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2020-2021

Bachelor of Arts: Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness

VCU

Community college:
Associate of Science: Social Sciences (Northern Virginia Community College)
Northern Virginia Community College
Northern Virginia Community College
Associate degree

Associate of Science: Social Sciences

Program description

The L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs is a creative, interdisciplinary grouping of programs in the social sciences and professional arenas that provides students with the knowledge, skills and experience necessary for success in public service.   The Wilder School brings together faculty from multiple disciplines that share a common interest in public affairs. Emergency preparedness has always been a critical aspect of governmental policy at the federal, state and local levels. Response to natural disasters — floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, outbreak of infectious disease — requires predisaster planning, mid-disaster operations and postdisaster reconstruction that can only be carried out successfully through a partnership between all levels of government and between the public sector, private sector and civil society. The program in homeland security and emergency preparedness recognizes this dual nature and is designed to give students both theoretical and practical knowledge that will prepare them for the following: 1) private- or public-sector employment in the expanding area of homeland security as it relates specifically to international and domestic security, as well as emergency preparedness for both security and nonsecurity-related incidents and/or 2) further study in government, international affairs, law enforcement, policy planning or law.

Career opportunities

Launched as the nation’s first homeland security and emergency preparedness program in 2005, we prepare students to manage the complexities of disaster planning and response.

Alumni often work in private and public-sector jobs related to emergency management, security or crisis planning, or pursue graduate study in fields such as government, international affairs, law enforcement, policy planning and law.  Gain knowledge and skills in emergency planning/management principles and practicalities, the nature and effects of natural disasters, domestic and foreign terrorist threats to the U.S., and ethical and constitutional issues related to terrorist prevention tactics. 

Bachelor-level job titles
  • Case Officer (CIA)
  • Critical Infrastructure Protection
  • Cyber Security Specialist
  • Defense Contractor
  • Disaster Relief Officer
  • Emergency Planner
  • Emergency Preparedness/Exercise Specialist
  • Federal Law Enforcement (Special Agent)
  • Hazardous Material Manager
  • Intelligence Analyst
  • Military Officer
  • Policy Analyst
Graduate and professional level job titles
  • Emergency Management Director
  • Foreign Service Officer
  • Government Agency Administrator
  • Hospital Administrator
Contact information

 

VCU Transfer Center

Telephone: (804) 827-1349

Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu

Transfer Advising Request

VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist


Office of Admissions

Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638

Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.

Guaranteed transfer admission requirements

Completion of associate degree
Minimum GPA of 2.5
All courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better

Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
  • STAT 210
Science required
  • Core only
Foreign language requirements
  • Yes
Additional tuition/fees
  • No
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
VCU Major Maps

View VCU Major Map for Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness

Transfer major map
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2020-2021

Bachelor of Arts: Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness

Northern Virginia Community College (Associate of Science: Social Sciences)

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Meet with your academic advisor or counselor each semester.
  • Cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Use Navigate to connect with your advisor and create a program plan.
  • Register for SDV 100 or SDV 101.
  • Attend cultural events at community college and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Browse careers related to Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness through the NOVA career planning system.
  • Explore the community college’s iGrad’s Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
  • Build a LinkedIn profile.
Experience Year 2
  • Meet with your academic advisor or counselor.
  • Complete requirements for the associate’s degree. Earn at least a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5.
  • Continue to use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Research scholarship opportunities and explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing for next year.
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the Wilder School.
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options at VCU.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on campus and in your community (i.e. international festival).
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or Wilder School-related events.
  • Find out about VCU REAL.
  • Speak with employers that visit campus throughout the year.
  • Plan to complete at least two job experiences (e.g., internships) before your senior year of college.
  • Create a resume.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Meet with your academic advisor or counselor each semester.
  • Cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Use Navigate to connect with your advisor and create a program plan.
  • Register for SDV 100 or SDV 101.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Attend cultural events at community college and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Browse careers related to Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness through the NOVA career planning system.
  • Explore the community college’s iGrad’s Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
  • Build a LinkedIn profile.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Meet with your academic advisor or counselor.
  • Complete requirements for the associate’s degree. Earn at least a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5.
  • Continue to use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Research scholarship opportunities and explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing for next year.
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the Wilder School.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options at VCU.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on campus and in your community (i.e. international festival).
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or Wilder School-related events.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Find out about VCU REAL.
  • Speak with employers that visit campus throughout the year.
  • Plan to complete at least two job experiences (e.g., internships) before your senior year of college.
  • Create a resume.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2020-2021

Bachelor of Arts: Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness

Northern Virginia Community College (Associate of Science: Social Sciences)

