Emergency Services Administration

Business & Technology
Degree awarded: Associate in Applied Science

Program Narrative
Whether an emergency is the result of a natural disaster or man-made, governments, schools, hospitals and industry need to be able to respond effectively. Emergency Services administrators are the managers who are charged with meeting this important challenge by providing fire, police, emergency medical services and more. Northampton's associate's degree is open to all qualified applicants. If you are an experienced first responder interested in advancing your career, this program could be an excellent option for you. Individuals employed in the private sector as safety officers or security professionals can also develop and strengthen their capabilities and effectiveness by completing this program.

Northampton's graduates are employed in positions with job titles such as emergency management coordinator, deputy or assistant emergency management coordinator, public safety director, emergency operations director, fire fighter, emergency medical technician, law enforcement official, safety professional or security coordinator.

Program Features
Our program and course content has been developed to be congruent with concepts established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) and local emergency planning committees. Courses emphasize an interoperable approach to the total cycle of emergency management. We develop your administrative skills, including accounting and human resources management, so that you can function at an operational level within an emergency response organization or agency. Required General Education courses round out your training so that you are equipped to communicate well with diverse staff and the community.

Program Requirements
The Emergency Services Administration degree contains provisions for a free elective of three credits in addition to the General Education electives. This program can be completed in the day or evening, on a full-time or part-time basis.

Program Outcomes
Graduates of the program will:

• Demonstrate an understanding of administrative principles as it relates to accounting/finance and management.
• Apply emergency service and public safety skills as they relate to agency/organization operations.
• Acquire and demonstrate strong presentation and communication skills.
• Acquire and practice an understanding of ethics and legal responsibility as it pertains to the gravity of emergency response and public safety.
• Work effectively in both individual and team environments.
• Design and implement a cohesive administrative strategy, effectively combining all elements of successful business practice.
• Employ critical thinking and problem solving techniques relevant to emergency situations.

• For the General Education Electives, students must select one course from the list of approved courses in each of the following categories: Arts & Humanities (AH) and Social Science: Scientific Study of Human Behavior (SSHB).
• One General Education Elective must be taken in a Writing Intensive (WI) section, and one should be designated as Diversity (D).

Career Potential: Emergency Management Coordinators, Fire Officer, Law Enforcement Officer, Emergency Medical Supervisor, Safety and Security Director, Corrections Officer, Emergency Management Specialist, Emergency Response Manager