Emergency Management & Homeland Security
About this program
When emergencies strike, planning and preparation can make a world of difference. At Penn College, our Emergency Management & Homeland Security program focuses on real-world skills. The more you learn now, the better you’ll be prepared to act in the future. Gain practical skills to tackle all phases of emergencies, disasters, and catastrophes. Then put them to the test in mock crisis activities and other skill-building collaborative exercises.
FEDERAL & PA GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE DISCOUNT
Federal employees, and employees of state and regional government agencies in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are eligible for a 25% tuition discount.
Join the Penn College Emergency Management & Homeland Security Community 
Careers
- Emergency management coordinator & specialist
- Emergency planner
- Public health preparedness worker
- Healthcare preparedness worker
- Private sector consultant
Courses
At Penn College, we believe your educational experience should go beyond specialized skills. Real-world ready means taking a broader approach that builds communication skills, inspires collaboration, and encourages exploration of arts, history, and science.
Specialization requires in-depth knowledge and high-level proficiency. Students learn and apply major-specific concepts, skills, and methods.
- Introduction to Emergency Management Operations (BEM101)
- Introduction to Sociology (SOC111)
- The History & Evolution of Emergency Management (BEM103)
- Incident Command System Operations (BEM201)
- Emergencies, Disasters & Catastrophes (BEM202)
- Disaster Preparation & Planning (BEM210)
- Crisis Communication (BEM221)
- Geospatial Information Systems in Emergency Management (BEM254)
- Disaster Recovery (BEM230)
- Directed Emergency Management Elective (BEM)
- World History I (HIS116) or
- World History II (HIS126)
- Introduction to Homeland Security (BEM340)
- Bioterrorism (BEM350)
- Criminal Justice (HSJ263)
- International Relations (PSC261)
- Trauma-Informed Care (HSJ302)
- Critical Infrastructure (BEM300)
- Terrorism, Civil War & Genocide (PSC402)
- Principles of Public Administration (PSC251)
- Technological Elements of Emergency Management (BEM311)
- Research Methods (SOC313)
- Emergency Management Internship (BEM450)
- Emergency Management Capstone (BEM495)
Perspectives are points of view, offering a variety of ways of understanding, interacting, and influencing the world. Students identify, explain, and utilize the approaches used by academics and professionals to study, analyze, or understand problems, and offer solutions.
Foundations are the practical, intellectual, and social skills: communication, collaboration, critical and ethical thinking, quantitative thinking, and technological literacy that are crucial to every student at every stage of education and at every stage of life.
- Information, Technology & Society (CSC124)
- English Composition I (ENL111)
- Mathematics Elective (MTH)
- Speech Elective (SPC)
- Business Statistics (MTH157) or
- Statistics for Health & Behavioral Sciences (MTH159) or
- Statistics for STEM Fields with Computer Applications (MTH161)
- Technical & Professional Communication (ENL201)
Next steps...
You're on your way to becoming a tomorrow maker.
Featured Video
Internship Experiences
With 300 hours of internship experience, Emergency Management & Homeland Security students get hands-on experience in real-world settings.
Rotorfest 2023
Check out Rotorfest 2023—an action-packed day ran by emergency management & homeland security students. The event included a lineup of emergency services helicopters, drones, and vehicles.
Maker Profiles
Student
Brooke Strubel
Emergency Management & Homeland Security
Brooke has always been inspired to help others. Her career as an EMT allows her to do exactly that.
Alumni
Gaven Crosby
Emergency Management & Homeland Security
Discipline learned as a reserve soldier helps Gaven stay calm under pressure.
Faculty
David Bjorkman
Emergency Management & Homeland Security
His proven approach blends research and theory with real-world experience.
Listen to David E. Bjorkman, instructor of emergency management/social science, as he discusses the program, career opportunities, the realistic disaster simulations in which students participate, and the overwhelming acceptance by veteran emergency managers.
Tour Schedule
Seeing is believing.
Think Penn College might be a good fit for you? Make plans to visit and discover what hands-on learning is all about.
Facilities
Emergency Operations Center
Practice your planning tactics and response strategy in our on-campus training center.
