Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management professionals gathered around each other

Bachelor of Science in Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management Online

Learn how to lead your community through emergency situations with this B.S. in Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management program.

Next Apply Date: 12/16/24
Next Class Start Date: 1/13/25
Apply Now
Next Apply Date: 12/16/24
Next Class Start Date: 1/13/25

Program Overview

Learn more about our online emergency management degree

Earn your degree in a field that empowers you to lead your community through emergency situations. Our 100% online B.S. in Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (DPEM) degree provides you with the ability to develop plans for response, recovery, mitigation and planning of environmental and health disasters.

In this DPEM program, you will learn to identify risk factors and conduct assessments related to equipment and processes; study social, cultural and economic factors relevant to emergency management; and build the communication skills needed to guide organizations and communities. Special emphasis is placed on the relationship between disasters and mental health—and the importance of respecting diverse populations when coordinating emergency management.

This well-rounded emergency management bachelor’s degree program prepares you for a role in federal, state or local government entities, such as FEMA; hospital systems; nonprofits that work in a response planning capacity, such as the Red Cross; or within a for-profit company that has a response planning group.

+

Prepare for a role in disaster preparedness such as:

  • Emergency Services Manager
  • Safety Specialist
  • Disaster Recovery Manager
  • Public Information Officer
Prepare for a role in disaster preparedness such as:+
  • Emergency Services Manager
  • Safety Specialist
  • Disaster Recovery Manager
  • Public Information Officer

Learn industry-relevant skills that employers seek:

  • Communication
  • Decision-making
  • Organization and planning
  • Critical thinking and risk assessment
Learn industry-relevant skills that employers seek:+
  • Communication
  • Decision-making
  • Organization and planning
  • Critical thinking and risk assessment

Also available:

A-State offers a variety of undergraduate programs in a convenient online format. Explore our full range of online undergraduate programs.

Per Credit Tuition: $282
Transfer Credits: Up to 90 hours
Credit Hours 120

Accreditation

Apply Now

Need More Information?

Call 866-621-8096

Call 866-621-8096

Tuition

Financial aid packages are available to those who qualify

A-State's online programs are affordable and convenient. You may also qualify for financial aid. Learn more.

The B.S. in Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management online program offers the same low, pay-by-the-course tuition to all U.S. residents. All fees are included. Tuition may be subject to change on a yearly basis.

Tuition breakdown:

Per Credit Hour: $282
Tuition Per Course: $846

Transfer your credits for lower tuition

Use our Tuition Estimator to see how affordable your degree could be. Slide the notch to the number of credits you've already earned—which may qualify for transfer credit—to get an estimate of what your degree might cost.

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90
Transfer Credits: 0
Your Estimated Tuition: $Your Estimated Tuition:
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Transcripts sent from other colleges and universities will be evaluated, and accepted credits will be added to the student's A-State record. The Tuition Estimator is not a guarantee or predictor of the number of credit hours that will be accepted.

You may be closer to Graduation than you think!

A-State-approved credit for prior learning recognizes your previous accomplishments, reducing your tuition costs and time to graduation.

Calendar

The schedule for our DPEM bachelor’s program

Our B.S. in Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management is a flexible online program featuring accelerated coursework and multiple start dates per year.

Please note Summer 1 and Summer 2 terms are 5 weeks in duration for this program.

View full calendar  + 

TermProgram Start DateApplication DeadlineDocument DeadlineRegistration DeadlinePayment DueLast Class Day
Fall 210/14/249/30/2410/4/2410/10/2410/11/2412/6/24
Spring 11/13/2512/16/2412/18/241/9/251/10/252/28/25
Spring 23/10/252/24/252/28/253/6/253/7/255/2/25

Now enrolling:

Next Apply Date 12/16/24
Start Class 1/13/25

Have questions or need more information about A‑State online programs?

Ready to take the next step toward earning your degree online from A-State?

Apply Now

Admissions

Are you ready to apply? Check our admission requirements.

Arkansas State University has a streamlined admission process that makes it easy for you to enroll in the B.S. in Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management online program. Enrollment specialists are available to walk you through the admission process, so you will be able to complete your application quickly.

