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2025-2026

Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, Bachelor of Arts (NEXT STEP Pathway)

VCU

Community college:
Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts (Brightpoint Community College)
Brightpoint Community College
Associate degree

Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts

Completing the associate degree will waive VCU's general education requirements.

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.
  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. Students 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

Students are guaranteed admission to this degree program with:

  • Completion of the associate degree
  • Minimum GPA of 2.5
  • All courses completed with a "C" grade or better
Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
  • STAT 208
Science required
  • Natural Sciences requirement only
Foreign language requirements
  • No
Additional tuition/fees
  • No
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • 2.0+ cumulative GPA, 2.0+ major GPA
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
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2025-2026

Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, Bachelor of Arts (NEXT STEP Pathway)

Brightpoint Community College (Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts)

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
  • Register for SDV 100.
  • Schedule an advising appointment with your Brightpoint advisor.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes and use tutoring to get ahead.
  • Cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Explore financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
  • Attend cultural events at community college and VCU to celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.
Experience Year 2
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing options for next year.
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the Wilder School, consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students to make professional and personal connections.
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Check out the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and follow @vcuomsa.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or department-related events.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Register for SDV 100.
  • Schedule an advising appointment with your Brightpoint advisor.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes and use tutoring to get ahead.
  • Cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Explore financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Attend cultural events at community college and VCU to celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing options for next year.
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the Wilder School, consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students to make professional and personal connections.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Check out the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and follow @vcuomsa.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or department-related events.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2025-2026

Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, Bachelor of Arts (NEXT STEP Pathway)

Brightpoint Community College (Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts)

Brightpoint Community College courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
SDV 100 College Success Skills UNIV 101 1 Elective
ENG 111 College Composition I UNIV 111 3 General education
ENG 112 College Composition II UNIV 200 3 General education
MTH 155 Statistical Reasoning STAT 208 3 Major
CST Select one: CST 100 OR CST 110 SPCH 3 General education
Foreign language 101 or transfer elective VCU equivalent 3 to 4 Elective
History elective (select one from approved BCC list) VCU equivalent 3 General education
Laboratory science elective (select one from approved BCC list) VCU equivalent 4 General education
Foreign language 102 or transfer elective VCU equivalent 3 to 4 Elective
Arts elective (select one from approved BCC list) VCU equivalent 3 General education
Social/behavioral sciences elective (select one from approved BCC list) Recommended: PLS 135 U.S. Government and Politics VCU equivalent 3 General education
History elective (select one from approved BCC list) VCU equivalent 3 General education
Literature elective (select one from approved BCC list) VCU equivalent 3 General education
Foreign language 201 or transfer elective VCU equivalent 3 Elective
Cultural Understanding/Civic Engagement elective (select one from approved BCC list) Recommended: PLS 241 Introduction to International Relations VCU equivalent 3 Elective
Philosophy/Religion elective (select one from approved BCC list) VCU equivalent 3 Elective
Foreign language 202 or transfer elective VCU equivalent 3 Elective
Liberal Arts Transfer Electives VCU equivalent 8 to 10 Elective
Brightpoint credits transferred to VCU 60 to 62
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
GVPA 100 Making Policy Real: Social Problems and Policy Solutions 3 Major
HSEP 101 Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness 3 Major
HSEP 301/POLI 367 Terrorism 3 Major
HSEP 302 Emergency Planning and Response 3 Major
HSEP 304 Disaster Recovery and Hazard Mitigation 3 Major
HSEP 314 Principles of Cybersecurity 3 Major
HSEP 320 Intelligence, Espionage and Covert Action 3 Major
HSEP 380 Leadership and Ethics 3 Major
HSEP 400 Crisis Simulation and Exercises 3 Major
HSEP 490 Senior Seminar 3 Major
Major electives: Select any 300- or 400-level HSEP course and/or courses from the list of approved electives. 9 Major
Open electives (consider a minor or second major) Note: Students must complete a minimum of 45 upper-level credits to graduate from VCU. 19 to 21 Elective
Credits completed at VCU 58 to 60
Minimum credits required for bachelor's degree 120
The accelerated B.A. and M.A. program allows qualified students to earn both the B.A. and M.A. in Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness in a minimum of five years by completing approved graduate courses during the senior year of their undergraduate program. The accelerated B.A. and M.P.A. program allows qualified students to earn both the B.A. in Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness and Master of Public Administration in a minimum of five years by completing approved graduate courses during the senior year of their undergraduate program. Minimum qualifications for entrance to both accelerated programa include completion of 90 undergraduate credit hours including five of the six required 300-level HSEP courses; an overall GPA of 3.5 and a GPA of 3.5 in homeland security and emergency preparedness course work.