Industry Partners
Work with experts to become an expert
Penn College's strong corporate partnerships impact every step of your journey – from your first day in the classroom and labs, to career placement (oftentimes before graduation) and beyond.
Career Fair Connections
Penn College graduates are in high demand. Employer participation at the Career Fair is proof. Attracting 400+ organizations, this popular event is hosted twice per year and introduces students to all types of businesses from startups to Fortune 500 companies.
Student Life
Lead and put your skills to the test
Emergency Management Club
Our Emergency Management Club promotes, fosters, and advocates for the professional development within the field of emergency management through trainings, conferences, and professional development opportunities within the emergency management community.
Student Organizations at Penn College
Your college experience is about more than the classroom. Join one of 65+ clubs and organizations, or create your own.
Penn College News
Tuesday, April 8, 2025
WNEP-TV reports on third annual Rotorfest
Thursday, December 12, 2024
Emergency management instructor receives national honor
Tuesday, November 19, 2024
Software donation benefits emergency management major
Study Abroad
Gain global experience
See the world via Williamsport. Take your education abroad and get hands-on experience learning about your industry on a global scale.
Internship
Your knowledge in practice
Internships are key for career preparation. During the eighth and final semester, apply what you’ve learned in the real world working with an emergency preparedness, response, or recovery organization.
Student Experience
The community as their classroom
Mock crisis authentically adds to interdisciplinary preparedness
Penn College students joined area law enforcement, emergency management and healthcare professionals in a recent simulation at UPMC Susquehanna Williamsport Regional Medical Center and a variety of other locations.
More Information
Students must complete all BEM-designated courses with a grade of 'C' or above. Failure to achieve a grade of 'C' or above in a course after the maximum attempts allowed by college policy, results in withdrawal from the major. Students should work closely with their academic advisors and program faculty to ensure that they are meeting all criteria for satisfactory progress in the program.
Continued progression in the program, to include eligibility for internship courses and graduation, is predicated not only upon satisfactory academic performance, but also upon satisfactory demonstration of professional and ethical responsibility, personal responsibility, and satisfactory demonstration of skills and abilities prerequisite to the ethical delivery of services in the field. For more specific information about the criteria used to evaluate students' progress, a copy of the program manual can be obtained from the School of Business, Arts & Sciences.
Internal and external transfers may carry parallel major courses into the baccalaureate when the grades are 'C' or better. Transcripts should be submitted with the application for admission and will be evaluated by Registrar staff and by academic school staff. By its nature, prior work experience in emergency services, military, and other appropriate work backgrounds will be evaluated for transfer evaluation and placement in the major. The academic school dean and full-time faculty will evaluate credit for life experience for course work from applicants with non-credit training or work experience. Credits awarded for work/life experience will be posted to the applicant’s College transcript after successful completion of at least 12 credits at the College.
Alternative Credit refers to academic credits earned through means other than traditional college course completion, including: credit by exam, articulation, proof of competency gained in high school, work/life experience, and advanced placement.
Visit the Alternative Credit Options page in our Course Catalog for general requirements and procedures and for information on credit through Advanced Placement.
- Mr. Benton J Best, County Emergency Management Coordinator, Tioga County Emergency Management Agency
- Ms. Roseann B Cordelli, MPA, Communications Program Manager, Tetra Tech EMI
- Mr. Gaven Crosby, '17, Supervisory Program Manager, FEMA
- Mr. William E Ebersole, JD, CPA, CFE, GISF, Security Compliance/Emergency Manager, Disney Cruise Line
- Ms. Stacey Folk, '23, EMA Manager (Emergency Management Coordinator), Lycoming County Department of Public Safety
- Mr. John W Magyar II, CEM; MCAS; CHS-V, Senior Environmental Health & Safety Technician, Range Resources-Appalachia LLC
- Mr. Chris E Miller, Chief of Police, Pennsylvania College of Technology
- Mr. David Pletz, Chief of Police & Director of Campus Safety, Penn College
- Ms. Kelle B Robinson, County Emergency Management Coordinator, Lycoming County Department of Public Safety
- Mr. Anthony N Subbio, CEM, PMP, MS, Emergency Management Specialist, Tetra Tech, Inc.
- Mr. Jeff Wagner