Admission Requirements:

  • Online application
  • Official transcripts
  • 2.0 GPA for transferring credits
View all admission requirements +

There are several paths to admittance at A-State:

  • If you have 13 or more transferrable college credit hours, you would be admitted if you have a cumulative college GPA of at least 2.0 on previous college coursework
  • If you have 0-12 transferrable college credit hours and have been out of high school for five years or more, you would be admitted if you:
    • Have a high school diploma or state-approved equivalent
    • Have completed 12 or fewer earned college hours
    • Have never enrolled as a student at A-State
    Note: If you’re admitted as non-traditional first-time freshman, you may be required to successfully complete a predesignated curriculum of 12 hours (Certificate or Non-Degree). Upon successful completion, you will be transitioned to a degree seeking program.
  • If you have 0-12 transferrable college credit hours and have been in high school within the last 5 years, you would be admitted if you have one of the following:
    • 3.0 cumulative high school grad point average (or GED test score equivalent), OR
    • 19 minimum ACT super score or minimum 990 combined SAT super score, OR
    • Class rank in the top 20% of your graduating class

​Application Submission Requirements

Submitting your application takes three easy steps: filling out the application, submitting your documents and paying the application fee.

  1. When completing the online application, select 100% online student and then complete all the steps on the online application.
  2. Pay $30.00 non-refundable application fee.
  3. Submit all official college transcripts.
  4. Submit official high school transcripts (if applicable).
  5. Submit official ACT/ SAT test scores (if applicable).

Note: If you have 0-12 transferrable college hours, test scores will still need to be submitted for reporting purposes to the Arkansas Department of Higher Education (ADHE); however, they are not needed for an admission decision. Accuplacer test scores are an acceptable alternative to ACT/SAT scores.

If you have any questions along the way, call us at 866-621-8096 and we’ll be happy to help answer questions.

Document Submission Address

Submit all documents to:

A-State Online
P.O. Box 2520
State University, AR 72467

Fax: 870-972-3548
Email: [email protected]

For Non-US Postal Mail Overnight Delivery Only:

A-State Online
c/o Central Receiving
2713 Pawnee St.
Jonesboro, AR 72401

Courses

What you'll learn in disaster preparedness and emergency management courses

To earn your Bachelor of Science in Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, you need to complete 120 credit hours of coursework. The program includes 38 credit hours of general education courses, 60 credit hours of major courses, and 22 credit hours of electives. You can finish faster by transferring previously earned credit hours. Transfer credit hours will be evaluated during the admission process.

Visit the Course Registration page to view the course schedule for this degree.

Expand All

These courses must be taken to complete your degree.

