Courses

This course is designed to introduce students to the fundamental concepts, theories, principles and practices of administering and funding “blue sky” emergency management programs.

This course provides an in depth look at the evolution of global terrorism and the foundational sociological theories that contribute to understanding terrorism.

Classroom Class Outline | Online Class Outline

This course will educate the student on the applications of UAS in emergency management and other aspects of public management. The course includes flight time with a variety of multi-rotor UAS and provides in-depth discussion and experiences with this technology. Topics include data processing and analysis, crew resource management, and planning of flight operations. This class is a core course for the Certificate in Application of Unmanned Aircraft Systems.

This studio format course provides students with a unique opportunity to develop an HSEEP compliant exercise with a real world client. At the end of the semester, students will be proficient in all aspects of exercise design, development, and conduct. For example, in Spring 2013 students developed the Seminole Storm exercise used by FSU for its hurricane exercise.

This course utilizes multiple case studies to examine the state of today’s major cities particularly when it comes to disasters. In big city environments there are numerous factors that can increase the potential for loss of life, property and environmental resources: unplanned increased population, poor management of industries and manufacture, increased greenhouse emissions, poor housing conditions and poor building regulations and poor management of city growth among many others. All these conditions come together to create increased likelihood and consequences in megacities in the developed and developing world. In this class we will explore how rising megacities in developed and developing countries can address their vulnerability and protect their citizens with policy, disaster and urban management practices.

Requires instructor approval (Prof Skillman). This course is built around a role playing game in which students act as policy makers and agency heads working together to uncover and stop a fictionalized terrorism event. Learn how to work with limitations, cooperation, and planning against the clock and under pressure.

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This class will explore the risks and vulnerabilities associated with our national infrastructure, and analyze mitigating and protective practices and measures to ensure that this infrastructure is operational and recoverable following an attack or disaster.

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An Incident Management Team (IMT) is dispatched or mobilized during complex emergency incidents to provide a command and control infrastructure in order to manage the operational, logistical, informational, planning, fiscal, community, political, and safety issues associated with complex incidents. Using the Incident Command System (ICS) concept, the IMT manages facilities, equipment, personnel, procedures, and communications operating within a common organizational structure, designed to aid in the management of resources during emergencies and disasters. This course (part classroom, part lab) is designed to enable students to function efficiently as an IMT supporting other students in the UAS2 class meeting.

The risk of disaster is increasing globally, particularly in under-developed or developing countries, due to population pressure and poverty. This course will discuss the elements that intensify risk where informal and non-permanent settlement housing is prevalent. Government policies and actions aimed at reducing vulnerability in these low income communities have produced very little effect on life and material losses every year. Government interventions, especially those involving urban planning actors will be studied and their repercussions to the social, economic and cultural networks of these communities analyzed.

This course provides an introduction to disaster risk. It begins with the theoretical framework of why some risks are accepted and others aren't as a precondition of where we choose to live/develop our lives leading into a discussion on the theory and practice of insurance and mitigation. The discussion then turns to the theories and frameworks behind the development and implementation of government-supported long-term recovery strategies.

This course provides students an opportunity to understand real world disaster response efforts through academic study and interactive applied activities. In addition to operational systems and management frameworks this course also introduces students to the available IT resources such as GIS, wireless technology, web resources, computer modeling and weather IT systems.

This course utilizes multiple case studies to examine the complexity of disaster situations in the United States and internationally. In emergency management we say that disasters are first local and this course provides in-depth analysis of local context, and how this influences the local impacts of disaster management. The course will cover a different disaster case study every week, focusing on event-specific conditions that created or contributed to the disaster, local preparedness, response, and recovery in the aftermath of the event. Through real life cases and practitioners' experiences students will build problem-solving skills that reinforce the importance of interdisciplinary cooperation and tolerance for ambiguity in real life scenarios.

This course will focus on engaging students to “try on” a professional environment through completion of an experiential learning opportunity. Experiential Learning occurs through a variety of activities including: internships, field work, service learning, projects, research, fellowship, leadership, clinical experience, co-op, practicum, etc. Experiential Learning assists students in identifying and strengthening skills needed to succeed in their intended career field. The course also will focus on how student’s experiences can put theory into practice within their field of work. This course will facilitate professional and personal growth through goal-setting, reflection and self-evaluation.

This course describes the functional demands that emergency managers should be aware of in crafting effective emergency management plans, policies, and programs. It addresses the emergency planning process, how public policy choices impact emergency planning, and the consequences of a disaster event. This class is a core course for the Certificate in Emergency Management and Homeland Security.

This course is designed to provide the student with a comprehensive foundation on the history, terminology, structure, organization, key players, systems, and challenges that shape the management of disaster events. This class is a core course for the Certificate in Emergency Management and Homeland Security.

Online Outline [Graduate] | Online Outline [Undergraduate]

This special topics course will focus on the fundamentals of geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) as it's applied to emergency management, unmanned systems, and the intelligence community. If you are interested in how maps and map data help tackle tough problems form hurricanes to national security - this course is for you. Topics will include the history of GEOINT, supporting technology, data collection and processing, data visualization, GEOINT products, and more.

This course will explore how nations come together for a common cause, political and strategic relationships that serve to streamline such activity when necessary, the importance of the United States’ security cooperation programs with our allies and partner countries, and, how armies support civil authorities through a vast spectrum of ways.