Northern Virginia Community College courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
SDV SDV 100 or SDV 101 UNIV 101 1 Elective
ENG 111 College Composition I Note: students with credit for AP English Language and Composition will only receive credit for UNIV 111 at VCU and should take ENG 112 to fulfill the VCU composition requirement. UNIV 111-112 3 General education
History Select 1: HIS 101 History of Western Civilization I OR HIS 102 History of Western Civilization II OR HIS 111 History of World Civilization I OR HIS 112 History of World Civilization II OR HIS 121 United States History I OR HIS 122 United States History II HIST 3 General education
MTH 154 Quantitative Reasoning MATH 131 3 General education
Science #1 Select 1: BIO 101 General Biology I OR CHM 101 Introductory Chemistry I OR GOL 105 Physical Geology OR PHY 101 Introduction to Physics I OR PHY 150 Elements of Astronomy VCU equivalent 4 General education
ENG 112 College Composition II UNIV 200 3 General education
ITE 115 or ITE 119 ITE 115 Introduction to Computer Applications and Concepts OR ITE 119 Information Literacy INFO 3 Elective
MTH 245 Statistics I STAT 210 3 Major
Science #2 Select 1: BIO 101 General Biology I OR BIO 102 General Biology II OR CHM 101 Introductory Chemistry I OR CHM 102 Introductory Chemistry II OR GOL 105 Physical Geology OR GOL 106 Historical Geology OR PHY 101 Introduction to Physics I OR PHY 102 Introduction to Physics II OR PHY 150 Elements of Astronomy VCU equivalent 4 General education
Social/Behavioral Science #1 PLS 135 American National Politics OR PLS 211 US Government I POLI 103 3 Major
CST Select 1: CST 100 Principles of Public Speaking OR CST 110 Introduction to Communication OR CST 126 Interpersonal Communication SPCH 121 3 Elective
Humanities/Fine Arts Select 1: ART 101 History and Appreciation of Art I OR ART 102 History and Appreciation of Art II OR MUS 121 Music Appreciation I OR PHI 101 Introduction to Philosophy I OR PHI 220 Ethics OR REL 101 Introduction to the Study of Religion OR REL 231 Religions of the World I VCU equivalent 3 General education
PSY 200 or SOC 200 PSY 200 Principles of Psychology OR SOC 200 Principles of Sociology PSYC 101 or SOCY 101 3 General education
Social/Behavioral Science #2 PLS 241 International Relations I POLI 105 3 Major
Social/Behavioral Science #3 Select 1: ECO 201 Principles of Macroeconomics OR ECO 202 Principles of Microeconomics OR GEO 200 Introduction to Physical Geography OR GEO 210 People and the Land: An Intro to Cultural Geography OR GEO 220 World Regional Geography OR HIS 101 History of Western Civilization I OR HIS 112 History of World Civilization II OR HIS 121 United States History I OR PLS 140 Introduction to Comparative Politics OR PSY 200 Principles of Psychology OR PSY 219 Cross-Cultural Psychology OR SOC 200 Principles of Sociology OR SOC 211 Principles of Anthropology I VCU equivalent 3 Elective
General Education Elective Select 2: ECO 201 Principles of Macroeconomics OR ECO 202 Principles of Microeconomics OR GEO 210 People and the Land: An Intro to Cultural Geography OR GEO 220 World Regional Geography OR PSY 216 Social Psychology OR PSY 230 Developmental Psychology OR REL 231 Religions of the World I OR REL 232 Religions of the World II OR REL 233 Introduction to Islam OR SOC 268 Social Problems VCU equivalent 6 Elective
Humanities/Fine Arts Select 1: CST 151 Film Appreciation I OR ENG 241 Survey of American Literature I OR ENG 242 Survey of American Literature II OR ENG 243 Survey of English Literature I OR ENG 244 Survey of English Literature II OR ENG 251 Survey of World Literature I OR ENG 252 Survey of World Literature II ENGL 3 General education
Social/Behavioral Sciences #4 Select 1: ECO 201 Principles of Macroeconomics OR ECO 202 Principles of Microeconomics OR GEO 200 Introduction to Physical Geography OR GEO 210 People and the Land: An Intro to Cultural Geography OR GEO 220 World Regional Geography OR HIS 101 History of Western Civilization I OR HIS 112 History of World Civilization II OR HIS 121 United States History I OR PLS 140 Introduction to Comparative Politics OR PSY 200 Principles of Psychology OR PSY 219 Cross-Cultural Psychology OR SOC 200 Principles of Sociology OR SOC 211 Principles of Anthropology I VCU equivalent 3 Elective
Transfer elective Select 1: PSY 215 Abnormal Psychology OR SOC 266 Race and Ethnicity OR SOC 236 Criminology VCU equivalent 3 Elective
Northern Virginia credits transferred to VCU 60
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
Foreign language through the 102 level. (This requirement can be fulfilled by means of completion of the 102-level of a language or waived if the student completed up through the third level of a foreign language in high school. Additionally, language waiver and placement testing options are available for native or heritage speakers of a non-english language.) 0 to 8 General education
HSEP 101 Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness 3 Major
HSEP 301/POLI 367 Terrorism 3 Major
HSEP 302 Emergency Planning and Incident Management 3 Major
HSEP 310 Risk and Vulnerability Assessment 3 Major
HSEP 314 Cybersecurity Policy 3 Major
HSEP 320 The Intelligence Community and the Intelligence Process 3 Major
HSEP 330 Legal and Constitutional Issues in Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness 3 Major
HSEP 490 Senior Seminar 3 Major
Select two Homeland security and emergency preparedness electives (Any 300- or 400-level HSEP course and/or courses taken from the list of approved electives; see VCU advisor for course options) 6 Major
Upper-level electives (300- or 400-level courses): consider a minor or a second major Note: Students must complete a minimum of 45 upper-level credits to graduate from VCU. 18 Elective
Open electives 10 to 12 Elective
Credits completed at VCU 60
Bachelor's degree total 120