These specialized degree programs vary, but they provide executive students exposure to some of the most critical issues in emergency response, disaster management, public health preparedness, and counter-terrorism. Some examples of these programs include: University of Maryland of Baltimore County offers an online master’s degree in Emergency Health Services Management; Penn State University offers an online 30-credit master’s degree in Homeland Security and Public Health Preparedness; Georgetown University in Washington, DC offers an online certificate and a residential master’s degree in Bio-hazardous Threat Agents and Emerging Infectious Diseases; and Northcentral University in Prescott, AZ has an only Doctor of Business Administration with a focus in Homeland Security. The programs are geared toward developing innovative leadership skills in crisis management for managers and health care practitioners who want to contribute more to their organization and find better solutions to complex problems. These programs work for professionals with fulltime jobs, because they are not exclusively focused on exams and book theory in teaching and the transfer of knowledge. Homeland defense challenges have created a knowledge gap between traditional academic preparation and the realities of effective problem solving in the areas of public health, public safety, emergency preparedness, and crisis response. Leaders are finding that traditional residential degree and traditional certificate programs are often not attractive or viable. Universities have responded to the demands and management challenges by providing some nontraditional options and gaining critical knowledge from specialized degree programs focused on cutting-edge areas in crisis management and homeland security.