Certificate Programs

Emergency management and homeland security is a growing field in the United States and around the world. This certificate gives students in just about any program of study a way to stand out from the crowd and learn real world approaches to solving complicated problems.

The certificate program includes courses on:

• Emergency management, both domestic and international
• EM policy development and planning
• Homeland security policy
• Terrorism, including international policy analysis
• Public health
• Public information
• Technology and disaster management

Students complete a variety of classroom and real-world experiences and develop critical skills for working in the field of emergency management. Before a student may be issued a Certificate, they must apply for admission to that Certificate Program. This application must be submitted as early as possible, and before the student has completed six (6) credit hours of courses in the Certificate Program.

The certificate is offered at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. Interested in completing one of our other certificates in Unmanned Aircraft Systems or US Intelligence in addition to an EMHS Certificate? Only one (1) elective from this certificate track may be counted towards another certificate.

Graduate Certificate in Emergency Management & Homeland Security

15 Credit Hours

This program includes skills and knowledge appropriate for practicing managers and all those interested in emergency management training. Students who have completed their undergraduate certificate from this program should contact our office before registering for classes as a graduate student. Successful completion of the courses applied to the EMHS Certificate is defined as a grade of C or higher. Students who receive grades lower than a C in any courses must repeat that course if they wish to have it apply to the EMHS certificate. S/U classes are not accepted in any of our certificates.

Core Courses (Required)

PAD 5397 Foundations in Emergency Management
PAD 5398 Emergency Management Programs, Planning, and Policy

Elective Courses (Choose Three)

PAD 5079 Unmanned Aircraft Systems in Emergency Management
PAD 5310 Disaster Management Planning for Urban Poor Communities (previously PAD 5935)
PAD 5373 Emergency Management Leadership and Communications
PAD 5376 Intro to Terrorism
PAD 5377 Advanced Topics in Terrorism (Prerequisite: Intro to Terrorism)*
* Can be substituted for PAD 5398 Emergency Management Programs, Planning and Policy
PAD 5378 Disaster Systems (Prerequisite: Foundations in Emergency Management)
PAD 5388 Disaster Recovery and Mitigation
PAD 5389 Disasters: From Shock to Recovery (previously PAD 5935)
PAD 5475 Women, Disasters and Conflict
PAD 5828 NGOs and Disasters
PAD 5835 International Comparative Disaster Management
PAD 5837 International Terrorism Policy (Prerequisite: Intro to Terrorism)
PAD 5838 Terrorism and Security in Africa (previously PAD 5935)
PAD 5839 International Conflicts and Terrorism (previously PAD 5935)
PAD 5845 Public Health and Emergency Management
PAD 5848 U.S. Intelligence Community
PAD 5849 U.S. Intelligence Policy
PAD 5895 Homeland Security Policy and Practice
PAD 5896 U.S. Intelligence Analysis and Communication
PAD 5898 Global Security and Fusion (previously PAD 5935)
PAD 5935 Cities at Risk
PAD 5935 Emergency Management Studio
URP 5445 Climate Change and Community Resilience

Undergraduate Certificate in Emergency Management & Homeland Security

12 Credit Hours

This program includes skills and knowledge appropriate for practicing managers and all those interested in emergency management training. Successful completion of the courses applied to the EMHS Certificate is defined as a grade of C or higher. Students who receive grades lower than a C in any courses must repeat that course if they wish to have it apply to the EMHS certificate. S/U classes are not accepted in any of our certificates.

