Western Carolina University

Transfer Guide

Western Carolina University
Emergency and Disaster Management, BS

Transfer Guide for Associate in Arts

2025-2026

Delivery Method: Fully Online, On-Campus

Program Admission Notes:

Transfer students should apply to Western Carolina University at applynow.wcu.edu. A minimum 2.2 GPA is required for consideration, however, this does not guarantee admission. We recommend that you aim for an average cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above on 12+ hours of college credit for competitiveness with other incoming transfer applicants.

Please note that admission to the institution does not guarantee admission to specific programs, and some programs do require a supplemental application. Check the program website at WCU.edu for supplemental application details and instructions, or reach out to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at 828.227.7317.

Contact:

Advising Center
transferadvising@wcu.edu

Revised: April, 2025

College Level Foreign Language Requirements:

No foreign language requirement for this program.

Major-Specific Course Recommendations:

Students are encouraged to build the North Carolina Community College (NCCC) course recommendations below into the associate degree to best prepare for the intended university and major.

Recommended NCCC Course Credit
Hours		 University Equivalent Associate Degree
Requirement Fulfilled		 University Requirement Fulfilled
MAT 152: Statistical Methods I 4 MATH 170: Applied Statistics & MATH 19A: Lower Level Electives UGETC Math Suggested Course, General Education

Remaining Associate Degree Requirements:

In addition to major-specific course recommendations above, students should work with a community college advisor to select additional community college courses to fulfill the remaining associate degree requirements identified below.

Recommended NCCC Course Credit
Hours		 University Equivalent Associate Degree
Requirement Fulfilled		 University Requirement Fulfilled
ENG 111: Writing and Inquiry 3 ENGL 101: Writing and Rhetoric English Composition General Education
ENG 112: Writing/Research in the Disc 3 ENGL 202: Writing and Critical Inquiry English Composition General Education
COM 231: Public Speaking 3 COMM 201: Foundations of Communication UGETC Humanities/Fine Arts General Education
Student Choice/No Preference (Approved Course Options) 6 University Equivalencies UGETC Humanities/Fine Arts General Education
Student Choice/No Preference (Approved Course Options) 9 University Equivalencies UGETC Social/Behavioral Sciences General Education
Student Choice/No Preference (Approved Course Options) 4 University Equivalencies UGETC Natural Sciences General Education
Student Choice/No Preference (Approved Course Options) 14 University Equivalencies Additional General Education Courses General Education
ACA 122: College Transfer Success 1 ELEC 19A: Lower Level Electives Academic Transition Elective
Student Choice/No Preference (Approved Course Options) 14 University Equivalencies Elective/Pre-Major Courses Elective

Additional Information From Western Carolina University:

Those seeking admission to study through the distance program must have completed an AA, AS, or AAS degree or have substantial progress toward “44 General Core” courses that satisfy the General Education/Liberal Studies requirement for North Carolina Community College System.

FIP 236: Emergency Management or EPT 140: Emergency Management will transfer as EDM 250: Introduction to Emergency and Disaster Management

Coursework taken in Fire Science, Emergency Medical, and Emergency Preparedness programs at North Carolina community colleges may transfer into the major (a maximum of 18 elective credit hours). Fifty percent of earned degree hours and fifty percent of all courses in the major must be at the 300/400 level. Twenty-five percent of the degree program must be taken at the 300 or above level through WCU in order to be awarded a degree from WCU.

Training certification courses do not transfer in lieu of university academic credit. Note that transfer students may exceed the minimal 120-hour requirement in order to obtain this degree due to the transfer of credits from other institutions.

