Becoming an Emergency Manager at Anderson
Anderson University appears in our ranking of the Top 10 Emergency Management Bachelor’s Degrees Online.
Founded in 2005, the School of Public Service & Administration grants a Bachelor of Emergency Management Services for Anderson University Trojans to gather foundational knowledge about crisis response and prevention to minimize loss of life. Chaired by Dr. Damon Camp, the 123-credit, IAEM-approved program ranked 15th by BestColleges.com splits into two specializations: Homeland Security Operations and Whole Community Emergency Management. Cohorts of 15-20 enter traditional or online Canvas courses like Strategic Planning, Security Intelligence, and Natural Hazards with journey coaches.
An accelerated 64-credit track is available exclusively online for 2+2 associate graduates to finish in 18 months. Upperclassmen must complete 200-hour field internships, such as the American Red Cross, FBI, State of South Carolina, National Hurricane Center, Greenville Health, or Bosch Global.
About Anderson University
Anderson University originated in 1848 when Daniel Brown, J.P. Reed, and Stephen McCulley banded together to open Johnson Female Seminary at a 32-acre site for $100,000. In 1857, it was renamed Johnson University with over 600 students taking Classics courses. In 1861, it became a Confederate treasury as the Civil War broke out. Briefly used by Patrick Military Institute during the early 1900s, it was repurposed into Anderson College in 1910. On February 14, 1911, the South Carolina Legislature formally chartered it for bachelor’s education. In 1928, Dr. Annie Dove Denmark became the state’s first female president and made Anderson coeducational. Accredited in 1959, Anderson entered a covenant with the South Carolina Baptist Convention in 1960. Four decades later, Anderson achieved university status in 2006 for master’s degrees. In 2016, AU proudly opened the 90,000-square-foot G. Ross Anderson Jr. Center.
Endowed for $44.7 million, Anderson University now employs 201 faculty teaching 3,431 Trojans from 34 states at a 17:1 ratio online and face-to-face in South Carolina’s Upstate Region with 70+ clubs like the Public Safety Alliance. In 2018, Anderson won the NRCCUA Eduventures Research Innovation Award. In 2015, AU was bestowed the Apple Distinguished School Award for its Mobile Learning Initiative. The U.S. News & World Report ranked Anderson the 65th best Southern college and 16th most innovative school with the 22nd best undergrad teaching. On Niche, AU boasts America’s 185th best education, 311st hardest admission, and 351st best housing. College Factual placed its Bachelor of Emergency Management Services 45th nationally. WalletHub honored Anderson University for the 197th safest campus and 89th best faculty. Washington Monthly declared AU the 169th best baccalaureate institution.
Anderson University Accreditation Details
On December 9, 2018, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) Board of Trustees voted to reaffirm Anderson University without sanctions for Level V accreditation valid through 2027-28 under its 12th president, Dr. Evans P. Whitaker, who earned two Council for Advancement and Support of Education Awards. Located 119 miles down Interstate 85 in Decatur, Georgia, this large 11-state Lower Atlantic Region accreditor is authorized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) to evaluate AU’s 78 degrees. Further, Anderson was accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) on October 1, 2007. The Bachelor of Emergency Management Services was among the first approved by the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) too.
Anderson University Application Requirements
Getting admitted to Anderson University is considered “minimally difficult” by Peterson’s though only 1,836 of the 2,322 Fall 2017 applicants were successful for 79 percent acceptance. First-year Trojans seeking the Bachelor of Emergency Management Services must be high school, homeschool, or GED graduates. The SC Board of Education requires 24 academic units, including four English and four Math, during grades 9-12. Freshmen need a minimum 3.0 GPA, though the average is 3.56. The middle 50th percentile land between 1120 and 1300 on the SAT exam. Mid-range ACT composite scores are 21-26. Honors Program entrants must exceed the 1200 SAT and 27 ACT mark. Online School of Public Service & Administration students are test-exempt with 24+ transfer credits and GPAs above 2.0. Foreign learners from non-English countries must present a 550 paper, 250 computer, or 75 internet TOEFL score.
Anderson University conveniently has rolling admission to enter the School of Public Service & Administration anytime. Priority dates are currently July 1st for Fall and December 1st for Spring starts. Bachelor of Emergency Management Services majors should apply by March 1st for financial aid consideration. Accordingly, log into the AU Application online and submit the $40 non-refundable fee or a waiver. Official academic transcripts are forwarded to 316 Boulevard in Anderson, SC 29621. Detailed testing reports are sent electronically with ACT code 3832 or SAT/TOEFL code 5008. Recommended add-ons include the one-page personal essay, letter of recommendation, résumé of work and extracurricular activities, interview, and disability accommodation form. Learn more by contacting (864) 231-000 or admission@andersonuniversity.edu.
Tuition and Financial Aid
For 2019-20, Anderson University is charging full-time traditional undergrads $13,065 each term or $26,130 annually. Bachelor’s students pay the $2,350 service fee, $500 technology fee, $50 government fee, and $200 wellness fee. Residing at the Upstate campus’ 21 dorms like Gaston Hall adds $5,300 to $7,200 for yearly housing. Meal plans for Ross Anderson Dining Commons are $3,120 to $5,090 extra. AU budgets $2,000 for textbooks and $3,280 for miscellaneous. Annual undergrad attendance equals $43,110 on-site and $34,410 if commuting. Online Bachelor of Emergency Management Services tuition bills $480 per credit though. Note each online course requires a $10 distance learning fee. The four-year Online BEMS total is $59,040.
According to the NCES College Navigator, the Financial Services Office at Johnston Hall gets 91 percent of full-time AU Trojans galloping with median tuition aid of $16,123 each for $40.03 million combined. Institutional funds include the Denmark Scholarship, Gold Grant, Palmetto Boys State Scholarship, Ministry Vocational Scholarship, Out-of-State Grant, Provost’s Scholarship, Founder’s Scholarship, International Grant, and Athletic Scholarship. The Anderson Fellows Program gifts $38,000 annually to outstanding freshmen meeting the 27 ACT or 1200 SAT minimum. The $13,000 President’s Scholarship selects undergrads holding high school GPAs of 3.5 and higher. Federal Pell, SEOG, or Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants are pursued with FAFSA forms coded 003418. Bachelor of Emergency Management Services majors can utilize the Work-Study Program for $2,000 each year. South Carolina residents also qualify for the Hope Scholarship, Life Scholarship, Need-Based Grant, Palmetto Fellowship, National Guard College Assistance, and more.
Keep exploring Anderson University at the School of Public Service & Administration website.