Disasters Are Getting Stronger, But So Are We
Get ahead of the chaos with a unique Master of Science in Disaster and Emergency Management degree from Nova Southeastern University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine. Ranked first in the nation for interprofessional emergency management education, this program will strengthen your professional skill set and provide you with cutting-edge training to manage and mitigate the most complex issues. You'll have access to some of the country's best educators in the field, plus connections to community organizations to get firsthand experience. Graduate with a core knowledge and a portfolio demonstrating your abilities.
Connect With a Larger Community as You Enrich Your Career
With online, evening courses, you’ll have minimal interruptions to your daily life and current career. And since hands-on learning is critical to emergency management, you’ll work with your professors to get connected to community partners to participate in practicums and volunteerism as part of the program’s mission of service.
Announcing NSU's new Doctor of Science in Crisis and Emergency Management
Starting January 2024 (pending approval by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges). Email for more information.
The DEM program provides invaluable insights into the field of emergency management while teaching you practical, tested, and scalable EM techniques that are applicable to real-world emergency events. The professors, coursework, and interactive student participation gave me information and techniques that I was able to put into practice almost immediately.
Christopher Steers | DEM M.S., 2019
Quick Facts
Tuition
Credits & Requirements
The M.S. in Disaster and Emergency Management program is 36 total credits and involves a practicum project.
Application Deadlines
For Winter Admission: December 15
For Summer Admission: April 15
For Fall Admission: August 1
Delivery Options
The Disaster and Emergency Management master’s program is offered online so you can fit class into your schedule.
What Is an Emergency Manager?
The essential emergency manager plays a vital role in helping communities, businesses, and public agencies recover from a spectrum of disasters. Job growth in the field is predicted to remain strong—the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts an 8% growth rate until 2026 and organizations at the local, national, and international levels are investing heavily in the field.
Why Earn Your M.S. in Emergency Management at NSU?
Flexible, Online Learning
Earn your master’s degree with minimal disruption to your daily life while using innovative web-based learning tools. The online nature of the program allows for you to learn from some of the best and brightest in the field.
Customize Your Concentration
Half of what you study is up to you. Mix and match your courses from six different concentrations: public health, cybersecurity, criminal justice/law enforcement, environmental hazards, fire administration, or maritime safety and security.
Community Service
At the core of emergency management is service. Get connected to community partners like your local emergency response team or FEMA to participate in trainings, drills, and workshops.
Earning Potential
Community Partnerships
From assisting with disaster relief from recent hurricanes to providing support in donor recruitment for the Medical Reserves Corps’ participating with the Community Emergency Response Team, students of the DEM program are actively participating in community partnerships and getting valuable, real-world experience.
You’ll be able to easily find your fit for your final practicum thanks to our partnerships and connected community organizations.
Disaster and Emergency Management M.S. Curriculum
From the local to the international level, you’ll study the theory of emergency management and develop the skills required to be a leader in this interprofessional field. All students cover the areas of all-hazards prevention, response, mitigation, and recovery. You may choose a specialty track in maritime safety and security, cyber security, criminal justice, public health, fire administration or environmental hazards .
Explore Disaster and Emergency Management as a Non-Degree Seeking Student
If you'd like to take a few courses for exploration, professional development, or prep for another track, you can enroll as a non-degree seeking student and take up to 15 credits. You must still apply, send in your transcripts, and pay the application fee.
If you decide later to pursue the Master of Science in Disaster and Emergency Management degree, you will need to submit a new application. Your previous coursework does not guarantee acceptance into the degree-seeking program. However, if accepted into the degree program, your previous coursework may be eligible for transfer toward the degree.
Admission Requirements
Ready for the Next Step?
Let’s get started! You can apply for entry in any one of the three semesters—fall, winter, or summer.
Go to Application
Complete the online application form
If you’re a first-time user, be sure to create a Graduate Account to begin.
Pay the nonrefundable application fee of $50 (USD)
You can pay this online through the application portal or send a check to the address below.
Request your transcripts
Request transcripts from all schools attended and/or agency evaluation of foreign degree to be mailed to the address below or sent electronically to electronictranscript@nova.edu.
Write a statement of interest
Please briefly explain (500-word minimum) why you are interested in the program to which you are applying, as well as your professional goals, your assessment of your abilities to manage the challenges of graduate school, and any other information you would like to provide.
Request two letters of recommendation
Provide two signed letters of recommendation on official letterhead. You may request the recommendation electronically through the application system or have it emailed to the address below.
Submitting Your Materials
Please email all documents to: admitdocs@nova.edu
Mailing Address (Domestic)
Nova Southeastern University
Enrollment Processing Services (EPS)
College of Osteopathic Medicine
M.S. in Disaster and Emergency Management
3301 College Avenue
P.O. Box 299000
Fort Lauderdale, Fl 33314-9905
Applicants or enrollees of the Master of Science in Disaster and Emergency Management Program (MSDEM) may petition for a transfer of up to 12 credit hours toward their degree from an accredited institution.
To be considered for transfer of credit, courses must have been completed prior to admission to the MSDEM Program and less than five years prior to the beginning of the student's first semester in the MSDEM Program. All courses to be transferred must be substantially equivalent to courses offered in the program, as determined by the Program Director and appropriate faculty.
All courses considered for transfer into the program must have been successfully completed with a grade of "B" (80) or better. Transfer course grades are not calculated toward the students Grade Point Average.
An accepted applicant to the program who wishes to receive transfer credit must submit a written request along with the appropriate verification documents (e.g., official transcripts, syllabi, and catalogs) to the Program Director.
Foreign nationals who reside outside the United States at the time of application and whose native language is not English must present evidence of proficiency in English by satisfactorily completing the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Score requirements are as follows: minimum paper score = 550; minimum computerized score = 213; minimum Internet score = 79. A score of 6.0 on the International English Language Testing System (ILETS) exam is accepted in lieu of the TOEFL.
For a full list of English proficiency tests that are accepted by the university, please visit International Students. Test scores must be submitted to the admissions office. For a TOEFL application information, visit the website at TOEFL or write to:
TOEFL
Educational Testing Services
Princeton, New Jersey 08540 (609) 771-7100
Applicants who have attended foreign universities or colleges are required to have their academic credentials evaluated for U.S. institutional equivalence. While there are several credential evaluators, the most widely used companies are listed below, or visit NACES.
World Education Services, Inc.
P.O. Box 745
Old Chelsea Station
New York, New York
10113-0745
(212) 966-6311
www.wes.org
Josef Silny & Associates
7101 SW 102nd Avenue
Miami, Florida 33173
(305) 273-1616
www.jsilny.org
Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc.
P.O. Box 514070
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53203-3470
(414) 289-3400
www.ece.org
International students are encouraged to contact the Office of International Student Services at (954) 262-7240 or 800-541-6682, ext. 27240, or by emailing International Students or visiting the International Students web page.
A GRE or MAT score is preferred, but not required, from all applicants except those who currently have a terminal degree (e.g., Ph.D., D.M.D., J.D., etc.) or those who already hold a master's degree from a regionally accredited U.S. university or college, or a college or university accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) Accrediting Commission.
Questions About
the Program?
Contact Roseanne Alhindi
at ra1167@nova.edu or call
954-701-2607.
After Applying, What Happens Next?
Depending on the time of year, the review process may take a few weeks. You can check your application status at any time via the online application portal. Once a decision has been made, notification is sent via email to the address on file.