Classroom Class Outline | Online Class Outline

The Hard Targets and Intelligence course is designed to expose students to the myriad challenges presented to the United States Intelligence community and National Decision Makers in dealing with some of our most difficult relationships, such as those with Russia, Venezuela, China, and North Korea. This class is designed to prepare students interested in national security for additional education in intelligence studies, homeland security, and international affairs. Through video lecture, assigned readings, discussion boards and writing requirements, we will address the history and evolving relationships between the countries at hand, and what effect each may have on on U.S. policy both domestically and internationally.

This course explores formal emergency management and homeland defense programs discussing the political and policy environment that created the Civil Defense program and has culminated in the Department of Homeland Security.

Classroom Class Outline | Online Class Outline

This course will discuss practical and theoretical issues associated with international disaster management. Risk, hazards, and disasters will be addressed from a global perspective with particular emphasis placed on the differences in key issues between developing and developed countries. The impact of climate change and non-sustainable land practices are also discussed.

Online Outline [Graduate] | Online Outline [Undergraduate]

This course seeks to explore the relationship between conflicts and terrorism occurring around the globe. Using case studies and class discussions we'll cover ISIS and the conflict in Syria, the FARC Peace Deal, the war in Yemen and many other current conflicts that have spawned terrorism. Students will explore how conflicts begin and the tools used end them. At the conclusion of the semester students will participate in a mock round-table that gives them the chance to experience the complex path to peace in the Syrian conflict.

Online Outline [Graduate] | Online Outline [Undergraduate]

This course examines international relationships between terrorist and governments in the context of global relations, politics, policy, and finance.

This course is designed to introduce students to the fundamental concepts, theories, principles, and practices of terrorism and terrorist events.

This course is designed to introduce students to the fundamental concepts, theories, principles and practices of communications and media relations in a risk environment as well as effective leadership principles in an emergency management shared power context.

This course uses the creative mediums of literature and film to analyze examples of emergency and disaster management, assisting students in understanding the complexities of this world through a lens of American media. This course will provide examples from film, literature, and the Internet. It will focus on narrative frameworks and historic significance of both nonfictional and fictional events, examining the setting, characters, plot, and moral framing of the stories presented. The course will exhibit both nonfiction and fiction literature, as well as podcasts and contemporary film.

Sample Outline

The course explores the history of mega disasters, events that have affected multiple countries, and relate it to contemporary threats both natural and man-made.

The wars of modern history bring to mind spanning battlefields, epic masses of troops, and increasingly deadly physical weaponry. Yet, as technology has hurriedly evolved in the early 21st century, so too have the cyber capabilities already displacing the conventional venues and weapons of conflict. This course will focus on the intersections of U.S. national security and cyberspace. It will review formative modern cyber incidents, introduce the dominant cyber threat actors and vectors, and explore the current cyberspace implications for military strategy, foreign policy, and strategic deterrence.

Sample Outline

This class is a culmination of UAS I and UAS II. Students will be given a project that encompasses client coordination, mission planning and flight execution to provide a final product that meets the project scope and requirements. Students are expected to coordinate and plan with minimal interaction from faculty. All necessary equipment for project completion will be provided by instructors. This class is a core course for the Graduate Certificate in Application of Unmanned Aircraft Systems.

This course will explore best practices and theories regarding emotional intelligence, communication, behavior, and ethics in professional Emergency Management settings. Students will have at the conclusion of this course the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful in a professional setting. In addition to course material, guest lecturers from local, state and federal emergency management agencies will speak on expectations for the next generation of emergency managers currently entering the field. This course is required to gain EMHS assistance or placement into these EM agencies for internships. Interested students must take and pass this course the semester prior to when they want assistance in internship placement.

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This course examines global disasters and cascading public health consequences. Domestic and international disaster health policies, response and recovery practices are also explored.

Classroom Class Outline | Online Class Outline

This course introduces the role of nonprofits and NGOs in Disaster Risk Management. The course covers both domestic and international players, roles, partnerships, and practices.

This course will discuss regulatory and training requirements, aircraft capabilities and limitations, data collection planning and workflow, and effective uses in real-world scenarios. Students will gain hands on experience planning UAS deployments, planning missions, and processing data. This does not include actual UAS flight time or operation as part of the curriculum. This class is a core course for the Certificate in Application of Unmanned Aircraft Systems.

Course Support Page

This course explores the variety of intelligence analysis tools and techniques common to U.S. federal, state, and local agencies, using simulations and activities to understand how raw information is transformed and presented as intelligence. Emphasis will be placed on OSINT analysis, but other-source intelligence will be included based upon industry needs. Additionally, plain language writing and intelligence presentations will be included in learning materials.

Sample Outline

There has been rapid growth in demand for intelligence professionals since 9/11, the "War on Terror", Afghanistan, and the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. With this growth there are career opportunities for those interested in the field of intelligence analysis. This course serves to acquaint student with the U.S. Intelligence community, the processes and platforms for information/data gathering and analysis and how the subsequent "intelligence" is used by policy/decision-makers. Throughout the course students will be given opportunities to gather, analyze and report their findings to case studies and then compare their conclusions to real-world outcomes. Upon completing the course, student will have a broad knowledge of U.S. intelligence operations and the social, economic, military and covert actions that can result from intelligence community recommendations.

Sample Outline

The Intelligence Policy course is an introduction to the United States Intelligence Community (IC), its significant role within the U.S. government and how intelligence informs and shapes U.S. policy. This class is designed to prepare students interested in national security for additional education in intelligence studies, homeland security, and international affairs.

Sample Outline

This course examines the role of women in disasters. The course also evaluates the role that women play in conflict and peace building. Topics covered will include gender mainstreaming, LGBTQ issues, UNSCR 1325, gender based violence, and human trafficking.