Bachelor of Arts in Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness

Catalog Year 2024-2026

Based on VCCS Curriculum for SOCIAL SCIENCE

Transfer Guidance

Guaranteed Admission Agreement Requirements

• Earn a transfer associate degree.

• Earn a minimum GPA of 2.5 for your associate degree.

• Earn grades of “C” or higher in all community college courses. VCU will accept credit for repeated courses for “D” or “F” grades.

Important Links & Dates

• University Transfer Center: https://transfer.vcu.edu/.

• Admission Application: By March 15 for fall admission and November 1 for spring at https://www.vcu.edu/admissions/apply/.

• Financial Aid: https://semss.vcu.edu/our-services/financial-resources-and-guidance/.

• FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid: March 1 for fall semester at https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa.

What Should I Consider When Selecting Courses?

• Complete your English courses and start your math sequence in your first year.

• Create a schedule for all required courses, pay attention to prerequisites and when courses are offered. For help, see Transfer Steps and Resource Center at www.TransferVirginia.org.

• Connect with an advisor at your community college and the VCU Transfer Center (https://transfer.vcu.edu/) in your first semester.

Is This Degree Right For Me?

• 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, such as floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, outbreak of infectious disease, requires pre-disaster planning, mid-disaster operations and post-disaster 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 non security-related incidents and/or 2) further study in government, international affairs, law enforcement, policy planning or law.

What Is The Impact On My Degree Of Work I Have Already Completed?

• Associate Transfer Degree Completion: The completion of a transfer associate degree results in all lower-division general education requirements being met when you transfer to VCU.

• Dual Enrollment – Completion of Associate Degree in HS: The completion of an associate degree concurrent with high school results in 60 credits of coursework applied towards your degree and VCU’s general education courses will be satisfied. High school students must apply to VCU as freshman applicants for orientation and engagement purposes.

• Credit for Prior Learning: VCU accepts AP, IB, Cambridge, CLEP, DANTES, and military credits.

• Catalog Year: VCU will honor the degree requirements of the VCU Undergraduate Bulletin in effect at the time of the student’s first post-high school enrollment into an appropriate associate degree at the two-year institution. Students must stay enrolled at their community college and take no more than four years to complete their associate degree. Students must also enroll at VCU within one year of completing their associate degree.

Is This College Right For Me?

• Located in downtown Richmond, within two hours of the beach, the mountains and Washington DC, VCU provides top-ranked academic programs, research opportunities and an urban setting so students can live and learn in the real world.

• VCU is a large, public research institution dedicated to the success and well-being of students and the Richmond community.

• Diversity, inclusion and equity are deeply ingrained core values at VCU. If you are looking to connect with a broad range of people, come join us!

• Learn more about our college at www.TransferVirginia.org.

Did You Know That…

• Completing your associate transfer degree satisfies all lower division general education requirements and increases the likelihood you will complete your bachelor’s degree?

• Exceeding 3 years or 90 credits at your community college could exhaust your financial aid there and reduce your future financial aid at VCU?

What Can I Do With This Degree?

• Explore possible careers, salaries, and job outlook at www.TransferVirginia.org

Program Successes & Highlights

• 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. Our students have a multitude of options available to ensure that their undergraduate experience serves their unique needs. Whether it’s interning with the General Assembly through our Capitol Semester program, studying abroad, double majoring in another field, or pursuing an accelerated masters degree, students have the opportunity to personalize their education and pursue a path which best fits their needs.

What Are My Chances For Getting Accepted?

• If you apply through general application instead of through the Guaranteed Admission Agreement, you will be considered for admission with all other transfer applicants.

• Learn more about applying at www.TransferVirginia.org.

Do More With Your Degree!

• Students majoring in Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness in the Wilder school have the opportunity to pursue a variety of degree plans including double majoring in areas like Criminal Justice, Psychology, Political Science, Urban and Regional Studies, and/or Sociology. Students can also apply to one of two accelerated Master’s programs (M.A. in Homeland Security or Masters of Public Administration).

Other Than Classes, Are There Other Program Requirements?

• All students must complete at least one VCU “REAL” experiential learning activity in order to graduate from VCU. Examples of REAL activities include: internships, research, and service learning. This requirement may be satisfied by completing a 300-level (or higher) REAL course or through an approved REAL co-curricular experience.

• Learn more at https://real.vcu.edu/.