in the program include survey of security specializations, introduction to organizational security and management, fundamentals of human resource management, legal and regulatory issues in security management and principles of investigation. The last step you take before earning your degree is the completion of the capstone course. This course asks students to create an in-depth organizational security plan. You can pick a certain field, identify the potential weaknesses in that field and create a plan to keep that field safe. Many graduates work for government agencies and for private companies that need help with potential security threats and other criminal issues.
Master of Science/Administration of Justice and Security
In addition to a Bachelor degree, the University of Phoenix offers a Master of Science/Administration of Justice and Security. Students develop management and leadership skills that will prepare them for leading large groups and assisting those in need. This in-depth program requires that students complete 37 credit hours or more of both foundation courses and specialized courses. All students take introduction to graduate study in criminal justice and security before beginning the program, and this course offers a broad overview of the theories and facts behind the criminal justice field. If you have an undergraduate degree, you might have the opportunity to skip this course. Some of the other courses available in the program include ethics in justice and security, public policy issues, forensic science and psychological profiling and program development and evaluation. Though this is a non-thesis program, students will learn more about how to research, write and discuss criminal justice and security topics.
Accreditation
Higher Learning Commission
Contact
1 Galleria Dr.
Metairie, LA 70001
(504) 613-1500
Website
Louisiana experienced millions of dollars worth of damage after Hurricane Katrina, and many emergency responders stayed behind while others fled the city. They kept citizens updated and informed, tried to stabilize buildings and reduced the amount of destruction to the coast. Those working to avert disasters often earned emergency management degrees in Louisiana.
For more information on Emergency Management degrees, please see Top 10 Best Online Emergency Management Degree Programs.