Remaining Bachelor’s Degree Requirements at University:

University Course Credit
Hours		 University Course Notes
EDM 250: Emergency & Disaster Mgt 3
EDM 260: Rsrch Mthds Emrgncy & Dstr Mgt 3
EDM 495: Senior Seminar in EDM 3
Area 1: Conceptual/Technical 9

Take three of the following:

  • EDM 324 - Emergency Planning Credits: 3
  • EDM 326 - Risk Assessment and Vulnerability Analysis Credits: 3
  • EDM 332 - Disaster Response Operations and Management Credits: 3
  • EDM 335 - Principles of Hazard Mitigation Credits: 3
  • EDM 341 - Debris/Waste Management and Emergency and Disaster Management Credits: 3
  • EDM 343 - Fire Services and Emergency and Disaster Management Credits: 3
  • EDM 345 - Weather and Disaster Credits: 3
  • EDM 350 - Cyber Terrorism Credits: 3
  • EDM 351 - Resource Management Credits: 3
  • EDM 360 - Asset Protection & Critical Infrastructure Credits: 3
  • EDM 375 - Biothreat and Emergency and Disaster Management Credits: 3
  • EDM 400 - Missing Persons and Search and Rescue Credits: 3
  • EDM 405 - GIS and Emergency Mapping Credits: 3
  • EDM 406 - Incident Management Systems Credits: 3
  • EDM 410 - Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Emergency and Disaster Management Credits: 3
  • EDM 435 - Homeland Security Credits: 3
  • EDM 448 - Emergency Exercise Design and Evaluation Credits: 3
  • EDM 457 - Terrorism Credits: 3
Area 2: Social/Political 9

Take three of the following:

  • EDM 322 - Social Dimensions of a Disaster Credits: 3
  • EDM 340 - Political and Policy Basis of Emergency and Disaster Management Credits: 3
  • EDM 348 - Recovering from Disaster Credits: 3
  • EDM 349 - Humanitarian Response and Disaster Relief Credits: 3
  • EDM 352 - Disaster and Crime Credits: 3
  • EDM 355 - Stress, Personal Welfare and Emergency and Disaster Management Credits: 3
  • EDM 356 - International Disaster and Catastrophe Credits: 3
  • EDM 358 - Vulnerable Populations and Emergency and Disaster Management Credits: 3
  • EDM 365 - Riots, Civil Unrest and Crowd Control Credits: 3
  • EDM 370 - Communication, Media and Emergency and Disaster Management Credits: 3
  • EDM 452 - Legal Issues in Emergency and Disaster Management Credits: 3
  • EDM 453 - Agriculture, Farm and Disaster Credits: 3
  • EDM 460 - Case Studies in Emergency and Disaster Management Credits: 3
Area 3: Experiential/Interdisciplinary 6

Take two of the following:

  • EDM 483 - Internship in Emergency and Disaster Management Credits: 3-12, R12
  • EDM 480 - Independent Study in Emergency and Disaster Management Credits: 1-3, R6
  • EDM 320 - Statistical Analysis in Emergency and Disaster Management Credits: 3
  • EDM 458 - Grant Writing in Emergency and Disaster Management Credits: 3
  • CJ 150 - Introduction to Criminal Justice & Criminology Credits: 3
  • CJ 204 - Criminal Law Credits: 3
  • CJ 370 - Ethics in Criminal Justice Credits: 3
  • ANTH 300 - Human Osteology Credits: 3
  • COMM 400 - Crisis Communications Credits: 3
  • EMC 445 - EMC Systems Management Credits: 3
  • PSC 322 - Public Administration Credits: 3
  • PSC 327 - State and Local Government Credits: 3
Area 4: Free Choice Among EDM Electives 15

Take five of the following:

Choose EDM courses not otherwise being used to satisfy requirements from areas 1, 2, and 3 (internships, research studies, EDM 493, and all other EDM courses qualify).

Up to 15 hours of transfer credit can be applied to this category as EDM 19x or EDM 39x credit.
General Electives 30

General Electives (hours vary) are required to complete the program. These electives can be made up of emergency management courses that are not being used to satisfy the Major Elective (Specialty Area) requirements.

This requirement may be satisfied by choosing an interdisciplinary minor, or double major (e.g., Criminal Justice).