The College Option for BCP/Emergency Management Professionals

College programs in emergency management and business continuity planning offer a comprehensive array of knowledge, skills and abilities.

The curricula are based on research, timetested applications, and extensive study of multiple disciplines related to all aspects of crisis management and disaster preparedness, response, recovery and restoration. They are especially effective in teaching management principles for those seeking careers in supervision, comprehensive emergency management and business continuity program development and implementation. With all the training available leading to certification as a Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP) or a Certified Emergency Manager (CEM), what added value is there from earning a college degree in either specialty? In the fields of BCM and EM, a closer look at the courses required and the content of those courses might help us to understand the value of a degree program.

Colleges offer several degree programs, from ‘associate’ to ‘graduate’. The requirements differ from college to college. While there are broad degrees in fields like management, finance, technology, and human resources, colleges also offer more focused, specialty courses in homeland security, crime scene investigation, disaster recovery planning, incident command or weapons of mass destruction. Students are well advised to examine the degree course offerings to see if their personal and professional goals will be met by completing a particular degree.

There are approximately 145 college programs in emergency management or business continuity in the United States and a growing number in Canada. Information about them is available from the FEMA Higher Education Project, directed by B. Wayne Blanchard at the Emergency Management Institute in Emmitsburg, Maryland. For a list of those programs and an excellent reading list, see www.training.fema.gov/emiweb/edu/. The perspectives of faculty whose study has been deliberate and concentrated over a period of years may differ from those of practitioners facilitating one-day or one-week courses. (In some cases, such as this author’s, the facilitator might also be on a college or university faculty.) The time available for teaching and student study is also significantly greater in a degree program.

College degree programs are varied. Some are highly specialized, particularly at the certificate or associate’s degree level. Students with limited time often are attracted to these programs to gain specific skill sets related to such specialties as emergency medical services, firefighting, law enforcement, NIMS ICS, HazMat response, or exercise design. The emphasis is on the concentration courses rather than a more broad liberal arts curriculum. An example is the Onondaga Community College A.A.S. Degree in Emergency Management, with details on their course requirements at the FEMA website above.

Red Rocks Community College is offering both an Associate Applied Science Degree in Emergency Management and Planning and an Associate of Applied Science Certificate. The Associate Degree is geared toward new entrants into the Emergency Management field. This degree requires the completion of 60 credit hours, including the core EMP courses. All of the core courses are available online. Some elective courses may not be available over the Internet. The Certificate program is geared toward current practitioners who want to upgrade their skills.

The core EMP courses offered by Red Rocks, over the Internet, include all seven courses required for the coveted FEMA Professional Development Series Certificate. These courses are Principles of Emergency Management, Emergency Planning, Exercise Design, Leadership and Influence, Decision Making and Problem Solving, Effective Communication, and Developing Volunteer Resources. Additional information is at www.rrcc.edu/emplan/.

At the bachelor’s degree level, normally a four-year course of study, the opportunity is greater for expanding one’s knowledge both in liberal arts and in the chosen area of concentration. B.S. degree programs are offered both on campus and online. The American Public University System in West Virginia and Jacksonville State University in Alabama both offer emergency management concentrations online. An excerpt from their website describes the integrated approach taken by American Public University’s B.A. degree in Emergency and Disaster Management:

“In the homeland security area, there is considerable discussion about concepts such as all-hazards approach, emergency and disaster management, risk prevention and management, counter- terrorism, consequence management and consequence mitigation, and others. Educators are still grappling with what makes up the various applied and research fields of study, and what are the academic disciplines inherent in this emerging field.

Clear and definitive guidelines have not yet evolved in this emerging field, and the subject is complex in theory and practice. The immaturity of the field prevents consensus and accepted standards from emerging. The fully developed degree program at APUS prepares students for the complexities of this field, along with preparation in a number of areas across the homeland security and emergency management spectrum. In its degree programs, APUS takes an integrated approach that reflects this discipline in its current emergency state.”

