Institute for Emergency Preparedness
BS in Emergency Management with a minor in
Public Safety Telecommunications




Jacksonville State University offers a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Emergency Management. The degree program is designed to prepare students for emergency management careers in the public, private, and voluntary sectors. The interdisciplinary curriculum blends theoretical perspectives with professional practice, and emphasizes application of knowledge to practice settings.

Curriculum
A total of 128 semester hours are required, with 30 required hours in the major. JSU offers both online and on-campus courses. The B.S. in Emergency Management may be supported with a minor in Public Safety Telecommunications (PST) or other approved minors.

EM Required Courses

EM 301 Introduction to Disaster Management 3 hours
EM 321 Disaster Mitigation & Preparedness 3 hours
EM 331 Populations at Risk 3 hours
EM 411 Disaster Response & Recovery 3 hours
EM 471 Emergency Management Capstone course 3 hours
EM 481 Research in Disasters & Emergency Management 3 hours
Approved EM 300 + Electives 12 hours
Total EM Courses 30 hours

PST Minor

PST 110 Intro to Public Safety Communications 3 hours
PST 311 Interpersonal Communications 3 hours
PST 312 Legal Issues in Public Safety Communications 3 hours
PST 313 Introduction to Crisis Intervention 3 hours
PST 314 Introduction to Weapons of Mass Destruction 3 hours
PST 328 Technical Writing for Public Safety Communications 3 hours
Approved PST electives 3 hours
Total PST Courses 21 hours

or

HS Minor

EM 305 Introduction to Homeland Security 3 hours
EM/PST Approved Courses from the following:
EM 301 Introduction to Disaster Management *For non EM majors only
 3 hours
EM 309 Emergency Response to WMD Event
 3 hours
EM 341 Legal Fundamentals in EM and Homeland Security 3 hours
EM 351 Introduction to Terrorism 3 hours
EM 365 Public Information Policy 3 hours
EM 431 Transportation Security 3 hours
EM 450 Management Systems in Disaster 3 hours
EM 461 Critical Infrastructure 3 hours
EM 475 Current Issues in Homeland Security 3 hours
EM 483 Planning and Preparedness for Homeland Security 3 hours
PST 314 Weapons of Mass Destruction 3 hours
Total Hours
 18 hours

Area I

EH 101 English Composition, EH 102 English Composition 6 hours
Total Area I 6 hours

Area II

Literature (Choose any 2-does not have to be a sequence) 6 hours
Fine Arts (ART 202 or MU 233 or DR 22 or Any Foreign Language) 3 hours
Humanities and Fine Arts Elective 3 hours
Choose one additional Lit or Fine Arts class listed above or EH 141
Total Area II 12 hours

Area III

Approved Laboratory Science (Must be a sequence) 8 hours
MS 112 Precalculus Algebra 3 hours
Total Area III 11 hours

Area IV

History (Must be a sequence) 6 hours
Social and Behavioral Science approved electives 3 hours
PSY 201 Principles of Psychology 3 hours
Total Area IV 12 hours

Area V

Area V electives chosen from a list of approved courses* 23 hours
*courses must be approved by an advisor


General Elective
13 hours if PST Minor
16 hours if HS Minor


Total for Degree

128 hours


Distance Learning
All requirements for the degree can be met through distance learning. JSU extends in-state tuition rates to all online emergency management students. For information on distance learning at JSU visit: http://www.jsu.edu/depart/distance/

Career Opportunities
Emergency management practice occurs in a variety of settings, including government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and business and industry. Government agencies include the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and their state and local counterparts. Nonprofit organizations include the American Red Cross and Salvation Army. The increasing emphasis on homeland security will create additional opportunities for individuals with emergency management degrees.

  • Admissions Application
  • Undergraduate Course Descriptions
  • Schedule


    Minor in Emergency Management (Please see below)

    Emergency Management Minor (EM)
    The minor in Emergency Management consists of eighteen (18) hours of Emergency Management courses which must include:
    This minor is for students outside of the Emergency Management major.