Internship Program

EMHS offers different professional pathways from which students may choose. While many of the professional development instruction is shared, path-specific instruction is offered to students in order to ensure EMHS interns meet the aforementioned standards. This instruction is contained in a mandatory one-credit-hour Professional Pathways course offered every semester. Students should enroll in this course one to three semesters prior to interning, depending on the desired internship path. Professional Pathways has its own prerequisites, depending again on the internship path. The paths are outlined below:

Emergency Management. Students who intern through the emergency management path are placed in internships with the State of Florida's Division of Emergency Management in all fields, with county emergency management offices, with FEMA or other federal agencies, or even in the private sector. These internships are generally offered every semester. Professional Pathways should be taken one-two semesters prior to interning, and should be preceded by Foundations in Emergency Management.

Homeland Security. Students who intern through the homeland security path are placed in internships with local law enforcement homeland security functions as well as state and federal agencies. These internships are offered either every semester or every summer, depending on the organization. Professional Pathways should be taken one-two semesters prior to interning, and should be preceded by Introduction to Terrorism, Foundations of Emergency Management, or Homeland Security.

Intelligence. Students who intern through the intelligence path are placed in internships with federal intelligence agencies, military combatant commands, local intelligence units, and state preparedness agencies. These internships are offered either every semester or every summer, depending on the organization. Professional Pathways should be taken two-three semesters prior to interning, and should be preceded by U.S. Intelligence Policy or U.S. Intelligence Analysis.

Unmanned Aircraft Systems. Students who intern through the unmanned aircraft systems path are placed in internships with the Florida Division of Emergency Management Air Operations Branch, regional Florida task forces around the state, and private companies. These internships are offered less regularly, but with at least one open every semester. Professional Pathways should be taken one semester prior to interning and should be preceded by UAS in Emergency Management and Applications of UAS.

Enrollment in the Professional Pathways course does not guarantee an internship placement, as these are highly competitive. However, not enrolling may preclude some of our more competitive internship placements.