Emergency Management Programs Available at Waldorf University
Waldorf University appears in our tanking of the 50 Most Affordable Schools for an Emergency Management Degree.
Formerly known as Waldorf College, Waldorf University now offers online and on-campus programs in emergency management. It offers both a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science in Emergency Management. Both programs prepare students for working during emergency situations, including disasters of all types and terrorist attacks. Both programs require that students complete a minimum of 120 credits and maintain a grade point average of 2.0 or higher. They also need to take at least 36 credits of advanced management classes.
All emergency management majors will take the same 30 credits of required classes, including Introduction to Emergency Management, Terrorism in Emergency Management, Special Operations, Disaster Response and Recovery and Community Risk Reduction for the Fire and Emergency Services. They’ll also take electives such as American Homeland Security, Interactions of Hazardous Materials, Crisis Management, Managerial Decision Making and Weapons of Mass Destruction. Waldorf University refers to these as professional electives.
Students can choose concentrations in fire science or homeland security too. The fire science concentration is suitable for those who want to work in fire departments and agencies. It features four courses: Fire and Emergency Services Administration, Fire Related Human Behavior, Personnel Management for the Fire and Emergency Services and Terrorism Incident Management and Emergency Procedures. The four courses in the homeland security concentration include Introduction to Terrorism, Terrorism Response Operations, Weapons of Mass Destruction and American Homeland Security.
Waldorf also offers an emergency management certificate program. Students take five courses from the emergency management core to earn their certificates. They can transfer to the university’s full degree program also. The university’s Associate of Arts in Emergency Management includes 60 credits of classes and four from within this discipline, including Terrorism in Emergency Management and Disaster Mitigation and Preparedness. Students can earn their bachelor’s degrees in emergency management online through Waldorf too.
Also available is a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership with a concentration in emergency management leadership. Students take 21 credits of electives and 15 credits of required courses, with many finishing the program in 18 months. Leading Complex Change, Diversity and Inclusion in the Organization Culture, Crisis Communication and Leadership, Legal Aspects of Emergency Management and Leadership and Decision Making in Emergency Management are some of the classes they will take. The university requires that students maintain a GPA of at least 3.0 to remain in this program.
About Waldorf University
Waldorf University is a private university established in 1903 as Waldorf College. Named after the Waldorf Hotel, it opened after several hotels in Forest City, Iowa opened at the same time. The two hotels fought for customers, and the Waldorf Hotel failed. It sat empty for several months before a local reverend decided to use the building as a Christian college that would also offer business classes. Waldorf was founded on the idea that academic success was an important part of society as a whole. Affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America for many years, it now has an affiliation with Columbia Southern University. Waldorf University is a selective university, according to The Princeton Review and U.S. News and World Report.
Waldorf University Accreditation Details
Both the university and its emergency management programs have accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), which is regional accreditation. Students who want financial aid from the university or any branch of the government can submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and see if they qualify for help. They can also use HLC accreditation if they ever need to transfer their university credits.
Waldorf University Application Requirements
Students applying to a Waldorf undergrad program must have a minimum high school GPA of 2.0 and a score of 18 on the ACT or 940 on the SAT. The university asks that students either submit an application to the admissions office or complete the free online application. They will also need to provide a current transcript. If the student is still in high school, Waldorf will ask for a final transcript later. Students also submit two photos, a form completed by a doctor that shows the student had a recent physical exam performed and an ACT/SAT score. They will also need to put down a $100 tuition deposit. Students applying to the online emergency management program only need to submit a transcript and test score, though they will still need to pay a tuition deposit.
Graduate students can apply through the mail or online too. Students need a minimum GPA of 2.5 in an undergraduate program or a graduate program if they transfer to the university. They need a transcript that shows they completed a bachelor’s degree from a college or university and that they have a background in management classes. Waldorf may accept students with a GPA of 2.0 to 2.4 if they have more experience in emergency management or if they meet other requirements. The head of the department can make exceptions for some students.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Tuition and fees for undergrads at Waldorf University come to $22,300 a year. Part-time students pay $295 per credit hour if they take up to 8.5 credits of classes and $570 per credit hour if they take up to 11.5 credits. Those students also pay fees of $126 each year. For an extra $7,618 per year, undergrads can get a room and board package from the university too. Graduate students pay $390 per credit hour for their Waldorf classes. The online emergency management program charges students $300 per credit hour.
Discounts are available for military students attending Waldorf. Those discounts reduce their rates to $300 per credit hour in graduate programs and $250 per credit hour in undergraduate programs. Students can save money through a university program that lets them borrow free textbooks each semester. Both online and on-campus students can qualify for scholarships such as one that goes to a member of the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department or one for the spouses of military personnel. Through the FAFSA, students can see how much aid they will get for the next school year and whether they qualify for work-study, grants, loans, scholarships or a combination of awards. Some of the financial aid awards granted by Waldorf University go to students enrolled in an emergency management program.