Emergency Services Management Certificate

What you will study

Leading an emergency services department or emergency management agency requires knowledge and skills different from an administrative role in the private sector. UCM’s Emergency Services Management certificate will teach you management theories and styles specific to emergency services — taking into consideration your resources, types of employees such as union workers and other factors — to help you effectively supervise a public agency.

Learn to become an emergency services manager in these courses

In the online classes for your Emergency Services Management certificate, you’ll: 

• Develop skills and processes for recruiting, managing and developing your people as well as evaluating their performance and how to engage in collective bargaining.
• Understand your responsibilities to mitigate risk and help ensure the health and safety of your first responders.
• Discover how your role fits into the bigger picture of your community as you learn to collaborate and plan strategically with other agencies and demonstrate leadership skills.

All classes are taught by UCM Crisis and Disaster Management faculty who have real-world experience. They’ve served in roles such as EMS chief and lead paramedic and provide you a true perspective of the demands and rewards of being an emergency services manager.

 

 

Unique learning opportunities in emergency services management

Learn how to serve in emergency services management with these experiences offered to you as part of the University of Central Missouri’s Crisis and Disaster Management program:

• Gain on-the-job firefighter experience: Get hands-on training and experience serving as a firefighter — while getting paid — when you participate in the long-running student resident program offered by the Warrensburg Fire Department.
• Earn your EMT certificate:  Take advantage of the opportunity to earn your EMT certificate through a collaborative partnership with the Johnson County Ambulance District. Upon completing the sixteen-week course, you will be well-trained to provide basic life-saving care to those in need. 
• Participate in UCM’s annual emergency management event: Every year, UCM hosts the Rural Emergency Management Summit, which brings together emergency management representatives from the local, regional and federal levels. Join us to learn in case study review sessions and enjoy opportunities to network.
• Network with emergency services managers and others: Participate in regional and national conferences, such as those held by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Missouri and Kansas state emergency management agencies, to meet industry professionals. UCM’s Crisis and Disaster Management program also regularly hosts guest speakers from these agencies and former graduates to share their experiences with you.
• Volunteer for community service projects: Through UCM’s collaboration with the Institute for Rural Emergency Management (IREM), you can engage in community service projects and volunteer work that impacts communities while enhancing your resume. Develop or revise training materials for local agencies or review and update resource agreements between agencies and jurisdictions. You can also coordinate and host events such as fire services training.

 

What can you do with an undergraduate certificate in Emergency Services Management from UCM?

Upon completion of the University of Central Missouri’s Emergency Services Management certificate, you’ll have developed leadership, administrative, critical thinking, strategic planning and other highly valuable skills. As a firefighter, EMT or paramedic in a community or on a military base, for example, you may apply for supervisory positions with these qualifications.

If you’re just graduating with a bachelor’s degree and entering the job market, you may choose to serve in the field first — such as one student who earned an emergency management specialist position with a state university. You’ll then be ready to apply for a promotion later — with your Emergency Services Management certificate already in hand.

Discover your future opportunities in emergency services management

Use the interactive tool below to view career opportunities and earning potential and to understand your possibilities with UCM’s Emergency Services Management certificate.

 

 

Financial assistance options for your Emergency Services Management certificate

The valuable education you’ll get with UCM’s Emergency Services Management certificate — whether as a standalone certificate or alongside your bachelor’s degree — can enhance your career and your earning potential as you rise through the ranks. To ensure your ability to receive this training and its benefits, UCM provides some of the nation’s more affordable tuition rates. We have also been recognized by LendEDU for low student debt and offer a variety of means to finance your education for those pursuing a degree, including loans, grants and other forms of aid.

Are scholarships available to me?

When you also pursue a bachelor’s degree at UCM, you may qualify for scholarships specific to your major. You can learn more about program-specific opportunities with the UCM Scholarship Finder.