2. Homeland Security & Emergency
Management at Savannah State
• Bachelor’s degree program launched in 2007
• Rapid growth over the last five years
• Established to enhance diversity in the field
• Combines study of emergency management and
homeland security
• Focuses on comprehensive approach and
improving disaster outcomes
3. Homeland Security & Emergency
Management at Savannah State
Source: SSU Institutional Research, Planning and Assessment
4. Homeland Security & Emergency
Management at Savannah State
• First EM or HS degree program at an HBCU
• Only bachelor’s degree program in EM and/or
HS in the state of Georgia
• Program also offers an undergraduate certificate
delivered traditionally and online
5. HSEM at SSU: Degree Curriculum
• Interdisciplinary approach
• Engages faculty from all three colleges: Business
Administration, Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
and Sciences and Technology
• Equips students with knowledge and skills to
prevent, protect, mitigate, prepare, respond and
recover from natural or human-caused disasters
6. HSEM at SSU: Coursework
• Core curriculum (65 hours)
– Geography or anthropology, history,
foreign language
• Major required courses (36 hours)
– Politics, law & ethics, emergency
planning, social diversity, terrorism,
risk assessment, leadership, etc.
• HSEM electives (9 hours)
• General electives (15 hours)
7. HSEM at SSU: Required internship
• Provides real-world experience and exposure and
begins move toward a career/specialty of choice
• Can lead to first job and networking
opportunities
• Placements have included:
– Local and state emergency management agencies
– Federal Law Enforcement Training Center
– Georgia Ports Authority
– American Red Cross
8. HSEM at SSU: Graduates
• 20 program graduates to date
– At least 7 alumni now
working in HSEM-related
positions
– 1 alumnus applying for
graduate school
9. HSEM at SSU: Program challenges
• Promotion and recruitment
• Competition for doctoral-level faculty
• Student writing and communication skills
• Balancing needs of traditional students with
needs of working practitioners
• Job market/placements for students
• Asserting program in competition for grants
10. Questions or comments?
Talmadge Memorial Bridge, Savannah, Ga.
http://www.savannahstate.edu/hsem
hsem@savannahstate.edu