Jacksonville State University offers a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Emergency Management. The interdisciplinary curriculum blends theoretical perspectives with professional practice, and emphasizes application of knowledge to practice settings, preparing graduates for careers in the public, private or nonprofit sectors.

At JSU, 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.

As one might expect, the master’s degree programs are more focused on management knowledge and skills related to emergency management or business continuity planning. One example is Elmira College’s combination of private sector business continuity planning content and the public sector emergency management content, such as NIMS compliance and Homeland Security. Gregory L. Shaw, D.Sc., CBCP, of the George Washington University commented in his external evaluation of the Elmira program in a March, 2006 report, “From my perspective, it is gratifying to see that Elmira College has it right. A vast majority of the other programs focus almost entirely on Homeland Security and terrorism. Emergency and Disaster Preparedness Management, in all sectors and for all hazards is based upon sound management philosophy and practices. Personnel with leadership responsibilities in these areas are first and foremost managers dealing within the social, political, financial, and cultural concerns and constraints of Emergency and Disaster Preparedness.”

Similarly, the graduate program at Boston University’s Metropolitan College combines principles and practices of emergency management with those of business continuity planning. The George Washington University graduate program is extensive, especially in Homeland Security and governmental administration, perhaps due to its proximity to the White House. Adult learners enrolled in graduate programs such as these are employed in both public and private organizations such as the military, correctional institutions, aeronautics firms, publishing companies, IT service providers, consulting firms, banking and financial institutions, health care facilities, and many others.

National University is offering a master’s level program which, in addition to the traditional college degree, also prepares graduates for two well recognized professional certifications. Anyone successfully completing the Homeland Security and Safety Engineering program would be academically trained to appear for Certified Safety Professional (CSP) certification administered by the Board of Safety Professionals and for the American Society of Industrial Security (ASIS) Certified Protection Professional (CPP) exam. To receive a Master of Science in Homeland Security and Safety Engineering, students must complete 54 quarter units involving twelve courses. A total of 13.5 quarter units of graduate credit may be granted for equivalent graduate work completed at another institution. More details are available at www.nu.edu.

Long Island University offers both a graduate level certificate and a master’s program. LIU’s Homeland Security Management Institute offers a graduate- level, 15 credit Advanced Certificate in Homeland Security Management as well as a 36 credit Master of Science in Homeland Security Management, both delivered fully online. These two programs are available to professionals working in law enforcement, Emergency Management, the military, fire fighting or HazMat operations, corporate or private security, the intelligence community, or any other Homeland Security field, as well as to those who aspire to pursue management careers in various homeland security fields.

LIU also offers tuition discounts to qualified municipal employees, making this online program more accessible to those in the public sector. More details are available at www.liu.edu/homeland.

Online technology used to facilitate distance learning has advanced considerably, allowing for greater access to degree programs. The American Public University System, Boston University, and Jacksonville State University have excellent online learning systems. They make available the expertise of adjunct faculty who are practitioners in their own right, and also offer many of the special services normally associated with on-campus programs such as writing centers, vast online libraries, textbook delivery systems, and accommodations for students with special needs.

The college experience offers an in-depth study opportunity over an extended time period. It allows one to earn a transferable, permanent credential. College degrees don’t expire and require no re-certification. They are permanent and transferable to virtually every setting. They fulfill the traditional requirement of many employers, regardless of the academic major. Degrees are expandable and may be augmented with further study at the same level or in the pursuit of an advanced degree. They may also be augmented through DRI International, Private and Public Businesses, Inc. (PPBI), or other proprietary or public courses. Many graduates enroll in the CERT program or Red Cross training.

In summary, the college degree programs, at all levels, in emergency management or business continuity planning, offer a permanent, in-depth learning opportunity and credential. They go beyond certification in that they require a greater time commitment, a background in general or liberal arts studies, and access to faculty whose advanced study or practical experience is invaluable. As the complexities of the management issues in BCP or EM increase, there will be an increased demand to educate BCP and EM professionals in college classrooms rather than to rely on veteran practitioners to move into management positions. The gap between tactical operations in either BCP or EM and the management requirements in either field is growing. Colleges present an approach to bridging the gap.