Syllabus
Master of Healthcare Administration
HCA 755: Advanced Emergency Management
Credits - 3
Description
As a continuation of HCA 705 Emergency Management I, this course will expand on the content to include a program view of emergency management across the enterprise and development processes to address deficiencies identified in evaluations. An examination of leadership and management practices, including strategic foresight and human behavior are included in this course. Building upon HCA 705, Emergency Management 1, this course will prepare participants to be able to become part of an emergency management organization – at the federal, state, local, non-profit, or for-profit organization. There will be four (4) main topical areas of the course:
- Laws, Authorities and Policy – How EM Programs Get Formed, and Re-formed, and Re-formed Again
- Strategic Foresight – How Being Strategic Helps You Do the Tactics Better
- Building and Improving EM Programs – Being a Renaissance Person
- Leadership – Skills, Knowledges, and Practices to Succeed
Materials
Learning Objectives and Outcomes
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Analyze the processes and essential elements of laws, authorities, policies, and practices that undergird all emergency management programs
- Apply strategic foresight and an anticipatory mindset to best practices and tactics for response, recovery, and mitigation.
- Assess the various standards of emergency management and homeland security
- Identify and apply the organizational and management skills an emergency manager must use to be successful
- Practice strategic planning with innovative, creative, and disciplined leadership skills when responding to novel emergency events.
Assignments
Written Assignments
Throughout the course, students are assigned written assignments aimed at having them evaluate and discuss various topics related to emergency management, regulations, leadership, and strategic thinking in greater detail. Many of these assignments require close interpretation of laws, regulations, and event reports. All details about requirements and grading are detailed in the course.
Discussions
Each week except for the last includes a discussion prompt that requires students to engage with the material and with their classmates. Each prompt builds on the content reviewed in the course that week. Students must respond to at least two classmates to receive full credits on Discussions. All prompts and rubrics are detailed in the course.
Final Case Study
The culminating assignment for this course is a Case Study focused on the COVID-19 Response by the Maryland Department of Corrections. Students are asked to review a report and context video, then write a report analyzing what occurred and applying their own learning to the incident. All details are provided in the course.
Grading Policy
Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:
Grade Breakdown
| Assignment Type | Total Points |
|---|---|
| Introductions Discussion | 2 |
| Weekly Discussions (6 x 5 points) | 30 |
| Weekly Assignments (8 x 7 points) | 56 |
| Final Case Study | 12 |
| Total | 100 |
Grade Scale
| Grade | Points Grade | Point Average (GPA) |
| A | 94 – 100% | 4.00 |
| A- | 90 – 93% | 3.75 |
| B+ | 87 – 89% | 3.50 |
| B | 84 – 86% | 3.00 |
| B- | 80 – 83% | 2.75 |
| C+ | 77 – 79% | 2.50 |
| C | 74 – 76% | 2.00 |
| C- | 70 – 73% | 1.75 |
| D | 64 – 69% | 1.00 |
| F | 00 – 63% | 0.00 |
Schedule
All submissions are due by 11:59 PM EST on the date listed in the course unless otherwise posted.
Course Calendar
Week 1: Mar 13 – Mar 20
Week 2: Mar 20 – Mar 27
Week 3: Mar 27 – Apr 3
Week 4: Apr 3 – Apr 10
Week 5: Apr 10 – Apr 17
Week 6: Apr 17 – Apr 24
Week 7: Apr 24 – May 1
Week 8: May 1 – May 5
Weekly Course Schedule
Week 1: VUCA
Learning Materials
- Foster, D. (2020). Leading through uncertainty. Harvard Business Publishing Corporate Learning.
- Fletcher, A., Faines, T.L., & Loney, B. (2023). How to be a better leader amid volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. Harvard Business Review.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2023). COVID-19 after action report resources and examples.
- US Department of Health and Human Services. (2024). HHS-OIG’s oversight of COVID-19 response and recovery.
- The White House. (n.d.). National COVID-19 preparedness plan.
- FEMA. (2021). Pandemic response to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): Initial assessment report. Fema.gov.
- There are 2 required textbooks for you to read throughout the course. Both should be completed by Week 6 at the latest.
- Heifetz, R.A. (1998). Leadership without easy answers. Harvard University Press.
- Fisher, R., Ury, W., & Patton, B. (2011). Getting to yes: Negotiating agreement without giving in. Penguin Random House. – requires purchase
- (optional) Maslow, A. H., Stephens, D. C. (Deborah C., Heil, G., & Maslow, A. H.). (1998). Maslow on management. John Wiley.
- The changing face of strategic crisis management
- Talks at Google. (1 May 2012). Learning from the octopus. [46:25 | CC]
Due this week
- Video Introduction Discussion and Responses
- VUCA Events Written Assignment
Week 2: Laws and Regulations
Learning Materials
- Regulations in the “Week 2 Assignment: Effect of Regulations on Emergency Responses”
- Encyclopedia Brittanica. Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
- Vizcarra, H. (2020). Deepwater Horizon ten years later: Reviewing agency and regulatory reforms. Harvard Law School.
- Gustafson, Z. and de Place, E. (2021, February 26). A Timeline of Oil Train Derailments In Pictures. Sightline Institute
- de Place, E. and Abbotts, J. (2014, January 21). Why Bakken Oil Explodes. Sightline Institute.
Due this week
- Agencies and Authorities Discussion and Responses
- Effect of Regulations on Emergency Responses Written Assignment
Week 3: Evolving Threats
Learning Materials
- Klein, G. (2017, February 8). Anticipation: How do we prepare ourselves for the unexpected? Psychology Today.
- Klein, G., Snowden, D., Pin, C.L. (2010). Anticipatory Thinking. In Mosier, K. L., & Fischer, U. M. (Eds.). (2010). Informed by knowledge: Expert performance in complex situations. Taylor & Francis Group. (Chapter 15).