Core Courses (Required)

PAD 4391 Foundations in Emergency Management
PAD 4393 Emergency Management Programs, Planning, and Policy

Elective Courses (Choose Two)

PAD 3012 Mayhem Media
PAD 3931 Mega Disasters
PAD 4075 Unmanned Aircraft Systems in Emergency Management
PAD 4083 Terrorism and Security in Africa (previously PAD 4936)
PAD 4084 International Terrorism Policy (Prerequisite: Intro to Terrorism)
PAD 4301 Disaster Planning for Urban Poor Communities (previously PAD 4936)
PAD 4372 Emergency Management Leadership and Communications
PAD 4374 Intro to Terrorism
PAD 4375 Advanced Topics in Terrorism (Prerequisite: Intro to Terrorism)*
* Can be substituted for PAD 4393 Emergency Management Programs, Planning and Policy
PAD 4380 Disasters: From Shock to Recovery (previously PAD 4936)
PAD 4382 Disaster Recovery and Mitigation
PAD 4395 Disaster Systems (Prerequisite: Foundations in Emergency Management)
PAD 4433 Women, Disasters and Conflict
PAD 4831 International Conflicts and Terrorism (previously PAD 4936)
PAD 4833 International Comparative Disaster Management
PAD 4841 U.S. Intelligence Analysis and Communication
PAD 4842 U.S. Intelligence Policy
PAD 4843 U.S. Intelligence Community
PAD 4844 Public Health and Emergency Management
PAD 4890 Homeland Security Policy and Practice
PAD 4891 NGOs and Disasters
PAD 4897 Global Security and Fusion (previously PAD 4936)
PAD 4936 Cities at Risk
PAD 4936 Regional Security in the Southern Hemisphere
PAD 4936 Emergency Management Studio

EMHS Certificate with Honors

Completing an undergraduate certificate with honors is open to all students including honors and non-honors students. For more information on the Certificate with Honors program, please visit the Division of Undergraduate Studies website.

State and local emergency managers have shown intense interest in what drones can do for the field of emergency management, particularly emergency response, recovery and mitigation. Trade associations estimate 15,000 new drones will be put into service by state and local agencies in the next 15 years.  However, experts in the field are rare, and few are cross trained in management of these systems and the fields in which they are applied.

The Emergency Management and Homeland Security Program has developed extensive UAS capability and expertise.  This includes practical ‘hands on’ usage of the technology as well as the regulatory frameworks, requirements, and realities of using this data in a variety of fields. EMHS has used drones in several disaster risk reduction projects in the Caribbean and is currently collaborating with the Florida Division of Emergency Management on integrating drones into emergency management and public safety.  Three faculty members from EMHS have acquired manufacturer certifications for specific aircraft and the program has received a Certificate of Authorization (COA) from the Federal Aviation Administration to fly UAS for research and educational purposes.

This certificate program gives students another way to differentiate themselves from their peers as well as provides unique and desirable educational and practical experiences.

The certificate program is available at the graduate and undergraduate levels, and is open to all majors.  Students may take the UAS courses without being enrolled in the certificate program. Before a student may be issued a Certificate, they must apply for admission to that Certificate Program. This application must be submitted as early as possible, and before the student has completed six (6) credit hours of courses in the Certificate Program. Interested in completing one of our other certificates in Emergency Management and Homeland Security or US Intelligence in addition to the UAS Certificate? Only one (1) elective from this certificate track may be counted towards another certificate.

Graduate Certificate in the Application of Unmanned Aircraft Systems

15 Credit Hours

The graduate certificate in the Application of UAS requires 15 credit hours selected from the list below. The three core courses are required, while the remaining credit hours may come from anywhere on the list. Successful completion of the courses applied to the Application of UAS certificate is defined as a grade of C or higher. Students who receive grades lower than a C in any courses must repeat that course if they wish to have it apply to the Application of UAS certificate. S/U classes are not accepted in any of our certificates.

Certificate Learning Outcomes

1. Successful students will be able to describe and discuss the operational components of an unmanned aircraft system.
2. Successful students will demonstrate the planning process for the operational use of a UAS.
3. Successful students will be able to utilize and implement the integration of UAS operations into existing public safety programs and systems.
4. Successful students will describe the policy implications of UAS integrations and use, including privacy issues, cost issues, and liability issues.