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 1
"An introduction to the Incident Command System (ICS) and the National Incident Management System (NIMS), the nationwide template for all government, private-sector, and nongovernmental organizations. Describes the history, features, principles, ICS organizational structure and the relationship between ICS and NIMS. Fall, Spring, Summer."
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 1
Focuses on resources for personnel who are likely to assume a supervisory position within the Incident Command System (ICS) is provided. This course is designed to enable personnel to operate efficiently during an incident or event within the ICS. Fall, Spring, Summer.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 1
Provides instruction on prevention and deterrence, chemical and biological agents, radiological materials, explosives, and the Emergency Response Guidebook. Fall, Spring, Summer.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Provides information about disaster preparedness and weapons of mass destruction. Training in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, and disaster medical operations is included. Fall, Spring, Summer.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The goal of this course is to enable students to identify, detect, and categorize chemical, biological, and radiological materials and explosive devices, as well as determine the appropriate equipment and decontamination techniques to use when responding to CBRNE incidents. Fall, Spring, Summer.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Foundation knowledge in healthcare emergency management to include standards, regulations, organizations, government agencies and stakeholders; disaster planning; staffing and personnel; Personal Protection Equipment and decontamination; evacuation, isolation, and quarantine; ethical issues; financial issues; and public affairs.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The course supplements the knowledge and experience of the student with a basic understanding of disaster management and the application of environmental health to disaster management and integrates their professional skills into a local-level disaster response, recovery, mitigation and preparedness. Fall, Spring, Summer.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The Pandemic Planning and Preparedness course promotes knowledge and skills to effectively plan and prepare for a pandemic, culminating in a practical exercise. Steps for developing an effective planning and preparedness program and development of a pandemic annex are included. Fall, Spring, Summer.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Enables HAZMAT responders to identify, detect, and categorize chemical, biological, and radiological materials and explosive devices, as well as determine the appropriate equipment and decontamination techniques to use when responding to CBRNE incidents. Fall, Spring, Summer.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Provides HAZMAT responders with Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive -specific response skills, enabling effective response to a suspected incident culminating with performance of these offensive-level tasks in a simulated HAZMAT environment. Fall, Spring, Summer.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
A focus on global disaster preparedness around the world will be identified including economic, health, political, psychological, cultural and religious impact of current and major historical disasters. Fall, Spring, Summer.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Knowledge of proper implementation of procedures and guidelines for crime scene management when responding to a Chemical, Biological, Radiologic, Nuclear and/or Explosive incident. Fall, Spring, Summer.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
An all hazards approach is utilized to identify legal and ethical issues, cultural, political and religious issues, collective behaviors and group panic, role of the media, effective communication, and identification of resources for persons engaged in disaster and emergency preparedness.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Examines law and ethical dilemmas in disaster preparedness and emergency management. Includes human rights and injustices associated as well as codes of ethics in emergency management and public health emergency laws. Current and historical disasters will be analyzed.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Provides students with the knowledge and skills to create and implement business continuity plans for disasters and emergencies. Business risk and impact analysis, including financial and budgetary implications, inform development of a business continuity strategy, plan and mitigation practices.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Principles of historical research methods and design applied to disasters and emergencies. Prerequisites, must be classified as a Junior.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Elucidates recognition, treatment and containment of Category A biological agents, chemical agents and radiologic incidents. Content discussion will include advanced principles of disaster management, worker safety, advanced triage, disaster effects on special populations, laboratory analysis and expanded mental health response.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Identifies actions communities, institutions and governments must take to identify the risk and prevent injury from man made and natural disasters, including acts of terrorism. Course topics include risk assessment, mitigation, surveillance, disaster epidemiology, emerging infections and socio political implications.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Identifies evolving evidence related to the impact of disaster and mass violence on mental health. Considers natural and man-made disasters, short and long term effects and common treatment strategies.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Application of skills and knowledge gained in the minor to the analysis of a specific need or problem and the design of solutions. Teamwork among various specialties with the field. Instructor permission required.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Examines non-government agency response to disasters and other emergencies. Cooperation and collaboration among the agencies will be analyzed. Pre and post-disaster planning as well as acquisition and mobilization of resources will be emphasized.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
To prepare students to disseminate credible information to the media and the public during a public health emergency and to manage a Joint Information Center during emergencies. News conference exercises prepare students for a culminating practical experience. Fall, Spring, Summer.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Required course for all first semester freshmen. Course content is centered around the skills and knowledge needed to be a successful ASU student, including academic performance, problem solving, critical thinking, self-management and group building skills, university policies and other relevant issues.

You must complete 22 credit hours of electives to satisfy the 120 credit hours required for this program, and 15 of the 22 hours must be 3000 or 4000 level courses to ensure the upper-level minimum requirement needed for a bachelor's degree at A-State is met. Courses may be chosen with the assistance of an advisor and per your degree plan. Electives can come from any courses offered as long as prerequisites are met.

Students must take the following courses.

First-year course - Students must take the following Making Connections online course. If you transfer in more than 12 credit hours, you will not be required to take the Making Connections course. You may replace that 3 hour course with a 3 hour elective course.

First-year course (3 hours)
UC 1013

Communication Requirement (6 hours)
ENG 1003
ENG 1013

Mathematics Requirement (3 hours)
Students must take MATH 1023 or any MATH course that requires MATH 1023 as prerequisite.

Arts and Humanities Requirement (6 hours)
You must complete 6 credit hours from this section. At least one course must be selected from MUS 2503, THEA 2503, or ART 2503, and at least one course must be selected from ENG 2003, ENG 2013, or PHIL 1103.

Social Sciences Requirement (12 hours)
Students must complete 12 credit hours of Social Sciences courses. At least one course must be selected from POSC 2103, HIST 2763 or HIST 2773.

