EMHS: Biosecurity and Threat Management (MA)

Program Core: Examines how hazards are managed by both community- and national-level policymaking and administrative systems, with a particular focus on understanding how policies and management practices are related to risk reduction and resilience capacity promotion. Explores what governance means in practice and presents existing research, including policy reports, cases studies and quantitative analyses of community-level and national-level hazards management programs and related public policies--and how their integration is relevant to hazards governance. Emphasizes understanding the nature of public goods production processes, including how inter-sector integration (i.e. between, public, private and nonprofit organizations) and extant community vulnerability profiles matter to the specific risk reduction efforts, and what those same efforts yield in terms of aggregate community resilience outcomes.

Program Core: Examines a variety of tools used in the analysis of criminal justice data, including GIS mapping.

Program Core: Examines core concepts and techniques of program evaluation and policy analysis and applies them to specific challenges in the domains of emergency management and homeland security. Develops knowledge and expertise in the practice of evaluating public sector programs, policies and other agency actions related to hazards issues--both natural and human-made. Develops students' knowledge, skill and ability in identifying appropriate research designs for particular evaluation and policy analysis problems; in managing data and focusing reports based on project objectives; and in appropriately characterizing and presenting empirical those data gathered for program evaluation and policy research projects. Provides an opportunity to learn about conducting evaluation and policy research in a way that is relevant to solving policy and management challenges germane to emergency management and homeland security agencies.

Program Core: Theory and practice of comprehensive emergency management. Explores scope and function of Department of Homeland Security.

Program Core: Presents skills necessary to develop policies, strategies, programs, and organizational structure of an all hazards/all risk homeland security program.

Program Core: Provides foundational information related to application of GIS technology to meet various needs within governmental operations, administration, and public policy.

Program Culminating Experience: Preparation of a supervised applied project that is a graduation requirement in some professional majors.

Concentration Core: This course presents an innovative new approach to critically evaluating risks and responses to biosecurity threats to human health in the modern age. Our systems, thinking, training, legislation and policies have lagged far behind momentous changes in science, leaving us vulnerable to population-level harm from bioterrorism. Synthetic viruses and genetic engineering of pathogens are a reality, with a rapid acceleration of dual-use research of concern (DURC), which is research intended for good which may also be used to cause harm to humans. The public availability of methods for DURC genetic engineering, risks of laboratory accidents, coupled with the insider threat, poses an unprecedented risk for global biosecurity. This course covers bioterrorism past, present and future; case studies in risk analysis, risk mitigation, prevention and response; distinguishing natural from unnatural epidemics; surveillance tools, rapid intelligence and analysis methods; International health regulations, governance, insider threat and ethical frameworks; and response (decontamination and protection of responders).

Concentration Core: The aim of this course is to increase your capacity to operate as public health professionals and or healthcare managers within the context of local or international crises, emergencies and disasters. The faculty will work with you to develop your knowledge of the healthcare aspects of these events, prepare you to assess and respond to such events from the perspective of healthcare services and providers, and assist you to develop the skills required to work within disaster and complex emergency settings.

Concentration Core: This course is designed for those working in public health or related disciplines in developing countries who are working in or likely to work in communicable disease management and would like to gain knowledge, skills and experience in managing communicable disease in emergency settings. On completion of the course, students will understand the principles of, in collaboration with partners: conducting communicable disease risk assessments and prioritising interventions in emergencies; designing and implementing surveillance and early warning and response (EWAR) systems; conducting outbreak investigations and managing outbreak responses; implementing prevention and control methods for priority communicable diseases in emergencies. Students should be able to understand the importance of a coherent and co-ordinated response when working amongst diverse stakeholders in humanitarian settings.