Emergency Management and Homeland Security, MA
Cybersecurity, Disaster, Emergency Operations Center, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Hazards, Planning, Public Safety, Resilience, Risk Management, Terrorism
ASU ranks No. 2 for best graduate homeland security and emergency management programs by U.S. News & World Report, 2024. Enroll in this prestigious degree program to gain expertise in managing risks, promoting community resilience and ensuring public safety in response to complex threats, such as cybersecurity and natural hazards.
The Master of Arts program in emergency management and homeland security assists in the professional development of current and future practitioners as the next generation of leaders in these fields.
The program emphasizes a blended approach of practical knowledge and broader integrative thinking about the complex societal challenges of today's world. Its core values of collaboration between practitioners, faculty and students; public service; commitment to diversity; and critical thinking and evidence-based assessment are all central to promoting informed and effective leadership.
One of the distinct features of this program is its breadth of content coverage. The program offers five distinct concentration areas, listed below. These subject area specializations underscore the program's commitment to strategic thinking about current and future challenges. Likewise, the program has a number of learning opportunities from an international perspective.
- biosecurity and threat management
- community resilience
- cybersecurity policy and management
- emergency management
- homeland security
When students enroll in this program, they are encouraged to choose one of these area specializations. Students can enroll in the degree program without declaring a concentration; however, selecting one is advisable because doing so assists in developing the knowledge, skills and abilities pertinent to an intended career path.
- College/school:
Watts College of Public Service & Community Solut
- Location: Downtown Phoenix or Online
- STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
33 credit hours including the required applied project course (PAF 593)
Required Core (18 credit hours)
CRJ 511 Applied Data Analysis in Criminal Justice (3)
CRJ 554 Homeland Security (3)
PAF 551 Hazards Governance (3)
PAF 552 Integrated Emergency Management (3)
PAF 558 Program Evaluation for Emergency Management and Homeland Security (3)
PAF 559 GIS for Hazards Analysis (3)
Electives (12 credit hours)
Culminating Experience (3 credit hours)
PAF 593 Applied Project (3)
Additional Curriculum Information
For electives, students should see the academic unit for the approved course list.
General university admission requirements:
All students are required to meet general
university admission requirements.
U.S. applicants | International applicants | English proficiency
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions.
Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in criminology or criminal justice, public administration or public service, sociology or social work, public safety or fire service management, parks and recreation management, applied sciences, environmental sciences or geography, public health or another closely related field from a regionally accredited institution.
Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.
All applicants must submit:
- graduate application and application fee
- official transcripts
- evidence of current employment in an organization in this field, or at least two years prior professional experience in this or a related field or a bachelor's degree in a related area
- two letters of recommendation
- a written statement
- proof of English proficiency
Additional Admission Information
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.
The written statement should be at least one page in length and describe the applicant's educational and career goals and long-term professional development strategy.
ASU offers this program in an online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. Applicants may view the program’s ASU Online page for program descriptions and to request more information.
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | Online | 08/01 | Final |
| Session B | Online | 09/23 | Final |
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | Online | 12/23 | Final |
| Session B | Online | 02/24 | Final |
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | Online | 04/29 | Final |
The PLuS Alliance partnership combines the strengths of three leading research universities from three continents --- Arizona State University, King's College London and UNSW Sydney --- to create and share knowledge that will solve pressing educational and societal challenges.
Students have the opportunity to collaborate with peers and specialists across the globe through PLuS-partner courses offered online. Through this PLuS Alliance collaboration degree program, students develop transferable global competencies and gain exposure to international teaching and academic content. https://www.plusalliance.org/global-learning-network-programmes
Graduates with an MA in emergency management and homeland security have career opportunities illustrated below. Advanced degrees or certifications may be required for academic or clinical positions.
- cybersecurity specialist
- disaster recovery specialist
- emergency manager
- exerciser and trainer
- hazard mitigation officer
- homeland security specialist
- intelligence analyst
- planner
- public health emergency preparedness officer
School of Public Affairs
|
UCENT 400
idpadvising@asu.edu
602-496-0450
3 year programs
These programs allow students to fast-track their studies after admission and earn a bachelor's degree in three years or fewer while participating in the same high-quality educational experience of a 4-year option. Students should talk to their academic advisor to get started.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