HIST 2763
HIST 2773
POSC 2103
SOC 2213
PSY 2013
MDIA 1003
HIST 1013
HIST 1023
ECON 2313
ECON 2323
ECON 2333

Life Science Requirement (4 hours)
Students must complete BIO 1003 with BIO 1001 lab or BIO 2203 with BIO 2201 lab.

Physical Sciences Requirement (4 hours)
Students must complete CHEM 1043 with CHEM 1041 lab.

 

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Introduction to visual art for all students regardless of background or experience. Students learn how to develop cognitive and experiential responses to works of art. This course is for non-art majors and does not meet general education requirements for any degree in Art. Fall, Spring, Summer.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 1
Laboratory, must be taken with BIO 1003. There will be a fee when purchasing the LabKit. Please visit the tuition and fees page for pricing.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The major characteristics and processes of life emphasizing the human organism. Promotes understanding of diversity and unity among living organisms with focus on ecological interactions and responsibilities of people within their social and natural environment. Lecture three hours per week. Special course fees may apply. Must be taken with BIO 1001.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 1
The behavior of matter with respect to life processes, cells, tissues, functional anatomy of integumentary, skeletal, muscular and nervous systems, cat anatomy, nerve and muscle preparations and recordings. It is recommended this course be taken concurrently with BIO 2203.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Introduction to the biology of atoms, molecules, organelles and cellular functions, tissues, functional anatomy of integumentary, skeletal, muscular and central nervous systems, interaction with external environment.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 1
Special course fees apply. Prerequisite or co-requisite of CHEM 1043. Fall only.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
An introduction to selected fundamental concepts including dimensional analysis, mole concept, atomic and molecular structure, nomenclature, chemical reactions, thermochemistry, intermolecular interactions, gases, mixtures, kinetics, equilibrium and acid base chemistry. Fall only.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course examines national income accounting, inflation and unemployment, competing theories of national income, fiscal policy, the Federal Reserve System and monetary policy, and international trade.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Principles of resource allocation, supply and demand, consumer behavior, costs of production, the competitive model, oligopoly, and factor markets are examined.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Designed to give the student a basic understanding of our economic system. Basic economic concepts will be explored and contemporary economic problems and issues will be examined in light of the concepts learned.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Study and practice of fundamentals of written communication, including principles of grammar, punctuation, spelling, organization, and careful analytical reading. Prerequisite, with grade of C or better, for ENG 1013.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Continues the practice of ENG 1003 to develop further the skills learned in that course. Based on reading and discussion of various types of writing, the students’ essays will provide practice in different kinds of rhetorical development, including research and documentation.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Introduction to the analysis and interpretation of literary works from several historical periods ranging from early civilizations through the Renaissance.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Introduction to the analysis and interpretation of literary works from several historical periods ranging from the Renaissance to the present.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
WORLD HISTORY. The pre-modern world, with emphasis on the economic, political, and cultural processes that shaped societies before the rise of global interdependence.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
WORLD HISTORY. The modern world, with emphasis on the economic, political, and cultural processes that have increased global interdependence.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
United States history. Social, economic, and political developments from Columbus to the end of Reconstruction.
Duration: Varies Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The social, economic and political developments Social, economic, and political developments from Reconstruction to the present. Fall, Spring, Summer.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Equations and inequalities, functions and graphs, polynomial and rational functions, exponential and logarithmic functions, systems of equations and inequalities, matrices, and miscellaneous topics. No credit given if taken following MATH 1054.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
A study of the interaction between society and mass communication through the lenses of history, theory, economics, culture, law, and technology.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course is an introduction to music for the listener who has had no formal training or experience. By exploring the history of Western Art music, learners will begin to connect the development of music with the changing of society and culture.
Duration: Varies Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Basic problems of philosophy based upon readings in the works of selected leading philosophers. A prerequisite for upper level philosophy. Fall, Spring.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
American politics. The constitution, government, and politics of the United States.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Human society and social behavior.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Provides students with an appreciation of how various artistic elements combine to produce theatrical productions. Fall, Spring, Summer.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Required course for all first semester freshmen. Course content is centered around the skills and knowledge needed to be a successful ASU student, including academic performance, problem solving, critical thinking, self-management and group building skills, university policies and other relevant issues.

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