- Strategic foresight. (n.d.). The Decision Lab.
- Continue reading Leadership without easy answers and Getting to yes (due before week 7)
Due this week
- Anticipatory Thinking Discussion and Responses
- Emerging Threats Written Assignment
Week 4: Threat and Hazard Risk Assessment
Learning Materials
- National risk and capability assessment. (2023, June 12). FEMA.
- Morieux, Y. (October 2013). As work gets more complex, 6 rules to simplify. [Video]. TED. – [11:49 | CC/Transcript available]
- World Economic Forum. (2023, January 11). Press conference on the Global Risks Report 2023. [Video]. YouTube. [1:06:40 | Transcript]
- Bach, R., Kaufman, D., Settle, K., and Duckworth, M. (2015). Policy leadership challenges in supporting community resilience. In Bach. R. (Ed.) Strategies for supporting community resilience. (2015). Crismart. (Chapter 1)
- Dolce, C. (May 2020). 15 years ago, the most extreme Atlantic hurricane season on record began. Weather.com
- Cowling, K., Tucker, D. (2010). Natural disasters and public health: Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma. Academic Emergency Medicine, 17(3), e52-e53.
- KDF Enterprises. (n.d.). Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilm.
- Continue reading Leadership without easy answers and Getting to yes (due before week 7)
Due this week
- Analyzing THIRA Documents Discussion and Responses
- HIRA/THIRA Analysis Assignment
Week 5: EM Standards
Learning Materials
- The emergency management standard. (2023). EMAP.
- National Fire Protection Agency. (2023). NFPA 1660: Standard for emergency, continuity, and crisis management: Preparedness, response, and recovery. 2024 edition.
- Sign up for free access on the page to review the full standard. The option is available under “Current & Prior Editions” and will require signing up with a free account with NFPA. You do not have to read the full standard
- FEMA. (Feb 2024). National Incident Management System. Fema.gov
- FEMA. (n.d.). Resource Typing Library Tool. Fema.gov
- use as a resource to understand positions and skillsets mentioned within the standards
- Wing Health. (Apr 2021). A brief overview of hospital standards.
- Continue reading Leadership without easy answers and Getting to yes (due before week 7)
Due this week
- Consensus-Based Standards Discussion and Responses
- Standards and Guides Comparison Assignment
Week 6: Facilitation Plan
Learning Materials
- Fisher, R., Ury, W., & Patton, B. (2011). Getting to yes: Negotiating agreement without giving in. Penguin Random House.
- Heifetz, R.A. (1998). Leadership without easy answers. Harvard University Press.
- TED. (4 May 2010). How great leaders inspire action | Simon Sinek | TED. [Video]. Youtube. [18:34 | CC]
- Brownlee, D. (4 Aug 2021). Facilitation skills just might be the best kept leadership secret. Forbes.
- Miller, K. (n.d.). 20 most effective facilitation skills for group and meeting leaders. Future of Working: The leadership and career blog.
Due this week
- What kind of leader are you? Discussion and Responses
- The facilitation plan Assignment
Week 7: Leadership Styles
Learning Materials
- McKinsey & Company. (17 Aug 2022). What is leadership?
- Chartered Management Institute. (2015). Understanding management and leadership styles checklist 256.
- LEAD. (18 Apr 2016). The speed of trust – Stephen M.R. Covey @LEAD presented by hr.com. [Video]. [25:30 | Transcript]
- Mind Tools Content Team. (n.d.). Albrecht’s four types of stress. MindTools.
- Trusted Advisor Associates LLC. (n.d.). Understanding the trust equation.
Due this week
- Analysing SEA meeting Assignment
- Feedback on new plans Discussion and Responses
Week 8: Decision Making
Learning Materials
- Bureau of Justice Assistance. (2024). Maryland’s response to the COVID-19 threat to corrections: A case study on statewide collaboration. – draft used with special permission
- Felix, R., Pyrooz, D., Novisky, M., Tostlebe, J., and Dockstader, J. (2022). Effects of COVID-19 on prison operations. U.S. Department of Justice National Institute of Corrections.
Due this week
- MD Corrections Case Study Assignment
- Video Course Reflection Assignment
Student Resources
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Policies
Technology Requirements
Please review the technical requirements for UNE Online Graduate Programs: Technical Requirements
Turnitin Originality Check and Plagiarism Detection Tool
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Make sure to cite your sources appropriately as well as use your own words in synthesizing information from published literature. Webinars and workshops, included early in your coursework, will help guide best practices in APA citation and academic writing.
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Course Evaluation Policy
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Late Policy
Assignments: Late assignments will be accepted up to 3 days late; however, there is a 10% grade reduction (from the total points) for the late submission. After three days the assignment will not be accepted.
Discussion posts: If the initial post is submitted late, but still within the discussion board week, there will be a 10% grade reduction from the total discussion grade (e.g., a 3 point discussion will be reduced by 0.3 points). Any posts submitted after the end of the Discussion Board week will not be graded.
Please make every effort ahead of time to contact your instructor and your student support specialist if you are not able to meet an assignment deadline. Arrangements for extenuating circumstances may be considered by faculty.
Attendance Policy
Online students are required to submit a graded assignment/discussion prior to Sunday evening at 11:59 pm ET of the first week of the term. If a student does not submit a posting to the graded assignment/discussion prior to Sunday evening at 11:59 pm ET, the student will be automatically dropped from the course for non-participation. Review the full attendance policy.
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Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:
- Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
- Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
- Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
- Multiple submissions of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
- Plagiarism, the appropriation of records, research, materials, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own.
Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the Program Director. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations. Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final. Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.