Career Opportunities Provided by an Emergency Management Degree

During the aftermath of September 11, 2001, the United States saw an increase in emergency recovery protocols requiring more trained emergency management professionals. Roughly two decades later, this need for qualified disaster respondents persists, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting a projected job growth of a steady 6% throughout 2020-2030. If you're interested in a career in emergency management, learn more about all of your job options across diverse industries that are made available by Tulane SoPA's programs of study.

What Is Emergency Management?

Emergency management involves designing proactive measures that will reinstate normalcy to communities, businesses, governments, and individuals affected by natural, technological, or man-made disasters. Whether it's a hurricane or a hazardous spill, professionals in emergency management are there to assess and mitigate threats to the public, ensuring the safety of civilians, properties, and the environment.

Studying Emergency Management

As a professional in emergency management, you'll need to have a strong understanding of how to formulate emergency procedures and coordinate public safety resources to combat disasters. When you study emergency management, you can expect to grow your skills in disaster communications, emergency leadership, and decision making, granting you the versatile experience necessary to succeed across industries. This is made possible by academic disciplines in emergency management offering students exposure to:

• Emergency management administration
• Homeland security and counter-terrorism approaches
• Risk management practices
• Disaster research methods

Career Opportunities for Those With an Emergency Management Degree

Though professionals in emergency management can find work in a variety of fields ranging from corporate wellness to emergency relief services and even local and state governments, Tulane SoPA offers some insight into a few of the most common roles that graduates of the program may excel in.

Safety specialist

As a safety specialist, you'll work in numerous types of companies and agencies to create a safe working environment for both employees and business owners. In this role, your primary duties involve uplifting the well-being of workers and verifying that all employees comply with safety policies in their working environments.

Because you'll be expected to implement and manage procedures and policies that meet OSHA laws and other safety regulations, this role requires a vast knowledge of workplace safety tactics. You'll be expected to censor working environments for safety hazards, investigate workplace injuries, and enlighten staff and supervisors through safety training.

Crisis response officer

Also called crisis intervention specialists, crisis response officers are involved in attending to the needs of victims before and after a disaster. These officers help clients receive medical care, emotional support, and professional counseling, especially for distress caused by traumatic events. In addition, you'll assess and record victims' behavior, sometimes making decisions for them if necessary.

Aside from providing resources and support to individuals in crisis, you'll also coordinate legal intervention, outreach, and services in the following sectors:

• Schools
• Clinics
• Workplaces
• Mental and medical hospitals
• Refugee camps

As a crisis response officer, you may also be required to work with government agencies and private entities when additional help is needed.

Emergency management director

If you're passionate about lessening the devastating impact of disasters on individuals and organizations, you may want to consider a career as an emergency management director. Responsible for planning and directing disaster response and crisis management activities, these professionals prepare emergency procedures for natural, technological, wartime, or hostage crises. As an emergency management director, you can expect to find work in:

• Local or state governments
• Hospitals
• Colleges and universities
• Private businesses

Crime reduction manager

Commonly referred to as a crime prevention program coordinator, a crime reduction manager's main aim is to mitigate criminal activities and their impacts. In this role, you'll be responsible for educating citizens and neighborhoods on how to create safer communities together. You'll work with the local government and police, learn the crime patterns in your designated area, and derive crime prevention plans.

Based on the crime analysis of a community, your proposed crime prevention plan may include:

• Crime prevention marketing
• Development of anti-crime youth programs
• Violence prevention measures
• Personal safety education

In addition to determining methods for controlling crime within a community, a crime reduction manager may also work to deter crime on a larger scale by developing emergency response plans for homeland security disasters.

Study Emergency Management at Tulane SoPA

Whether you prefer to work in private, public, or non-profit sectors, the demand for experienced emergency managers remains high. At Tulane SoPA, we offer both graduate certificates and a master's degree program in emergency management that allows our students to build on their real-world experiences and develop the strategic skills necessary to succeed as a leader in disaster control. Request more information about our online Master of Professional Studies in Emergency Management and flexible graduate certificates or apply online today.