Homeland Security and Emergency Management degree programs integrate security studies and emergency management principles necessary to effectively prevent and deter intentional acts and build strong capabilities to respond and recover from all hazards that threaten the United States. The multidisciplinary security and emergency management-based programs are designed to meet the needs of current and future professionals providing administrative oversight, structure, control, and leadership during disasters, and operational management. Due to the rapidly changing demands in homeland security and emergency management and related administrative duties, academic degrees are being sought by homeland security and emergency managers, both in the public and private sectors. The surrounding social, economic, political, bureaucratic and business contexts within homeland security and emergency management are becoming more complicated requiring a more sophisticated engagement and expanded knowledge base for the professionalization of the field. Multiple changing industries as well as county, state, and federal levels of government have also found an increased demand for homeland security and emergency managers and have adapted their respective programs to accommodate the developing role of homeland security and emergency management. Given the current interest and changing landscape in homeland security and emergency management training, much effort regionally and nationally, has been focused upon higher education programs. Idaho State University's Associate of Science and Bachelor of Science Degree in Homeland Security and Emergency Management place emphasis upon the needs of first responder professionals at the city, county, state, and national levels.