UCM’s Online Emergency Management Options Rank High for Affordability

WARRENSBURG, MO – A website many individuals turn to for information to help them make choices about their higher education, Affordable Schools (AS), has ranked the University of Central Missouri among 20 Best Affordable Online Emergency Management Programs. UCM is the highest ranking institution in Missouri in this academic category.

In announcing the rankings, Affordable Schools notes that, “The University of Central Missouri finished 12th among the AS staff’s affordable distance education emergency management degree options with an inexpensive $8,862 price. On Blackboard, the School of Public Services awards a top-value B.S. in Crisis & Disaster Management and optional Terrorism & Homeland Security Certificate with 97 percent six-month job placement.”

AS added that UCM’s 120-credit-hour Crisis & Disaster Management program requires 150 field work hours plus online courses such as Introduction to Crisis & Disaster Management and Business Continuity.

“This recognition means a lot to the program - it shows that we are truly a good value. Students receive instruction from world-class faculty who are leaders in the field and highly credentialed, at a reasonable cost,” said Lynn Urban, professor of criminal justice and criminology and chair of the School of Public Sciences.

In establishing its list of top online programs, Affordable Schools considered criteria that included average tuition data, which they gathered from the websites of public and private colleges and universities. Their methodology included how much full-time online students pay annually for the program, student-faculty ratio and its contribution to active learning engagement, and graduation rates.

“Completing emergency management studies on time will help you enter into the life-saving profession faster,” the AS website noted. “Timely graduations can also save you beaucoup bucks without extra tuition bills. Our team prioritized great graduation rates of 50 percent and better. Another 1-3 points were awarded based on completion chances.”

Attending the best affordable online Bachelor’s in Emergency Management degree programs not only save individuals thousands of dollars, which can decrease their college debt load, but they also attain high-value degrees that help “inspire more humanitarian heroes who defeat danger,” according to the AS rankings feature.

Individuals who seek UCM’s Bachelor of Science in Crisis & Disaster Management or one of four certificate programs which can be sought individually or applied to a four-year degree, can utilize skills they learn in professions such as:

• Public safety personnel - emergency management, fire, police, EMS, and dispatchers
• Institutional emergency planners - schools, hospitals, and facilities
• Community service providers - Red Cross, relief organizations, and disaster recovery
• Industrial emergency responders - fire, rescue, and hazardous materials
• Business continuity planners - banking, corporations, insurance, and manufacturing

To learn more about the AffordableSchools.com rankings, visit the AS website. Anyone who has questions about UCM’s online bachelor’s degree in Crisis and Disaster Management should contact Lynn Urban at 660-543-4188 or urban@ucmo.edu.