Emergency Management
| www.ndsu.edu/emgt/ |
Department Head: Dr. Daniel Klenow
Graduate Coordinator: Dr. Jessica Jensen
Department Location: Mindard Hall
Telephone Number: (701) 231-5595
Degrees Offered: Ph.D., M.S.
Application Deadline: February 15 for fall semester
Test Requirements: GRE (All applicants who have not completed a master's degree in the United States.)
English Proficiency TOEFL ibT 71
Requirements: IELTS 6
Program Description
The mission of NDSU's Emergency Management Program is to create a cadre of graduates with extensive theoretical and applied knowledge in emergency management who can advance the field and discipline of emergency management. The program is built on a core of emergency management and methods/theory courses to help students approach the study of disasters and emergency management from the emergency management disciplinary perspective. Additionally, the program draws from other disciplines that enhance the development of processes and techniques to deal with emergencies and disasters.
The master's and doctoral degree programs in emergency management at NDSU are campus-based. Potential students are encouraged to visit the campus and meet faculty and current graduate students.
Master of Science Degree
The comprehensive and challenging Master's degree programs in Emergency Management are intended to explore the academic research literature related to emergency management as well as provide students with opportunities to apply their knowledge through research and/or practicum. The program is built on a core of emergency management courses to help students learn how human beings create, interact, and cope with hazards, vulnerability, and associated events. The program emphasizes the study of how human beings cope with hazard events through activities related to preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation.
The Department of Emergency Management offers two tracks in its master's degree program. The first option-the thesis track-is a research-focused degree track that entails a combination of emergency management coursework and research methods. This option is ideal for graduate students who intend to pursue a doctoral degree in Emergency Management or a related discipline and for those students who want to complete a traditional master's degree. The second option-the comprehensive study option is a more practice-based track with coursework in emergency management and a significant practicum requirement.
Doctoral Degree
North Dakota State University offers a Doctor of Philosophy in Emergency Management designed to prepare graduates for careers teaching future generations of emergency management students in higher education programs, conducting research that describes and explains patterns, processes, change, and effectiveness/efficiency related to emergency management, and/or policy development and analysis related to emergency management.
The degree program is built on a core of emergency management courses to help students learn how human beings create, interact, and cope with hazards, vulnerability, and associated events. The program emphasizes the study of how human beings cope with hazard events through activities related to preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation. Additionally, the degree program requires students to choose two areas of concentration built on courses from disciplines outside of emergency management to complement their emergency management educational foundation.
This comprehensive and challenging program is committed both to extensive research and its practical application in the areas of emergency management. Throughout the graduate career, students will have the opportunity to conduct research and work in the field.
The Ph.D. is awarded in recognition of significant depth of understanding and scholarly achievement in emergency management. The recipient must complete all of the required course work, pass three written comprehensive exams (one on emergency management theory, one that applies the student's areas of concentration to emergency management, and one on research methods), complete a novel and significant research project for the dissertation; and successfully defend this research in an oral examination. The student's progress will be reviewed by a supervisory committee that is responsible for reviewing the student's plan of study, written comprehensive examinations, dissertation proposal, and dissertation defense.
Admissions Requirements
Students can be admitted to our graduate program with either a baccalaureate degree (for admission to the master's program) or with an approved master's degree (for admission to the doctoral program). For admission in full standing to the master's program, students will be required to have a GPA of 3.2 or higher in their undergraduate *major and a 3.0 overall.* *The GRE is required for all applicants .* Applicants must submit their undergraduate and/or graduate transcripts. Students should have adequate background preparation or demonstrated potential in the field of emergency management.
For admission to the doctoral program in full standing, students must satisfy the admission requirements for the master's degree and have a masters degree in emergency management or a related field. Students entering the program with a master's degree will be required to complete a minimum of 60 credits.
