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A Flexible, Personal Path to Public Leadership

Advance your public service and safety career with a master's degree designed by field leaders for field leaders.
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Program Snapshot

  • 30 credits | 100% online
  • 18–24 months to complete
  • No GRE required
  • Under $15,000 total cost
  • Transfer credits available — up to 6 hours for current professional credentials or transfer coursework
  • Option to start with a 12-credit certificate that rolls into the master’s degree
  • Fall or spring enrollment available
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Where This Degree Leads You

Your master's degree opens doors to leadership roles that shape communities.
  • Fire Chief
  • Director, Emergency Services or Emergency Communications
  • Community Services Manager
  • Police Captain
  • Business Continuity Manager
  • Policy Analyst
  • Operations Manager

How the Program Works

Earn your Master in Public Service & Safety Leadership degree through a flexible, 10-course (30 credit hour) program designed for working public safety professionals.

  • Take one or two courses at a time (all online) with the support of instructors, a cohort of peers, and program coordinators.
  • Each course is an 8-week session.
  • Finish with a job-connected capstone project that applies your learning and perspective to your real-world role.

Want to start small? You can begin with the 12-credit Public Safety Leadership Certificate and later apply those credits toward the full master’s degree.

Why Leaders Choose Drury

  • Flexible online classes
  • No GRE required
  • Field-tested curriculum
  • Stackable credentials
  • Job-connected projects
  • Affordable investment
  • Ongoing advisor support

What Our Graduates Say

Joshua Freeman
PSSL 2023, Director of Paramedicine at Ozark Technical Community College, Capstone: Comprehensive Wellness Program for Paramedics

“The reason I chose the Public Service and Safety Leadership master’s program at Drury University was that I wanted courses that would help me be a better leader in my current and future roles, and it did just that.”

Chet Hunter MS, CEM
Washington University in St. Louis
Assistant Director of Emergency Management
Drury Distinguished Alumni Award-Lifetime Achievement ‘22

“I developed a desire to shape policy and change the way we direct ourselves when disasters strike our community. I began to get involved in public safety associations and I eventually set a course for continued academic growth. That’s when I found Drury’s Master in Public Service and Safety Leadership. The program emphasizes the dynamic nature of preparing for emergencies and the leadership that’s required to lead community-focused responses. My capstone project, ‘Creating a Standard of Excellence Framework for Emergency Management,’ integrates research to present a two-prong approach — education and incentives — to achieve a more prepared and resilient nation through emergency management programs.”

Kacie Springer, Detective Sergeant with Lebanon Police Department
Commander of the Lake Area Cyber Crimes Task Force with Missouri ICAC
Master in Public Service and Safety Leadership - 2022
Drury - Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, Pyschology, and Sociology - 2019

“Thanks to the collaborative efforts of my cohort, the insights I gained into strategic planning, and the integrated approaches emphasized throughout the program, I gained the confidence to open a door to a conversation about creating a Public Safety Mental Health Awareness Initiative for first responders in the City of Lebanon. The City now has peer support teams with the police and fire departments.”

Meet Your Instructors

Learn from Proven Leaders
  • Jarett Metheny, Fire Chief with 30+ years of experience and CFO/EFO certifications
  • Nigel Holdersby, Director of External Relations for the American Red Cross with communication management and team leadership talents
  • Chris Lamb, former FBI agent with 30+ years of experience in information security and training
  • Tom Kneipp, First Sergeant/Master Diver with credentials in organizational communication and leadership
  • Kobi Ammons, with an extensive public service background as program manager, volunteer services director, executive director, and leadership development consultant

Transfer-Friendly Pathways

Multiple entry points to meet you where you are

Certificate to Master's

Start with our 12-credit Public Safety Leadership Certificate. Apply all credits toward your master’s degree. No wasted time or money.

Transfer Credits Welcome

Bring up to 6 graduate credits* from accredited institutions.

Professional Experience Credit

Your training matters. We may approve up to 6 credit hours* for:

  • Law enforcement academies
  • 911 services certification
  • Emergency management credentials
  • Fire service training
  • Military education

*Six total credit hours available for transfer and/or professional experience.

Concurrent Credit Fast-Track

Current undergrads can complete graduate courses that count toward both degrees, finishing your master’s in just one additional year.

Policies & Admission

Transfer Credit

Up to six hours of transfer credit from an accredited institution may be applied toward the master’s degree.

Professional Development Competency

Students may request of a review of professional development programs that result in career-focused credentials or training programs documented on a Joint Services Transcript.

We may approve up to six hours of credit for professional development activities toward the master’s degree (approved certification in an area of law enforcement, 911 services, emergency management, or fire services; and/or credit for military education – approved academies).

Contact Program Director Dr. Regina Waters at rwaters@drury.edu to learn how your professional development credentials may translate into academic credit.

Concurrent Credit

Concurrent credit allows motivated students to complete graduate-level courses that count toward undergraduate B.S. in Emergency Management or B.S. in Law Enforcement with a Leadership Concentration program, while giving you a head start on your Master’s in Public Service and Safety Leadership.

Students can complete a bachelor’s (typically four years) and fast-track the completion of a master’s degree in approximately one year. This allows students to save money and time in the pursuit of a Master’s in Public Service and Safety Leadership.

In order to earn the master’s in one year, students will take the remaining hours of graduate coursework during the three or four semesters following graduation with your undergraduate degree.

Eligible undergraduate students who meet program requirements (see Academic Catalog) can enroll in a maximum of six hours (two courses) of 600 level graduate courses while still pursuing a bachelor’s degree. Students earn graduate and undergraduate credit simultaneously in each of these courses.

Working in conjunction with the Master in Public Services and Safety Leadership program director, students will complete and file a program of study with the Registrar’s Office. The plan of study must be approved by the student’s advisor, the graduate program director, and the Associate Provost of Adult, Online, and Graduate Education.

Start the conversation about concurrent credit with your advisor during your sophomore or junior year. Contact Program Director Dr. Regina Waters at rwaters@drury.edu to learn more about the graduate courses available through concurrent credit.

Admission Requirements

  • College of Graduate Studies application: www.drury.edu/graduate-application
  • Official undergraduate degree transcript
  • Two professional or academic recommendations
  • Personal statement
  • A minimum GPA of 3.0
  • Official Joint Services Transcript and other official paperwork designating military training or professional credentials, if applicable

Ready to LEAD?

Whether you’re ready to apply or need to learn how this program could work for your life and career, our graduate advisors are here to help you take the next step.

Start Your Application