Emergency Management Programs at UCM
The University of Central Missouri appears in our ranking of the Top 20 Emergency Management Degree Online Programs.
The University of Central Missouri is home to the Institute for Rural Emergency Management (IREM). Founded in 2005, this institute helps rural areas prepare for disaster situations and makes sure that people living in those areas understand what might happen. It offers training for first responders and does workshops for those living in the area. Many of the workshops and other special events hosted by the institute are open to university students who want to work in this field or just learn more about it.
Those students include anyone enrolled in the university’s Bachelor of Science in Crisis and Disaster Management program. This program is open to both online and traditional students. The university designed it for both first responders and other professionals who want to use their real-life experiences in their courses. Students who already have an undergraduate degree can get a crisis and disaster management degree after taking just 36 credits of classes at the university. It ranks as one of the top online emergency management programs in the country.
The core of the program includes six courses such as Research Issues in Crisis Disaster Management, Technology Application Studies and Disaster Management and Technology. Students will also do a field exercise program that requires they do some work in the disaster field. They’ll also do a practicum that gives them more real-life experience. The program also asks students to choose a focus area in emergency management, business continuity, emergency services management or environmental hazards. They will take at least three classes from within that focus area.
Also available is an emergency management certificate for those who already work in the field and do not want to enroll in a degree program. Anyone who works in public safety, business or community centers, and planning positions can enroll in this program. It includes the same core that the full program does and allows students to take classes from any of the available focus areas.
About University of Central Missouri
The University of Central Missouri is the main public university in Missouri that educates students living in the central region. Established as Normal School No. 2 in 1871, it opened as just the second institution of higher learning in the state. To pay homage to Warrensburg, it became Warrensburg Teachers College. This new name also set it apart from the other teaching colleges and normal schools in Missouri. It also used the names of Central Missouri Teachers College, Central Missouri State College, and Central Missouri State University before changing to the University of Central Missouri in the 1970s. It added graduate programs in the 1960s too. In addition to its full name, some call it UCM too.
UCM has a strong reputation for the programs it designed for professionals. These programs allow students to start and finish their studies using a format that works for them. Students of all types can major and minor in more than 150 subjects, while graduate students can complete more than 30 degree programs. The university operates a small campus in Lee’s Summit and offers online courses that lead to full degrees. With an enrollment of more than 14,000 students, UCM now ranks as one of Missouri’s largest public colleges.
University of Central Missouri Accreditation Details
Though the university’s crisis and disaster management program does not have accreditation, it does have accreditation from the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS). As this is regional accreditation, students who have any college credits already completed can apply and transfer their credits to the program. It also means that students can use the FAFSA.
University of Central Missouri Application Requirements
UCM uses an index that assigns students points based on their test scores and grade point averages. It will only accept those who have 100 points or more. Those who score at least 21 on the ACT only need to have a GPA of 2.0, but a student who scored 17 on that same test will need a GPA of 3.45 or higher. Students who can transfer in more than 24 credits need a college GPA of 2.0 or higher, but the university requires a test score of 21 or higher and the same GPA for those bringing in fewer transfer credits.
To apply for a spot in the freshman class, students must submit the UCM application online and pay a fee of $30. The university has a small number of waivers available for students who cannot afford that fee. Students will also need to work with the testing board to have their scores sent to the university. Those taking the test again can use the university’s code and have their scores automatically sent in for them. They will also mail all their high school and college transcripts to the university’s admissions department.
Tuition and Financial Aid
The types of financial aid available to UCM students include both government aid and some institutional aid. Students may need that funding because they cannot afford the total cost of attending the university. Missouri residents pay $226 per credit hour for any undergrad program, while nonresidents pay $452 in its undergrad programs. Online students and those taking any hybrid classes pay $279 per credit hour. The university charges $2,750 per semester for students living in a double room in one of its residence halls. Students also pay around $1,600 a semester for a meal plan.
UCM offers institutional aid in the form of scholarships and has an application that allows students to apply for all scholarships at the same time. The university will only consider students for applications if they submit all required documents and the online admissions application. Its Red and Black Scholarship awards students between $1,500 and $5,000 a year and allows them to renew that scholarship in the following three years. Another scholarship awards students funds for taking at least 15 credits units of classes each semester.
Incoming students can also apply for any federal or state aid through the FAFSA. Student loans and some grant programs provide students with extra money each year. They must fill out a new copy of the form every year that they need aid. Students in the crisis and disaster management program and any other programs offered by the University of Central Missouri can apply for institutional and government aid.