The two-stage admissions process for graduate studies in the Department of Emergency Management is as follows:
Stage One
- Applicants must first complete the Graduate School's online application form and submit the required materials.
- Applicants must submit transcripts from the higher education institutions they have attended to the Graduate School.
- Applicants must submit three letters of reference through the Online Application tool. Academic references are preferred.
- All applicants who have not completed a master's degree in the United States must submit GRE scores. If an applicant has completed a master's degree in the United States, then GRE scores are not required but still strongly recommended. It is helpful to have as much data about an applicant and their aptitude for graduate work in our program. In no case are specific GRE discipline tests required. At this time, however, no specific score totals are used as a cutoff. Applications are evaluated holistically using all indicators of student aptitude for successful completion of graduate study in this program. Applicants must submit GRE scores by requesting ETS-GRE send the NDSU Graduate School their score.
- Applicants must submit electronic copies of two writing samples that you have written through the Online Application tool. The samples may be a publication, material from prior coursework, or specifically written for this application. The samples do not have to focus on emergency management or disasters. The samples must be written in English. Writing samples are used to gain information on the applicant's writing style and ability to write research-based papers. Samples submitted in support of an application would ideally be eight or more pages in length. In addition, to meet the objective of the admission criteria the paper must employ formal citations. Writing samples will most typically be library-based research papers but papers based on original data gathering are also encouraged. The latter might be more likely to come from an applicant with a master's degree.
Stage Two
- Applicants invited to participate in the second stage of the admissions process will take part in a conference call interview with two or more of the program faculty. Applicant interviews are designed to provide two-way communication between the faculty and prospective applicant. Faculty will ask questions but will also want the applicant to pose questions about the program and Departmental educational objectives. The interview should assist the applicant and faculty to further assess the goodness-of-fit between the program and the applicant. Interviews will also evaluate the applicant's ability to engage in evidence-based reasoning.
We are most likely to accept doctoral applicants who demonstrate their understanding of the concepts included in the following list of books:
- Mileti, D. (ed) (1999). Disasters by design: A reassessment of natural hazards in the United States. Washington, DC: John Henry Press.
- Rubin, C. (ed) (2007). Emergency Management: The American experience 1900-2006. PERI.
- Sylves, R. (2008). Disaster policy & politics. Washington, DC: CQ Press.
- Tierney, K., Lindell, M., & Perry, R. (2001). Facing the unexpected: Disaster preparedness and response in the United States. Washington, DC: John Henry Press.
- Wisner, B., Blaikie, P., Cannon, T., & Davis, I. (2004). At risk: Natural hazards , people’s vulnerability and disasters. New York: Routledge.
The emergency management faculty at NDSU believe that the best doctoral degree program in emergency management will be made up of a diverse student body. We welcome applicants to the doctoral degree program with Master's degrees from a variety of disciplines; applicants from all countries; applicants with different professional backgrounds; and, applicants with varying goals and interests. We want to ensure, however, that applicants entering the program are knowledgeable about emergency management and some of the literature that provides the foundation for the discipline. Therefore, when applicants are interviewed during the application process, the faculty expects that the best candidates will demonstrate their familiarity with the major concepts presented in the books listed above.
By asking potential doctoral students to enter the program with foundational knowledge of the emergency management literature the Department hopes to accomplish several goals. First, in reading the books on the reading list, prospective students will be able to confirm their desire to pursue a doctoral education in the discipline of emergency management. Second, the Department assumes that students who undertake this reading in preparation for their application interview will be bright, motivated, and passionate about the study of emergency management. Third, and finally, a basic understanding of the emergency management literature will help students coming into the program from a variety of backgrounds succeed once they begin their studies at NDSU.
Financial Assistance
Both teaching and research assistantships are available contingent on departmental and faculty research funds. All students are automatically considered for graduate assistantships, unless they request otherwise, so no separate application process is required for such consideration. Awards are based on past academic and professional performance. The review process is highly competitive.
