This paper argues that homeland security and emergency management education programs in higher education must be a collaborative and integrated endeavor involving multiple disciplines because of the complexity of the homeland security enterprise. Looking at the homeland security enterprise through a variety of perspectives, taken together and synthesized, can deepen understanding and shed additional light on the scope of the field or discipline. Next, this paper provides an example of a graduate program at Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi that has integrated EM and HS components into the curriculum. Finally, this paper highlights both the benefits and challenges of an interdisciplinary approach to EM–HS education.
Linda Kiltz
Dr. Linda Kiltz is an Assistant Professor of Public Administration in the Master of Public Administration Program at Texas A&M–Corpus Christi. She teaches graduate courses in public administration, homeland security policy, terrorism and counter terrorism, emergency management, administrative law, program evaluation, strategic planning, policy analysis, human resource management, research methods, and the MPA Capstone. Dr. Kiltz is the Program Director for the Graduate Certificate Program in homeland security being offered at the university that she designed, developed and implemented in 2010. Dr. Kiltz’s research interests include measuring and evaluating community resilience, developing a theory of homeland security, and analyzing how new technologies can be integrated into homeland security and emergency management operations. Dr. Kiltz received her Ph.D. in Public Administration and Policy from Portland State University in 2008. Her area of expertise is in public administration and management, as well as, in homeland security policy, emergency management and terrorism. She has over twenty years of experience teaching adult learners within higher education and in government and nonprofit organizations. Dr. Kiltz has extensive public service experience including serving as an Air Defense Artillery Officer for six years in the U.S. Army, specializing in security, counter terrorism, training and human resource management. In addition, Dr, Kiltz has over eight years of experience in law enforcement as a police officer, sheriff’s deputy, police trainer and Training Manager in Montana and Oregon. Dr. Kiltz has extensive training and experience in emergency management, community preparedness, and emergency response coordination, and has served as a FEMA educator.