Core Courses (Required)

PAD 5079 Unmanned Aircraft Systems in Emergency Management
PAD 5078 Application of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Prerequisite: UAS in EM)
PAD 5935 Geospatial Intelligence in Emergency Management (Prior to Summer 2024: Policy and Implementation of UAS)

Elective Courses (Choose Two)

PAD 5397 Foundations of Emergency Management
PAD 5378 Disaster Systems (Prerequisite: Foundations in Emergency Management)
GIS 5101 Geographic Information Systems
GIS 5034 Introduction to Remote Sensing
URP 5101 Planning Theory and Practice
URP 5272 Urban and Regional Information Systems

Undergraduate Certificate in the Application of Unmanned Aircraft Systems

12 Credit Hours

The undergraduate certificate in the Application of UAS requires 12 credit hours selected from the list below. The two core courses are required, while the remaining credit hours may come from anywhere on the list. Successful completion of the courses applied to the Application of UAS certificate is defined as a grade of C or higher. Students who receive grades lower than a C in any courses must repeat that course if they wish to have it apply to the Application of UAS certificate. S/U classes are not accepted in any of our certificates.

Certificate Learning Outcomes

1. Successful students will be able to describe and discuss the operational components of an unmanned aircraft system.
2. Successful students will demonstrate the planning process for the operational use of a UAS.
3. Successful students will be able to utilize and implement the integration of UAS operations into existing public safety programs and systems.

Core Courses (Required)

PAD 4075 Unmanned Aircraft Systems in Emergency Management
PAD 4072 Application of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Prerequisite: UAS in EM)

Elective Courses (Choose Two)

PAD 4936 Policy and Implementation of Unmanned Aircraft Systems
PAD 4936 Geospatial Intelligence in Emergency Management
PAD 4391 Foundations of Emergency Management
PAD 4395 Disaster Systems (Prerequisite: Foundations in Emergency Management)
GIS 3015 Map Analysis
GIS 4035 Introduction to Remote Sensing
GIS 4043 Geographic Information Systems
URP 4423 Introduction to Environmental Planning and Resource Management

UAS Certificate with Honors

Completing an undergraduate certificate with honors is open to all students including honors and non-honors students. For more information on the Certificate with Honors program, please visit the Division of Undergraduate Studies website.

The focus on the practice and community surrounding the intelligence field in the United States has placed new importance on training analysts and decision makers. This certificate gives students in just about any program of study a way to stand out from the crowd and learn real world approaches to solving complicated problems. The concepts and methods are as relevant in business, psychology, and the arts as it is to national security.

The certificate program includes courses on:

• Analysis methods
• Critical thinking
• Plain-language writing
• Policy development
• National Security
• Terrorism and Conflict
• Ethics

The certificate program also allows students to hone knowledge of regions and cultures for better analytical skills, useful in the world's current climate. These regions include:

• Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, and Russia
• Middle East
• East Asia, specifically China

Before a student may be issued a Certificate, they must apply for admission to that Certificate Program. This application must be submitted as early as possible, and before the student has completed six (6) credit hours of courses in the Certificate Program. The certificate is offered at the graduate and undergraduate . Interested in completing one of our other certificates in Emergency Management and Homeland Security or Unmanned Aircraft Systems in addition to the US Intel Certificate? Only one (1) elective from this certificate track may be counted towards another certificate.

Graduate Certificate in USIS

15 Credit Hours

This program includes skills and knowledge appropriate for practicing analysts and those within the community as well as all those interested in intelligence training. Students who have completed their undergraduate certificate from this program should contact our office before registering for classes as a graduate student. Successful completion of the courses applied to the USIS Certificate is defined as a grade of C or higher. Students who receive grades lower than a C in any courses must repeat that course if they wish to have it apply to the certificate. S/U classes are not accepted in any of our certificates.

Core Courses (Required)
PAD 5849 U.S. Intelligence Policy
PAD 5896 U.S. Intelligence Analysis and Communication

General Electives (Choose up to Three)

To complete the USIS graduate certificate, students will choose three electives (nine credit hours). A maximum of two electives may be selected from the Interdisciplinary Electives list.