Emergency Management Master's Thesis Track
| Core | ||
| SOC 700 | Qualitative Methods 1 | 3 |
| SOC 701 | Quantitative Methods 1,2 | 3 |
| EMGT 720 | Theory, Research and Practice | 3 |
| Disaster Phases | ||
| EMGT 761 | Preparedness Theory and Practice | 3 |
| EMGT 762 | Mitigation Theory and Practice | 3 |
| EMGT 763 | Response Theory and Practice | 3 |
| EMGT 764 | Recovery Theory and Practice | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Select 3 of the following: | 9 | |
| Hazard, Risk, and Vulnerability Assessments | ||
| Comprehensive Emergency Management Planning | ||
| Spatial Analysis in Emergency Management | ||
| International Disasters | ||
| Special Populations in Disasters | ||
| Disaster Analysis | ||
| Business Continuity & Crisis Management | ||
| Voluntary Agency Disaster Services | ||
| Disaster and Culture | ||
| Special Topics | ||
| Topics in Rhetoric, Writing, and Culture | ||
| Advanced Research Methods | ||
| Practicum | ||
| EMGT 795 | Field Experience | 3 |
| Thesis | ||
| EMGT 798 | Master's Thesis (minimum 6 - maximum 10 credits, only 6 count toward degree) | 6 |
| Total Credits | 39 | |
| 1 | Students must have completed an undergraduate research methods course prior to enrolling in Quantitative and Qualitative Methods. |
| 2 | Students must complete a statistics course as a prerequisite for Quantitative Methods. |
Those students lacking in field experience will be expected to complete an applied, field-based emergency management practicum; however, students with ample field experience in emergency management will be expected to complete a research practicum to fulfill the practicum credits. The research practicum can be fulfilled by participating in a member of the faculty's research or by the student conducting his/her own research under the supervision of a faculty member. The student and his /her advisor will determine the type of practicum a student ought to take.
Emergency Management Master's Comprehensive Study Track
| Core | ||
| EMGT 720 | Theory, Research and Practice | 3 |
| EMGT 761 | Preparedness Theory and Practice | 3 |
| EMGT 762 | Mitigation Theory and Practice | 3 |
| EMGT 763 | Response Theory and Practice | 3 |
| EMGT 764 | Recovery Theory and Practice | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Group A: Emergency Management Elective Courses | ||
| Select four of the following: | 12 | |
| Hazard, Risk, and Vulnerability Assessments | ||
| Comprehensive Emergency Management Planning | ||
| International Disasters | ||
| Special Populations in Disasters | ||
| Disaster Analysis | ||
| Business Continuity & Crisis Management | ||
| Voluntary Agency Disaster Services | ||
| Disaster and Culture | ||
| Special Topics | ||
| Group B: Critical Thinking and Analysis Elective Courses | ||
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| Topics in Rhetoric, Writing, and Culture | ||
| Applied Statistics | ||
| Qualitative Methods 1 | ||
| Quantitative Methods 1,2 | ||
| Advanced Research Methods | ||
| Spatial Analysis in Emergency Management | ||
| Practicum | ||
| EMGT 795 | Field Experience | 6 |
| Comprehensive Study Paper | ||
| EMGT 797 | Master's Paper | 3 |
| Total Credits | 42 | |
| 1 | Students must have completed an undergraduate research methods course prior to enrolling in Quantitative and Qualitative Methods. |
| 2 | Students must complete a statistics course as a prerequisite for Quantitative Methods. |
Those students lacking in field experience will be expected to complete an applied, field-based emergency management practicum; however, students with ample field experience in emergency management will be expected to complete a research practicum to fulfill the practicum credits. The research practicum can be fulfilled by participating in a member of the faculty's research or by the student conducting his/her own research under the supervision of a faculty member. The student and his /her advisor will determine the type of practicum a student ought to take.
