Share | Print

Master of Science (MS) in Public Safety

School of Public Service Leadership

Emergency Management specialization

Major disasters around the world have brought heightened appreciation for emergency professionals with the leadership skills to field manage complex, crisis situations, and coordinate the many agencies that often join forces to address emergency situations. This Emergency Management specialization is designed to deepen your understanding of the dynamics of all phases of natural and man-made disasters, including dealing with various human reactions, critical incident stress management, risk assessment, evaluation, and analysis, and managing critical incidents via the National Incident Management System (NIMS). People who choose this specialization often work in law enforcement, fire service, or other security or emergency management fields who want to expertly manage critical incidents.

This specialization is not designed to meet licensure requirements for the counseling professions. If you are seeking information on professional licensure, please visit our Licensure Resource site.

Read what others have to say about this specialization, or leave your own comment, and be sure to check back often to converse with others about their Capella experiences.

Total Program: 48 quarter credits
Up to 12 quarter credits may be transferred into this specialization
Next Start Date: June 4, 2012
Credit: $461 §

9/11 Survey Report 9/11 Survey Report

Meet the faculty & staff who will support your academic success.»



Gain more value from your degree

Expand your educational and career opportunities by choosing one of Capella's degree enrichment options.

  • Add a concentration to gain deeper expertise

    Delve more deeply into a specific knowledge area by earning a concentration that will be included on your transcript and can enhance your career opportunities. If you have elective courses in your degree program, you may be able to use them to fulfill both your degree and concentration requirements at the same time. However, completing a concentration may extend your total credits beyond the requirements of your degree.

    Concentrations available as part of this specialization include:
    • Fire Service Administration
    • Forensics
    • Health Policy and Management
    • Homeland Security
    • Public Administration
    • Public Health
    • Public Policy and Management
    • Nonprofit Management and Leadership
  • Expand your career options with additional specializations

    Increase your knowledge and career options by earning multiple specializations as part of your bachelor's or master's degree program at Capella. If you have elective courses in your program, you may be able to use them toward earning another specialization. However, completing additional specializations may extend your total credits beyond the requirements of your degree.

Core Courses (each course 4 quarter credits unless noted)

  • PSF5003 - Foundations of Emergency Management
  • PSF5006 - Research Methodology in Public Safety
  • PSF5334 - Public Safety Ethnic and Cultural Awareness

Specialization Courses (each course 4 quarter credits unless noted)

  • PSF5600 - Public Safety Organizational Leadership
  • PSF5620 - Critical Incident Stress Management
  • PSF5621 - Disaster Management
  • PSF5622 - National Incident Management Systems
  • PSF5623 - Critical Infrastructure Risk Assessment, Evaluation, and Analysis
  • PSF5991 - Integrative Project for Public Safety Learners*

Three Elective Courses, 12 quarter credits

  • Choose any graduate course(s).
* This course has a prerequisite. Contact an enrollment counselor for more information.

Course Descriptions

Receive via email a full description of all Capella University courses.

Receive our newsletter

  • Average salary by degree
  • Tips to reduce your costs
  • How to make the most out of your education
Subscribe to our free e-Newsletter
Privacy Policy

Capella also offers specializations in Criminal Justice and Public Safety Leadership in our MS in Public Safety program.


If you're interested in strengthening the theoretical knowledge and practical skills you need to effectively manage current public issues and plan for the future, Capella also offers a Master of Public Administration (MPA) with a General Public Administration specialization.


You can also earn two complementary degrees – a Master of Public Administration (MPA) and MS in Public Safety – in less time and at less cost than pursuing the two degrees separately with our MS and MPA Joint Degree program.


We also offer a PhD specialization in Emergency Management if you're considering a leadership, teaching, or consulting position in the field.



a

Can it correspond with Mental Health?

March 20, 2012Shaniqua I am currently a mental health professional in Virginia/North Carolina. I do quite a bit of crisis intervention/emergency management in the mental health spectrum, and find it very rewarding. Can the MS in Emergency Management be beneficial to me in the mental health fields?
Image of enrollment counselor from the team that specializes in Capella's human services degree programs
Image of enrollment counselor from the team that specializes in Capella's human services degree programs

1.866.933.5973 Call Hours

Ready to Apply?
Apply for admission | Or call: 1.888.227.2736

Looking to take a single course?
Register for a single course | Or call: 1.877.295.6791