Emergency Management

The Emergency Management (EM) Program combines rigorous academics with hands-on professional experience, preparing students to meet real-world challenges in government, industry, and non-governmental organizations. Students apply their classroom knowledge in practical settings and collaborate with EM professionals through dynamic training exercises. In their senior year, students design and lead discussion-based scenarios for towns, cities, and agencies across the Commonwealth, gaining valuable experience in our state-of-the-art Emergency Operations Training Center.

As an Emergency Management major, you will: Support and strengthen communities in times of crisis Collaborate with experienced EM professionals in real-world situations Explore both emerging and legacy emergency management technologies Gain a deep understanding of EM policies, practices, and protocols Master the Incident Command Structure—central to all emergency management operations Prepare to lead, respond, and make a difference where it matters most.
 

VIEW CURRICULUM

Academic Requirements

To be considered for admission to Massachusetts Maritime Academy, candidates must be capable of college-level study and meet the minimum requirements below:

• 4 years of English
• 4 years of Mathematics: Including Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, and Precalc/Trigonometry (strongly encouraged). At least one course must be completed during senior year. *
• 3 years of Science: At least three of these courses must include labs. Technology/Engineering courses must be designated as science courses (taken for science credit) by the high school. Courses in Chemistry and Physics are strongly recommended.
• 2 years of Social Science: Including one course in United States History
• 2 years of Foreign Language: Two sequential, one-year courses in either a classical or modern language 
  • A foreign language waiver may be given to students attending a vocational technical high school or those who have received a waiver from their high school.
• 2 Elective Courses

Test Requirements

The submission of SAT or ACT scores is optional. For more information, please review our Test Optional Policy.

If you choose to submit your standardized test scores, you must submit official test scores from either The College Board (SAT) or The ACT (ACT). When taking the exam, have your scores sent directly to Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Please note, score requests can take between 2-4 weeks to be delivered and added to a student's application. 

• Average SAT Score: 1050-1100* (SAT Code: 3515)
• Average ACT Score: 22-23 (ACT Code: 1856)
• *We will superscore your SAT scores.

How to prepare for this major:

- Four years of college prep math. Pre-calculus is strongly encouraged.
- 3-4 years of lab science, including Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
- An overall GPA of 3.0 or above.
- Final grade of B or better in all math, science, engineering related courses.

A Bachelor of Science in Emergency Management opens the door to a wide range of dynamic and meaningful career paths. Our graduates are making an impact in critical sectors that keep communities safe, resilient, and prepared for the unexpected. Recent alumni have secured positions in state and local emergency management agencies, hospital emergency preparedness teams, fire and law enforcement departments, and all branches of the U.S. military—both as commissioned officers and enlisted personnel. Others are working with private companies and nonprofit organizations as emergency planners, humanitarian aid specialists, safety consultants, and more.

Career fields our graduates pursue include: Local, State, and Federal Emergency Management Homeland Security Public Safety (Fire, Police, EMS) Military Service Humanitarian Aid & Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) Environmental Health & Safety Public Health Emergency Management Emergency Management Consulting Crisis Communications Cybersecurity Business Continuity & Risk Management Hazardous Materials & Occupational Safety Whether responding to natural disasters, managing public health crises, or strengthening organizational resilience, our graduates are helping to lead the way in building safer, more prepared communities across the globe.

- Explore the Core of Emergency Management
- Master the Four Phases
- Gain a comprehensive understanding of the four phases of Emergency Management—mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery—as they are implemented through an All-Hazards and Whole Community approach.
- Integrate Scientific Principles Examine the scientific foundations that inform the development of effective mitigation and preparedness policies, strategies, and tactics.
- Strengthen Response and Recovery Understand the scientific and operational principles behind designing multi-level response and recovery strategies that are scalable and adaptable.
- Evaluate Social Science Dimensions Analyze the role of social science in Emergency Management, focusing on the dynamic interactions between government, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, communities, and individuals.
- Apply the Incident Command System (ICS) Learn to implement the ICS framework and explore its critical alignment with national preparedness goals and coordinated emergency response.
- Leverage Emerging Technologies Explore and apply innovative technologies and tools across all phases of Emergency Management to enhance situational awareness, coordination, and decision-making.

As an Emergency Management major, you will be tasked with managing simulated emergencies and hands-on tasks. Your studying will be put to the test with our state-of-the-art EM Simulation Center, applying both legacy and emerging technologies in a near real-world environment.

The Emergency Management program requires students to complete two co-ops (summer/winter break) and one experiential learning trip (winter break). Many students complete several co-ops. Freshmen EM students will participate in one of the following Experiential Learning Trips: Guatemala, New Orleans, or Team Rubicon in sunny California. Participation is required for all EM cadets who are freshmen or who transferred to Mass Maritime in the Spring.

LEARN MORE