Academic and Training Program Hub

Emergency management offers a rewarding, challenging, and ever-evolving career field that serves our communities in times of need. The demand for emergency management leaders is on the rise. As the complexity and frequency of emergencies increase the value of preparedness and resilience is recognized in multiple career paths. The Bachelor of Science in Emergency Management equips students with the essential knowledge and practical skills required to effectively manage emergencies.

Space Weather and Environment: Science, Policy and Communication (SWEN) is a fully online five course, 15-credit-hour graduate certificate program for clientele that includes broadcast meteorologists and other weather-casters, emergency responders, military personnel, federal and state policy advisors, legislative assistants, science journalists, and any professional whose career may be enhanced with a greater understanding of this subject area. Guided by the National Space Policy of the United States of America, this program will be an avenue for professional development and advancement for those seeking to deepen and broaden their knowledge-base and understanding of the Earth-Sun-Space environment as well as the impact space weather can have on infrastructure, communication and commerce.

The Master of Science in Emergency Management (MSEM) degree, which is offered totally online, is designed to educate individuals to plan and coordinate emergency management efforts. Graduates are prepared to serve in a variety of positions in the emergency management field, both in public and private sector roles. Graduates will have gained the required knowledge to attain associate emergency manager status.

The field of emergency management has shown significant growth and continues to further develop as disasters and major emergencies become more frequent and costly and as response and recovery from these events require collaboration and coordination. This multi-disciplinary concentration of study with a focus on environmental hazards and emergency management will prepare the student to apply the theoretical underpinnings of emergency management to practice, obtain a knowledge of natural hazards from a scientific perspective and the global, national, regional, and local impacts of these events, interpret and analyze appropriate data and information technology related to natural hazards and emergency management, recognize the effective methods for decision making and problem solving related to emergency management, and exhibit competency in assessing risk susceptibility, resilience and vulnerability within a community or organizations.

The Environmental Hazards and Emergency Management (EHEM) Minor is an 18-credit multidisciplinary minor offered at Millersville University. Upon completion of this minor, the student will have a foundation on issues related to emergency management and natural hazards including mitigation, planning, and response.

The purpose of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training program is to educate people about potential issues that may occur during a disaster. CERT’s main goal for its members is disaster preparedness. The overall CERT training totals about 20 hours. Our CERT program is usually taught over two Saturdays for 6 hours each and one Sunday for 3 hours. During the training, students and community members from all backgrounds come together to learn how they can help themselves, their families, their neighbors, and their community during a disaster.The goal of the Millersville University-Community CERT program is to create a culture of preparedness by increasing the knowledge and skills that the citizens need to safely handle disaster and emergency situations through training and education. This CERT currently serves the Millersville University, Millersville borough, and surrounding communities but we are hoping to expand the program to reach a much larger number of people.

The Center for Disaster Research and Education (CDRE) at Millersville University is an academic research and education hub dedicated to advancing disaster science, risk reduction, mitigation, planning, and community resilience through multidisciplinary research, curriculum, applied scholarship, and experiential engagement. CDRE supports student education and professional development in emergency and disaster management and environmental hazards, provides regular training and preparedness programming for community members and practitioners, and disseminates findings in accessible formats for decision-makers and the public. The Center engages a broad network that includes students, faculty across disciplines (e.g., meteorology, government, emergency management, sociology), emergency management professionals, nonprofit partners, and an external advisory board representing local, state, and federal agencies. CDRE is recognized as a StormReady partner and Weather-Ready Nation Ambassadors initiative participant and is an institutional member of the International Association of Emergency Managers, reflecting its commitment to operational readiness and professional standards. Its work has been supported through competitively awarded grants from the National Science Foundation and funding or project partnerships with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, and the American Red Cross, among others, strengthening research, training, and community preparedness at local to national scales.

Drexel Dornsife’s online infection control and prevention certificate program provides foundational knowledge that allows public health and healthcare professionals to specialize in the prevention of infectious diseases. With a focus on fundamental content in infectious disease, epidemiology and surveillance, and patient safety, this infection preventionist training program was designed for those with a strong background in biology, health sciences, and/or professional experience working clinically in healthcare settings. For example, nurses and physician assistants interested in working in Infection Prevention and Control, or epidemiologists seeking expertise in infectious diseases and their control.