Whether it’s a category five hurricane, an earthquake that nearly hits 6 on the Richter scale, or an ice storm that knocks out power for days on end, there’s a plan in place to prepare for these events, as well as whatever comes next. And, behind that plan, there’s a team of highly skilled individuals ready at a moment’s notice. 

This summer, Unity College Distance Education has launched a new undergraduate degree program titled Environmental Emergency Management and Law Enforcement, where students can acquire the job-ready skills such as communication, planning, organizational collaboration, and problem-solving.

“If you open up a newspaper or turn on the TV, you’ll see that there is a growing need for leaders in this field,” said Unity College President Dr. Melik Peter Khoury. “Unity College understands that environmental emergencies are occurring all across the globe at an alarming rate, and it’s vital that communities, both small and large, have the resources and personnel who are trained to plan for and handle those scenarios. There are a lot of students who will come out of this program eager to work with their communities and truly make a difference. This new degree program builds on our long experience with Conservation Law Enforcement.”

“For those students who are more interested in the law enforcement side of this course, this is a great precursor to our Conservation Law master’s program,” said Dr. Amy Arnett, Vice President of Unity College Distance Education. “The transition from the bachelor’s program into the master’s is incredibly easy, and it opens up so many additional opportunities for a student once they finish that program.”

Students who earn this degree can enter into several industries including public administration, law enforcement, health care, manufacturing, waste management, construction, and scientific and technical services. Jobs include emergency director, police officer (with the police academy training), environmental planner, immigration/customs inspector, natural disaster manager, disaster relief, among others.

According to data from Burning Glass Technologies, the careers associated with this degree are projected to grow by 7.9 percent nationally over the next 10 years, with starting salaries at $59,300 at entry-level and up to two years experience, with a median salary of $63,433.

There are job opportunities in every state, with especially high demand in California, Texas, Florida, Virginia, New York, Maryland, Colorado, Georgia, and Pennsylvania.