Peyton Powell
Staff Writer

Studying abroad is one thing that is on many student’s buckets lists to do before they graduate college.

However, some students feel that because of their major, such as those in the science field, they may not be afforded that opportunity. Graduate students pursuing their Master’s degree in Emergency Management here at Millersville will now have the opportunity to earn a degree from outside the United States while also earning a degree from here at Millersville.

Although this opportunity doesn’t come before finishing undergrad, the experience will be rewarding for students.

Millersville University has partnered with the University of Reading in the United Kingdom, for a graduate program like no other.

The decision to become partners came after the University of Reading’s school of law professor Dr. Katja Samuel visited Millersville last semester. Dr. Samuel was joined by Millersville’s own Dr. Bookmiller of the Government and Political Affairs department, and Dr. Yalda from the Earth Sciences department, who talked about how this partnership would be beneficial to its students.

Dr. Yalda and Dr. Bookmiller are a part of the Center for Disaster Research and Education also known as the CDRE here at Millersville, as well as teach programs in their respective areas.

Here at Millersville they offer a master’s degree in Emergency Management where their program is based more on the local level, whereas the University of Reading will reportedly give insight to students about things on a much bigger international scale.

Students pursuing their Master’s at the University of Reading will also be able to take courses from Millersville that are completely online and will be counted towards their degree at their home school. This conjunctive program would merge Millersville’s Emergency Management program with the Disaster Law and Global Crisis, and Conflict and Disaster Management programs at the University of Reading which are brand new.

The intention of the merge was to give student the opportunity to open their minds and look to the global side of things, and for students at the University of Reading a more domestic approach to viewing things.

Dr. Bookmiller stated, “The partnership will give MU and its CDRE/MSEM unparalleled international visibility given Reading’s global reputation.”

The University of Reading is one of the most accredited universities in the world being ranked at 200, and being known as a highly research intensive school.

This partnership will bring some of the most qualified individuals to Millersville to get a degree, and let its own students get key knowledge to help them in their future.