Graduate Homeland Security and Emergency Management Certificate Online
Graduate Homeland Security and Emergency Management Certificate Online
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GCU is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, and prides itself on the quality of our instruction. We strive to instill in our students a strong sense of servant leadership and ethical responsibility. To learn more, visit our accreditation page.
This online Graduate Certificate in Homeland Security and Emergency Management from Grand Canyon University can provide you with an opportunity to explore leadership in emergency organizations, create plans for areas impacted by large-scale disasters and build professional ethics into emergency management practice.
In this career field, professionals take a two-pronged approach that is both proactive and reactive. They develop response plans ahead of potential disasters, and then implement those plans once a crisis does occur.1 To prepare you for this field, the coursework for this certificate includes content areas such as leadership and organizations, emergency planning, economics and human issues, and law and legal issues related to emergency management.
Median annual wage for emergency management directors as of May 2022.2
Online: $665 per credit [More Info]
The University will accept one course of the total certificate requirements in transfer.
Credits: Fill out the Lopes Eval to find out what will transfer
Admission Requirements (Master's)
OR 2.5+ Unweighted GPA and
Admission requirements may differ based on degree level, program and modality, or transfer status. Some programs of study may require a higher GPA and/or other qualifying criteria for admission. Please review full admission and program requirements in the University Policy Handbook.
* Degree must be from an accredited college or program that has been approved by GCU.
** Combined verbal/quantitative, after August 2011 (1,000 combined verbal and quantitative, prior to August 2011).
Explore how to help safeguard communities against threats and position yourself to potentially serve as a leader in the homeland security and emergency management field. Fill out the form on this page to learn more about GCU’s online emergency management certificate program.
GCU is committed to providing a quality education based on the pillars of servant leadership, ethics and entrepreneurism. The online homeland security certificate allows you to put your desire for helping others to action by pursuing a career you may find meaningful. Online learning also offers you online learning resources and support as you complete your certificate program.
Before you move forward with your plans to further your education, you may want to do some background research the emergency management career path and graduate certificate. Browse the following FAQs and answers to get started.
You can begin pursuing a career in emergency management by earning an emergency management degree at the baccalaureate level.7 If you already have a bachelor’s degree in another area, consider pursuing a graduate certificate program in emergency management. You may choose to start out by pursuing a position as a local emergency management director. To position yourself to potentially pursue a supervisory role, you could earn your master's in emergency management degree.7 Graduates of this emergency management certificate only need to obtain five more classes (18 credits) to earn their master’s degree.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, emergency management directors have a median annual wage of $79,180 as of May 2022.2
When you are a current student studying homeland security and emergency management, you may qualify to sit for the Certified Homeland Protection Associate (CHPA) Level 1 certification from the National Sheriffs’ Association. This certification does not require prior experience, but it does have other requirements. The next level of certification is the Certified Homeland Protection Professional (CHPP) designation. This certification has additional requirements, such as the completion of relevant coursework and at least four years of relevant experience in the field.8
Homeland security and criminal justice are similar fields. Both of these fields focus on preparing for and responding to various threats that citizens might face. However, whereas criminal justice explores areas such as criminal law, criminology and law enforcement techniques, homeland security explores large-scale threats that may affect a large group of individuals — ranging from terrorism to natural disasters.9 At GCU, the graduate certificate in homeland security is offered through the Colangelo College of Business and emphasizes transferrable skills, such as communication and leadership.
The online homeland security and emergency management graduate certificate is designed for those who would like to become an emergency planner who can lead alongside multiple agencies using robust collaborative networks and build emergency management systems that work cohesively. Skilled leadership is important for managing disasters and emergencies.3 GCU’s certificate explores ways of proactively planning for potential threats and implementing response plans when crises do occur.
In this emergency management graduate certificate program, you will be taught how to develop plans for areas impacted by disasters. This includes:
1 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023, Sept. 6). Emergency Management Directors. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved Sept. 28, 2023.
2 The earnings referenced were reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Emergency Management Directors as of May 2022, retrieved on Sept. 28, 2023. Due to COVID-19, data from 2020 and 2021 may be atypical compared to prior years. BLS calculates the median using salaries of workers nationwide with varying levels of education and experience. It does not reflect the earnings of GCU graduates as emergency management directors, nor does it reflect earnings of workers in one city or region of the country or a typical entry-level salary. Median income is the statistical midpoint for the range of salaries in a specific occupation. It represents what you would earn if you were paid more money than half the workers in an occupation, and less than half the workers in an occupation. It may give you a basis to estimate what you might earn at some point if you enter this career. Grand Canyon University can make no guarantees on individual graduates’ salaries. Your employability will be determined by numerous factors over which GCU has no control, such as the employer the graduate chooses to apply to, the graduate’s experience level, individual characteristics, skills, etc., against a pool of candidates.
3 My Next Move. (n.d.). First-Line Supervisors of Police & Detectives. Retrieved Sept. 28, 2023.
4 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023, Sept. 6). How To Become An Emergency Management Director. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved Sept. 28, 2023.
5 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023, Sept. 6). How To Become A Training And Development Manager. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved Sept. 28, 2023.
6 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023, September 6). How To Become A Project Management Specialist. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved Sept. 28, 2023.
7 Indeed. (2023, June 30). How To Become An Emergency Planner In 7 Steps. Indeed. Retrieved Sept. 28, 2023.
8 National Sheriffs’ Association. (n.d.). Certified Homeland Protection Professional (CHPP). National Sheriffs’ Association. Retrieved Sept. 28, 2023.
9 Indeed. (2022, June 24). Homeland Security Vs. Criminal Justice Degree: What’s The Difference? Indeed. Retrieved Sept. 28, 2023.
This online certificate in homeland security can prepare you to plan for and respond to homeland security situations and emergency management career experiences. In addition, GCU offers intentional integration of a Christian worldview perspective in its programs. Incorporation of Christian principles within the emergency management certificate can provide a greater opportunity to be a force of good in today’s world. For example, you will be challenged to address how you would handle an information technology ethical dilemma from a Christian worldview perspective.
This emergency management certificate focuses on essential business leadership skills, such as critical thinking, strategic reasoning, delegation and supervision, organized and methodical time management and problem-solving with team cooperation. The curriculum is designed to instill a solid foundation applicable to a range of disaster recovery planning and business continuity management careers.
Some examples of careers that you might consider pursuing can include:3,4,5,6
First-line supervisors of police and detectives
Emergency management directors
Training and development managers
Project management specialists
The homeland security and emergency management courses are designed to instill a foundation of career-specific competencies, as well as transferrable skills. By the time you complete this certificate in emergency management, you will have been prompted to articulate a vision for your organization that serves the greater good of all stakeholders. You will also have the opportunities to develop leadership skills necessary to coach and mentor others.
You will complete various courses with topics that are relevant to homeland security and emergency management. Course topics will focus on:
Key concepts in leadership
The planning and management processes, and related issues
Strategic, political, economic and human issues pertaining to disaster management
Legal and ethical applications of disaster response implementation
The public sector’s roles in contingency planning and response
The nature of natural and technological risks and emergencies
What issues to expect in a disaster and how to plan accordingly
The development of a resource management plan
The federal, state and local legislation related to emergency management