Doctorate in Emergency Management
| Group A: Theory and Methods | 15 | |
| Qualitative Methods 1 | ||
| Quantitative Methods 1,2 | ||
| Theory, Research and Practice | ||
| Advanced Research Methods | ||
| Applied Statistics | ||
| Emergency Management Functional Areas | 12 | |
| Preparedness Theory and Practice | ||
| Mitigation Theory and Practice | ||
| Response Theory and Practice | ||
| Recovery Theory and Practice | ||
| Functional Area Specialization (complete two courses) | 6 | |
EMGT 861 | ||
EMGT 862 | ||
EMGT 863 | ||
EMGT 864 | ||
| Emergency Management Elective Courses (complete seven courses) | 21 | |
| Comprehensive Emergency Management Planning | ||
| Spatial Analysis in Emergency Management | ||
| Hazard, Risk, and Vulnerability Assessments | ||
| International Emergency Management | ||
| Issues in Homeland Security and Emergency Management | ||
| Vulnerability and Functional Needs in Emergency Management | ||
| Business Continuity & Crisis Management | ||
| Disaster Analysis | ||
| Voluntary Agency Disaster Services | ||
| Disaster and Culture | ||
| Special Topics | ||
| Other electives (complete four courses, 12 credits) 3 | 12 | |
| Practicum (complete total of three courses | 9 | |
| Practicum/Internship 4 | ||
| Field Experience | ||
| Dissertation | 15 | |
| Doctoral Dissertation | ||
| Total Credits | 90 | |
| 1 | Students must have taken an undergraduate or graduate research methods course prior to enrolling in both Quantitative and Qualitative Methods. |
| 2 | Students must have taken a statistics course prior to enrolling in Quantitative Methods. |
| 3 | |
| 4 |
Areas of Concentration
Business, Logistics and Security Management
| BUSN 630 | (A) | 3 |
| CED 753 | Not-for-profit Management (EO) | 3 |
| HD&E 777 | Advanced Stress Management | 3 |
| MIS 770 | Information Resources Management (A) | 3 |
| TL 711 | Logistics Systems (A) | 4 |
| TL 719 | Crisis Analysis and Homeland Security (A) | 3 |
| TL 721 | International Logistics Management (A) | 4 |
| EMGT 661 | Business Continuity & Crisis Management (if not taken in Group A) - (A) | 3 |
Communication
| COMM 725 | Communication and Change (A) | 3 |
| COMM 783 | Advanced Organizational Communication I (EO) | 3 |
| COMM 784 | Advanced Organizational Communication II (EO) | 3 |
| COMM 785 | Advanced Crisis Communication in Public Relations (A) | 3 |
| COMM 786 | Risk Communication (EO) | 3 |
Community Development and Change
| CED 711 | Principles and Strategies of Community Change (online) - (A) | 3 |
| CED 713 | Community Development II: Organizing for Community Change (online) - (A) | 3 |
| CED 717 | Community and Regional Economic Policy and Analysis (online) - (A) | 3 |
| COMM 725 | Communication and Change (A) | 3 |
| TL 727 | Organizational Change Management (A) | 3 |
| SOC 639 | Social Change (EO) | 3 |
Environmental
| ECON 681 | Natural Resource Economics (A) | 3 |
| ECS 770 | Environmental Law and Policy (EO) | 3 |
| HIST 634 | Environmental History (A) | 3 |
| NRM 631 | National Environmental Policy Act & Environental Impact Assessment (A) | 3 |
| NRM 632 | Environmental Impact Statement (A) | 2 |
| NRM 702 | Natural Resources Management Planning (A) | 3 |
| NRM 720 | Natural Resource Administration & Policy (A) | 2 |
| SOC 631 | Environmental Sociology (EO) | 3 |
Geology
| GEOL 612 | Geomorphology | 3 |
| GEOL 614 | Hydrogeology | 3 |
| GEOL 620 | Mineralogy | 3 |
| GEOL 628 | Geochemistry | 3 |
| GEOL 657 | Structural Geology | 4 |
International
| ANTH 664 | Disaster and Culture (EO) | 3 |
| ECON 672 | International Trade (A) | 3 |
| POLS 650 | Politics of the Developing Countries (A) | 3 |
| POLS 642 | Global Policy Issues (EO) | 3 |
| TL 721 | International Logistics Management (A) | 4 |
