Penn Foster Fire Science degree

[JPJ1987]

I noticed IAFF is promoting Penn Foster who offers an online fire science degree. I currently am a full-time firefighter with ff2 and emt-b. It's been a goal of mine to obtain a AS degree in fire science. I went to a community college about 5 years ago and got through a little over 2 semesters into fire science until i stopped pursuing. Does anyone has any experience with Penn Foster? I've been looking at reviews but i figured this would be the best place for my research. I figure if IAFF is backing PF that it can't be too bad of a school.

[fire5555]

Is it accredited like a regular university, and canyou transfer thier credits to a regular university???

Check the distance learning through nfa ::;

http://www.usfa.fema.gov/nfa/higher_...feshe_ddp.shtm

http://www.usfa.fema.gov/nfa/higher_...p_schools.shtm

[53fireman]

http://www.infobarrel.com/Is_Penn_Fo...ege_Accredited

It all depends on your situation and what you're going to school for. If you want the knowledge and a degree, then most of the online schools are probably fine. If you are going to use it towards higher education or promotion, you should look more into the accreditation. Your employer may be fine with giving points based on a DETC accredited school, or they may not. Also, if you're planning on pursuing further education from a regionally accredited school, they may not accept your credits either.

[tcd]

If you're interested in any online schools or programs, fire-related or otherwise, I highly recommend visting this site and its forums. The folks over there live and breathe this stuff, and can definitely tell you whether the Penn Foster is legit or not.

http://www.degreeinfo.com/forum.php

Again, for anyone looking into online degree programs in any discipline, degreeinfo.com is the best and most impartial resource I've found on the web. Another good site to search for online degrees is www.geteducated.com.

Hope this helps.

[JPJ1987]

thanks for all your help, i will definitely look elsewhere since this is not regionally accredited. Although i understand this doesn't mean the school is no good i want to make sure if in the future i go to finish a bach degree that it will transfer to any regionally accredited school.

[LtMedic35]

The IAFF/Penn Foster program has a direct articulation agreement with the National Labor College in Silver Spring MD to enter their BA in Emergency Management / Response upon completion of the Fire Science Degree. The National Labor College is an accredited degree granting institution through Middle States. The NLC degree is 100% legit and accepted as a "Regionally Accredited" degree program. The AS in Fire Science was developed as a partnership between the NLC, IAFF, and Penn Foster as a bridge from AS to Bachelor level education for the IAFF's union members. If you have any questions let me know, I was a student at the NLC during the development of both programs.

[Ermff67]

I too was interested in the IAFF/ Penn Foster Fire Science degree. I was hoping to get it and move on to Empire State part of the SUNY system for a BA in Fire Admin. After talking to people from both colleges here some info. Empire State stated they probably will accept credits from Penn if they are ACE certified. Other than that they seemed hesitant to say that the degree would easily transfer over (understandable). Now then, talking to Penn - Despite the fact that the IAFF website about the program leads you to believe that the courses are ACE certified (without exactly saying it) they aren't yet. They are in the process of "hopefully getting" ACE credit for the fire science program. Also a side note for Mac users. Penn does require PC for a couple of the classes in the fire science program. All that said, I am probably going to hold out until the courses get an ACE certification.

[firedawg27]

Try openfireacademy.org, they offer certification courses in all areas of fire courses/ FESHE/ and offer degree program as well. So in other words you can get both bangs at once at the same place, and you can study and do your work at your own pace. They are IFSAC and Pro-Board Certification but you can get dual for those through them and get a Regional Accredited college degree. 1-800-225-9567 or openfireacademy.org.

[firedawg27]

I noticed IAFF is promoting Penn Foster who offers an online fire science degree. I currently am a full-time firefighter with ff2 and emt-b. It's been a goal of mine to obtain a AS degree in fire science. I went to a community college about 5 years ago and got through a little over 2 semesters into fire science until i stopped pursuing. Does anyone has any experience with Penn Foster? I've been looking at reviews but i figured this would be the best place for my research. I figure if IAFF is backing PF that it can't be too bad of a school.

Try openfireacademy.org, they offer certification courses in all areas of fire courses/ FESHE/ and offer degree program as well. So in other words you can get both bangs at once at the same place, and you can study and do your work at your own pace. They are IFSAC and Pro-Board Certification but you can get dual for those through them and get a Regional Accredited college degree. 1-800-225-9567 or openfireacademy.org.

[gruntdavis08]

I recommend Kieser University. It is an accredited university out of Florida, I am currently enrolled and it is great!

[JDC]

I recommend Kieser University. It is an accredited university out of Florida, I am currently enrolled and it is great!

Does that program run one course after another at your own pace or is it based on actual calendar semesters?

[CFD11]

Keiser is a great University, I received my AS from Keiser but if you have aspirations of completing a Bachelors I highly suggest enrolling online through a brick and mortar school that carries the prestige that you want. I have experience at the BS level now and I am currently enrolling in Master's programs thanks to the GI bill and a healthy tuition reimbursement program. University of Florida has a Bachelors in Fire Science as do many regionally accredited schools. A simple way of finding out who is to google D1 football teams and get a map of them. Then google every school on the map about online degree programs. Keiser is a great school but very accelerated now that I have a more traditional schedule of quarterly. I wish now that I am finished with my Bachelors that I would have had a degree from a well recognized school. I have been in interviews and people have literally said Keiser who? A solid school carries a lot of weight when it comes to interviews. Keiser's work load really prepares you for a BS though. I worked harder at Keiser than I ever have at my current school. I have Masters apps going out to Colorado, Grand Canyon, Eastern Kentucky, George Washington and several others and feel prepared not because of my BS but because of my Associates from Keiser, the instructors expected more, were willing to help at anytime, willing to guide me through a really rough time right after I transitioned to the military, and taught me how to excel in secondary education. I would caution you about enrolling in a non regionally accredited school, a close friend and coworker did this and he has paid complete hell getting someone to pick him up for a Masters let alone a Bachelors. There can be any number of deals but look at what prepares you for the next step when it comes to your education. You really get what you pay for......

[CFD11]

Oh and to answer your question one course per month for however long you have to complete. I completed my degree from Keiser in 16 months with transfer credits.