Studying Emergency Management at Lander University
Lander University appears on our list Online Emergency Management Degree Programs.
Lander University designed a Master of Science (MS) in Emergency Management program specifically to meet the needs of first responders. They can enroll part-time and take two classes during each term to graduate in two years. Full-time students can increase their course loads and earn their degrees in just one year. The university also allows students to take a single class or more courses during a specific semester to fit the time they have in their schedules. Students can also save time because the program does not require any on-campus work. All their emergency management classes are available on the web.
Students will take six classes that make up the emergency management core. Foundations in Emergency Management is the first class that most majors take followed by Preparedness and Mitigation. Response and Recovery is another required course that goes over what first responders do during an emergency situation. Other core courses in this emergency management program include Continuity of Government, Emergency Mental Health and Business and Economic Continuity. That last course looks at how areas can keep the local economy alive after an emergency.
Emergency management majors must also pick four electives to take from seven courses. A course called Hurricane and Weather looks at how weather conditions can cause disasters, while the Nuclear Incident Management class goes over what steps individuals and groups can take during a nuclear disaster. The university offers other electives that include Special Topics in Emergency Management, Technology for Emergency Management, Emergency Management Law and Communication Strategies for Emergency Management. Lander University requires that students take a capstone course during their final semesters for one credit. It gives students up to six years to fulfill all the degree requirements of the program.
About Lander University
Lander University is a small university in South Carolina that has a welcoming feel. Established as the Williamston Female College in 1872, it initially had a close relationship with the Methodist Church. Samuel Lander, the founder of the college, was a clergyman associated with that church. The South Carolina Conference of the Methodist Evangelical Church, South helped the college during its early years too. After moving to Greenwood, the college became Lander College to honor its founder but continued accepting only women. This didn’t change until 1942, which was when the college began accepting some men. Greenwood County acquired the campus after the conference ended its support and designated it a public college. This would coincide with the college accepting more men and its eventual new name of Lander University.
The Lander University campus in Greenwood sits on more than 120 acres and is close to the heart of the city. Wilson Hall is one of the oldest buildings on that campus and received a spot on the National Register of Historic Places in the 1980s. U.S. News and World Report ranks Lander as one of the 10 best colleges for veterans and one of the top 20 colleges in the south. Though Lander has a good reputation, it remains a small university with an enrollment of a few thousand students.
Lander University Accreditation Details
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a form that students need to fill out and submit to get financial aid. They can only get aid if the schools they attend have regional accreditation, which Lander does. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) reviewed the Lander policies and other information before granting it accreditation. A Lander review committee meets to discuss any potential issues and to ensure that it keeps that accreditation. Students in the nursing, theater, education, art and design programs will find accreditation that applies to those programs too.
Lander University Application Requirements
Graduate students applying to the Lander emergency management program can transfer up to nine credits and gain credit for their past professional and volunteer experiences. Students transferring to the university need to provide official transcripts that have the college’s name and the student’s name. Those transcripts should also include the full name of each class taken and the grade received. Those who worked for FEMA and other departments or organizations can get credit for the fieldwork they did. They can request more information before they apply or talk to the head of the department.
Some of the requirements the emergency management program has include a bachelor’s degree in a field related to the subject and a minimum grade point average of 3.0. Unless the student has several years of emergency management experience, the university will typically not accept those with a lower GPA. The university also asks for a cover letter and personal statement of one to two pages long that mentions any experiences in emergency management that the student has, his or her future goals and any current positions the student holds in this field. Students should also submit at least three letters of recommendation, and the university encourages students to provide at least one letter from an emergency management supervisor. The online accounts that students use to apply to the university also let them check on the status of their applications and view their acceptance letters.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Lander University offers two different rates for graduate students. The in-state rate is a reduced price charged of students who live in South Carolina. They pay $492 per credit hour or $5,900 per semester when they take a full course load. Nonresidents qualify for the university’s other rate and pay $938 per credit hour or $11,250 each semester for full-time enrollment.
The university offers installment plans for the fall and spring semesters. Students who do not receive financial aid pay a deposit equal to 10% of their total bills. A down payment is not required of students who do not get financial aid. Graduate students will make four equal payments over the next four months to pay their balances. Before looking into installment plans, students can submit the FAFSA and see what aid they get. The most common aid given to graduate students is unsubsidized loans, which also go to online students. Though alternative loans are available, those funds come from private lenders. PLUS and other loans can help graduate students afford the cost of attendance too. Lander University also offers employment opportunities and scholarships for students in its emergency management program.