While many of our students are fresh out of high school, the BEM degree is intended to also build upon an individual's technical capabilities derived from education, training and experience in fire, law enforcement, military, or other related fields. It’s then combined with a curriculum of business administration, emergency management, and homeland security instruction.

This degree is built specifically to meet the needs of those who provide administrative oversight, supervisory control, leadership and/or management roles within the fields of fire, law, emergency medical services, and security at the local, state, federal, and international levels. The degree also provides those at the responder level the opportunity to further their education, increase their competitive advantage for promotion and advance their operational understanding of the highly integrated homeland security and emergency management environment of today.

The result: Students who can lead and manage individuals, departments and agencies on a day-to-day basis, while simultaneously preparing them to excel and lead during times of crisis at the local, regional, national or international levels.  

Below are a few of the more common career areas within emergency management. Based on the current and ever-changing environment, new opportunities unheard of just five years ago are becoming a reality.

• Disaster Response Coordination
• Fire Departments
• Homeland Security
• Emergency Medical Services
• Program Coordinators
• Military
• Local, State, and Federal Government
• International Response
• Law Enforcement
• Business Continuity
• Risk Management

For UAF’s outlook on emergency management, please see the article written by Homeland Security and Emergency Management Program Director Cameron Carlson.

As with any career, options are plentiful. We encourage students to inquire about travel and relocation opportunities during the interview process, as well as fully understand their role and responsibilities in that profession. Much can be gained by reviewing job boards, reading job descriptions, and talking with others in the role or who sponsor/support the role currently.  

Earning a bachelor of emergency management degree helps you in several ways. However, one thing that this is not, is a “check-the-box” exercise.

This HSEM program is designed to help you build a broad business foundation, e.g., managing the overall logistics versus operating as an individual contributor in the field. The HSEM degree program educates you on looking at all your options. This broad-based foundation helps students understand their options and make the right decision for the scenario at hand. The curriculum focuses on the bigger business picture of repeatable successes. As well, the skills learned are transferable to other areas, such as private sector versus public sector, as the principles taught are business-based.

Listen to a few HSEM students as they describe how the program has impacted them and their way of thinking.

The UAF School of Management is a member of the FEMA Higher Education Program and the Department of Homeland Security's Center for Homeland Defense and Security University and Agency Partnership Initiative (UAPI).

To support students who are deployed, the program offers all courses online and provides a high level of personal support to those in need. However, in cases where students who are deployed do not have Internet access, a means to communicate with us, or the time to complete certain assignments, we offer a degree of flexibility. We understand the challenges faced by those serving our country overseas.

The UAF School of Management is accredited through the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International). This highly sought-after dual accreditation has only been achieved by 177 universities worldwide. The UAF School of Management is the only university in Alaska with this distinction.

The length of the Homeland Security and Emergency Management program is approximately four years or 120 credits. See Courses page for details.

See Courses/Curriculum page for details.

To accurately answer this question, students will need to officially apply to the program and submit official copies of all transcripts and professional certifications, such as EMT certifications. Our transfer credit team will then evaluate your transcripts and officially determine how your credits transfer.

To apply for admissions:

1. Review admission requirements.
2. Click the “apply now” link for directions on the application process or proceed directly to the online application for admission through UAOnline.
3. Once on UAOnline, select “Apply for Admission or Check on Status of Application” and follow the directions on the screen.

In general, the BEM in HSEM requires a minimum of 120 credits. Of these, 33 credits are required from emergency services applicable fields. Most students with professional certifications (EMT, paramedic, fire) will have satisfied this requirement. Military credits also count toward this section of requirements. UAF has what is called a core curriculum; the core curriculum consists of requirements that all bachelorette degree-seeking students must fulfill regardless of major.

Students transferring an associates of arts degree or an associates of science degree from a regionally accredited institution will receive a waiver of the lower division UAF core requirements. All classes are evaluated on a one-on-one basis. Only grades of C- or higher are transferable to UAF. UAF operates on the semester system.

See About Us for more information on the HSEM instructors.