| SOC 643 | International Disasters | 3 |
Social and Cultural
| ANTH 681 | Qualitative Methods in Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTH 662 | Anthropology and the Environment (A) | 3 |
| ANTH 664 | Disaster and Culture (EO) | 3 |
| SOC 610 | Social Inequality (EO) | 3 |
| SOC 631 | Environmental Sociology (EO) | 3 |
| SOC 639 | Social Change (EO) | 3 |
Organizations
| COMM 783 | Advanced Organizational Communication I (EO) | 3 |
| COMM 784 | Advanced Organizational Communication II (EO) | 3 |
| MGMT 630 | Leadership in Organization | 3 |
| MGMT 750 | Advanced Organizational Behavior | 3 |
| PSYC 653 | Organizational Psychology | 3 |
| TL 727 | Organizational Change Management (A) | 3 |
Public Health
| MICR 650 | Infectious Disease Pathogenesis | 3 |
| MICR 670 | Basic Immunology | 3 |
| MICR/SAFE 674 | Epidemiology | 3 |
| MPH 704 | Leading and Managing Public Health Systems | 3 |
| MPH 705 | Global Health | 3 |
| MPH 715 | Emergency Management for Public Health Professionals | 3 |
| SAFE 604 | Epidemiology of Foodborne Illness | 1 |
| MPH 710 | Healthcare Delivery in the United States | 3 |
Courses taken at the undergraduate level (400) cannot be retaken at the graduate level (600). Pick a minimum of 1 area of concentration and complete a minimum of 9 credits within that area. Students may mix and match the rest of their electives in this section as desired. Note: To earn a second area of concentration a student must complete 9 credits within the additional area.
A indicates a course that is offered annually; and, EO indicates a course that is offered every other year.
Students will complete 3 comprehensive exams as part of the doctoral degree program. One exam will be to assess student knowledge of emergency management theory; one exam will be to assess student knowledge of methodology; and, one exam will be to assess student ability to apply what they learned in their area(s) of concentration to the discipline of emergency management.
Note: Courses in this section of electives are for prior thesis, comprehensive study, or technical papers completed as part of a master's degree program, didactic courses, seminars, independent study, and/or field research. Students may also take an additional 6 credits from Group B above.
Those students lacking in field experience will be expected to complete an applied, field-based emergency management practicum; however, students with ample field experience in emergency management will be expected to complete a research practicum to fulfill the practicum credits. The research practicum can be fulfilled by participating in a member of the faculty's research or by the student conducting his/her own research under the supervision of a faculty member. The student and his /her advisor will determine the type of practicum a student ought to take.
Carol Cwiak, J.D., Ph.D.
Western State University, 1995
North Dakota State University, 2009
Research Interests: Preparedness and Mitigation, Business Continuity, Law and Emergency Management
Yue (Gurt) Ge, Ph.D.
Texas A&M, 2013
Research Interests: Land Use Planning & Emergency Planning, Hazard Mitigation & Disaster Recovery, Environmental Hazards Management, Spatial Analysis
Jessica Jensen, Ph.D.
North Dakota State University, 2010
Research Interests: Development of Emergency Management Discipline, Bureaucratization in Emergency Management
Daniel J. Klenow, Ph.D.
University of Notre Dame, 1977
Research Interests: Special Populations, International Disasters, Emergency Management Theory and Methodology
George A. Youngs, Ph.D.
University of Iowa, 1981
Research Interests: Social Psychology, Research Methods, Sociology of Disasters, Emergency Management
