Oklahoma State University

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Fire Emergency Management Program (FEMP) Overview

management structures and functions, analytical skills that enable the practical application of theories, research skills that enable critical analysis of real-world problems, and written communication skills necessary for effective management. The Learning Outcomes for the Fire Emergency Management programs are that: 1. Graduates can demonstrate mastery of substantive theories in and knowledge of fire and emergency management administration and of its application to practical problems and issues in the field. 2. Graduates are able to conduct research and critically analyze problems in the fire and emergency management field. 3. Graduates can demonstrate effective written communication skills.

Oklahoma State University’s graduate program in Fire and Emergency Management Administration Program is one of the oldest programs in the nation. Students receive a superior academic experience in preparing leaders in the fire services, disaster management, emergency management professions, as well as educators and researchers in these fields. Students can complete degree requirements either online as distance students or as a resident on campus. Online Graduate courses typically meet in real time. Distance students join on-campus students in lecture, discussion, and group work, utilizing state of the art classrooms designed for distance education. The FEMP program requires that a minimum of nine hours must be completed on campus in Stillwater, Oklahoma. This can be accomplished during one-week courses in the summer. The program was established in 1996 as a Master of Arts specialization in Fire and Emergency Management within political science. In 1999, the degree changed to the Master of Science in Fire and Emergency Management Administration. The curriculum includes public policy, strategic administration and organizational management, human dimensions of disaster, leadership, and terrorism. In 2009, the Doctor of Philosophy in Fire and Emergency Management Administration was instituted. The PhD degree is designed to produce proficient and active research scholars. It emphasizes preparing talented individuals for faculty careers at major research-oriented academic institutions, but we also welcome applicants whose career interests may lean towards non-academic settings or academic institutions that stress teaching. Regardless of their post-graduation plans, all PhD students are given the same standard of preparation. After all, it takes a competent research scholar to maintain currency in the field and provide their students or employers the best, most contemporary information the discipline has to offer. Only July 1 st , 2018 the Fire and Emergency Management Program moved to the College of Engineering Architecture and Technology as part of the Division of Engineering Technology. This move strengthened the relationship between the FEMP program and the other internationally known, fire-related programs at Oklahoma State University. A major component of Oklahoma State University’s land grant mission is service to community, state, and nation by preparing professionals for jobs in critical service sectors. The mission of the Fire and Emergency Management Administration Program is to prepare professionals for management positions in the critical service professions of fire and rescue, emergency management, emergency medical services, law enforcement, homeland security and related fields in both the public and private sectors. These professions are concerned with the mitigation of, preparedness for, response to, and recovery from the adverse effects of acute exposures to natural, technological, and social hazards. The program specializes in strategic policy, public management, and organizational behavior, human dimensions of disaster, leadership, and counter-terrorism. It also facilitates professional networking among its students and with leaders in the field. The curriculum is designed to provide students with theoretical and substantive knowledge about

Undergraduate Programs • Emergency Management, Minor (p. 1505) Graduate Programs

The Fire and Emergency Management Program, housed in the CEAT Division of Engineering Technology offers a Master of Science degree in fire and emergency management administration, a PhD in fire and emergency management and administration, and an undergraduate minor in emergency management. The MS and Phd in Fire and Emergency Management Administration are specialized degrees designed to provide an educational foundation for those who are currently serving or aspire to serve as managers or administrators in the fire service, emergency management, emergency medical services, law enforcement, or homeland security in the public, private, or nonprofit sectors. Admission Requirements for Master’s Degree Programs Any student having a bachelor's degree with an overall 3.00 grade-point average (on a 4.00 scale) may be admitted as a student in full standing. Those with less than an overall 3.00 grade-point average are considered for admission on a probationary basis. In addition to the general requirements outlined above, candidates for the Master of Science degree in fire and emergency management administration must meet one of the following requirements: 1. Have significant practical experience in a fire or emergency service organization. 2. Have a bachelor's degree or a minor in fire or emergency services related discipline such as fire protection technology, fire management administration, fire science, emergency management, disaster science, criminal justice, emergency services administration; or 3. Not meeting the criteria specified in 1 or 2 above, completed a minimum of 12 hours of undergraduate study in fire protection and/or emergency management, or provide significant proof that studies in another field led to knowledge and experience in fire or emergency services field, such as a final project related to fire or one of the emergency services listed above or an internship with a fire, emergency service, or law enforcement related organization in the public, private, or nonprofit sector.