PAD 5837 International Terror Policy
PAD 5839 International Conflict and Terrorism
PAD 5376 Introduction to Terrorism
PAD 5377 Advanced Topics in Terrorism
PAD 5381 Hard Targets and Intelligence (previously PAD 5935)
PAD 5475 Women, Disasters, and Conflict
PAD 5895 Homeland Security Policy and Practice
PAD 5898 Global Security and Fusion (previously PAD 5935)
PAD 5935 Regional Security in the Southern Hemisphere
PAD 5848 U.S. Intelligence Community

Interdisciplinary Electives, including Regional, Cultural, and Language elective (Choose up to Two)

ASN 5148 Topics on 21st Century China
ASN 5935 Modern China
CPO 5429 Political Islam: Ideology or Religion
CPO 5934 Politics of Terror
HIS 6934 Seminar: Minorities in the Middle East
HIS 6934 Seminar: US and Cold War
INR 5036 International Political Economy
INR 5507 International Organizations
INR 5935 Human Rights and National Security Law
INR 5935 National Security Transformation
INR 5936 Imperial China
INR 5936 Readings on Communist Asia
POS 5698 Human Rights and National Security
POS 5698 National Security Transformation
POS 5723 Game Theory
POS 5727 Advanced Game Theory
RLG 5305 Religion and Disaster

NOTE: Departments often offer special topics or seminar courses that are applicable to the USIS certificate. Other appropriate courses may be permitted as interdisciplinary electives with written approval from the program director.

Undergraduate Certificate in USIS

12 Credit Hours

This program includes skills and knowledge appropriate for practicing analysts and those within the community as well as all those interested in intelligence training.  Successful completion of the courses applied to the USIS Certificate is defined as a grade of C or higher. Students who receive grades lower than a C in any courses must repeat that course if they wish to have it apply to the certificate. S/U classes are not accepted in any of our certificates.

Core Courses (Both are Required)

PAD 4842 U.S. Intelligence Policy
PAD 4841 U.S. Intelligence Analysis and Communication

To complete the USIS undergraduate certificate, students will choose two electives (six credit hours). At least one elective must come from the General Electives category. A maximum of one elective may be selected from the Interdisciplinary Electives list.

General Electives

PAD 4084 International Terror Policy
PAD 4374 Introduction to Terrorism
PAD 4375 Advanced Topics in Terrorism
PAD 4384 Hard Targets and Intelligence (previously PAD 4936)
PAD 4433 Women, Disasters, and Conflict
PAD 4831 International Conflict and Terrorism
PAD 4890 Homeland Security Policy and Practice
PAD 4897 Global Security and Fusion (previously PAD 4936)
PAD 4843 U.S. Intelligence Community
PAD 4936 Regional Security in the Southern Hemisphere

Interdisciplinary Electives, including Regional, Cultural, and Language electives

ARA 4XXX 4000-level Arabic language course (must be taught in Arabic)
ASH 4223 Modern Middle East
CHI 4XXX 4000-level Chinese language course (must be taught in Chinese)
CPO 3615 Post-Soviet Politics
ECS 4504 Economics of the Middle East
IDS 3358w Making the Argument: Symbolic Logic and the Forms of Good Reasoning (previously IFS 3130)
INR 3502 International Organizations
INR 4102 American Foreign Policy
INR 4274 Studies in International Politics: The Middle East
REL 2315 Religions of South Asia
REL 2350 Religions of East Asia
REL 3367 Islamic Traditions II: Islam up to the Modern World
REL 4304 Religion and Disaster
RUS/SLL 4XXX 4000-level Russian language course (must be taught in Russian)
RUT 3505 Russian Culture and Civilization

NOTE: Departments often offer special topics or seminar courses that are applicable to the USIS certificate. Other appropriate courses may be permitted as interdisciplinary electives with written approval from the program director.

USIS Certificate with Honors

Completing an undergraduate certificate with honors is open to all students including honors and non-honors students. For more information on the Certificate with Honors program, please visit the Division of Undergraduate Studies website.