Degrees...?

[dustinlevengood]

I know having a degree helps with advancement especially up to the white shirt level, which is honestly where i want to be someday, I know alot of guys say they dont want the office job and what not but i dont wanna be 55 and barely be able to kneel down or bend over. I'm pretty busy as i'm just starting my career in the fire service but i would like to know what the best way to go about getting a degree is. i would prefer a fire science or fire management degree and in all honesty would like to get to a masters level if that is an option. most colleges i have looked at do not offer a masters degree in any fire related field. does anyone know of any? also my preffered method would be online. any helpful hints/tips would be great. thanks alot.

Dustin

[MikeWard]

Assistant Professor Michael J. Ward
The George Washington University
http://home.gwu.edu/~mikeward/

There is a huge amount of diversity in "fire science" academic programs. From community college credit for Firefighter I to graduate engineering and hard science PhDs from a research-oriented university.

TWO YEAR COMMUNITY COLLEGE FIRE SCIENCE PROGRAMS

Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degrees are designed for a student to complete in PREPARATION for a career in a craft or trade (hospitality, allied medical technicians, mechanic, computer technician, business office skills, realtor, etc.) In general, completing an AAS in Fire Science DOES NOT increase your chances of getting hired.

AAS degrees are considered terminal degrees – that means they are NOT designed to prepare you to progress to a bachelor degree.

Here are some online community college fire science programs:

University of Cinncinati: http://www.uc.edu/programs/viewprog.asp?progid=2557

Pikes Peak Community College: http://www.ppcc.edu/Academics/Departments/FireScience/

Chemeketa Community College:
http://online.chemeketa.edu/degrees_...es/default.asp

Keiser College:
http://www.keisercollege.edu/fpf/

FOUR-YEAR FIRE SCIENCE DEGREE PROGRAMS

There are three flavors of a four-year "fire science" bachelor degree.

The most academic challenging is the Fire Protection Engineering degree that is offered at the University of Maryland (College Park http://www.enfp.umd.edu/ ) and the Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Worcester, MA). These degrees are similar to civil, mechanical or electrical engineering programs with two years of higher level math, one to two years of hard science and about twenty engineering courses.

Completion of the program qualifies you to start working as a Engineer-In-Training (EIT) and eventually becoming certified as a Professional Engineer. Both universities offer Masters of FPE.

http://www.wpi.edu/Pubs/Catalogs/Gra...t/fpedept.html
http://www.fpe.umd.edu/program/proggrad.html

One of the undergraduate degrees offered by the University of New Haven is for Fire Protection Engineering, but it appears NOT accredited by the appropriate engineering council. http://www.newhaven.edu/psps/firescience.html
New Haven is the only institution to offer a Master's in Fire Science

Many four-year fire science degrees fall into the technology arena - not as academically robust as an engineering degree. You receive a Bachelor of Science in Fire Technology degree (or similar title). You will have taken more math/science/engineering technology classes than the next flavor of degree, but you will not be prepared to sit for the Engineer-In-Training program or become a registered Professional Engineer.

Fire Technology bachelor programs include:
Oklahoma State University: http://fpst.okstate.edu/
Eastern Kentucky University: http://www.fireandsafety.eku.edu/
University of New Haven: http://www.newhaven.edu/psps/firescience.html
John Jay College (NYC): http://web.jjay.cuny.edu/~firesci/
University of Akron (OH): http://sc.uakron.edu/?/publicservice/fp.html
University of North Carolina Charlotte: http://www.et.uncc.edu/fire_safety/index.html
Thomas Edison State College (NJ): http://www.tesc.edu/prospective/unde...gree/bsast.php

The third flavor is a four-year non-technology emergency service degree that will lead to a Bachelors in management, supervision. leadership, emergency services, you-name-it. Usually requires a year of english, a year of college level math and whatever other general education requirements are needed by that educational institution. Many are offered through distance education and most assume that the student has some emergency service experience.

Emergency service degrees include:
University of Maryland University College [ONLINE]: http://www.umuc.edu/prog/ugp/majors/fscn.shtml

Maryland is one of seven campuses running the NFA Degree-at-a-Distance program: http://www.usfa.fema.gov/training/nf...rams/distance/

University of Richmond (emergency management): http://oncampus.richmond.edu/academics/scs/emermgmt/

University of Florida [ONLINE]: http://www.bcn.ufl.edu/pde/Fire-html/
Eastern Oregon University: http://www.eou.edu/dde/Degrees/FSA.htm
Arizona State University East [SOME ONLINE FOR ARIZONA STUDENTS]: http://www.east.asu.edu/ctas/imt/fire/res_bas.htm
California State University Los Angeles: http://www.calstatela.edu/academic/e.../et/tech/fire/ pdf brochure
Holy Family University (Philadelphia) http://www.holyfamily.edu/academics/undergrad.shtml
Lake Superior State University (MI) http://www.lssu.edu/degrees/degree.php?id=5066
New Jersey City University: http://www.njcu.edu/dept/ProfStudies...rescience.html
Arkansas Tech University (FEMA Emergency Management): http://commed.atu.edu/eamdegree.htm
Western Carolina University (FEMA Emergency Management ONLINE): http://www.wcu.edu/aps/cj/CJ_courses_EM-distance.htm
Anna Maria College (Paxton, MA) http://www.annamaria.edu/academics/a...tm#firescience
Charter Oak State College (New Britain, CT): http://www.cosc.edu/
Utah Valley State College http://www.uvsc.edu/catalog/displayP...?programid=131
UVSC has an associate fire science program linked with UT Fire and Rescue Academy
University of Idaho (Fire Ecology minor) http://www.cnrhome.uidaho.edu/default.aspx?pid=42088

Two universities offer bachelor degrees in EMS leadership/management that only require EMT-Basic certification:
George Washington University [ONLINE]: http://www.gwumc.edu/healthsci/Programs/ehs/ehs_bs.htm
University of Maryland Baltimore County: http://ehs.umbc.edu/

There are other programs, check the following websites:
National Fire Academy “Accredited Colleges and Universities”: http://www.usfa.fema.gov/training/nf...d_college.shtm

FEMA’s EMI Higher Education Project:
http://www.training.fema.gov/emiweb/edu/

11 institutions offer a bachelor of emergency management:
http://www.training.fema.gov/emiweb/...e.cfm?degree=2

[BCLepore]

I am currently enrolled in the Occcupational Studies Bachelors progran at Cal. State Long Beach. It is a distance learning (internet) based class. I have taken 7 of 10 classes required. I should be done within a year.
Paul Lepore
Battalion Chief

[dustinlevengood]

I am currently enrolled in the Occcupational Studies Bachelors progran at Cal. State Long Beach. It is a distance learning (internet) based class. I have taken 7 of 10 classes required. I should be done within a year.
Paul Lepore
Battalion Chief

What else is involved with that bacherlors program?

[gunnyv]

I'm planning to enroll in the fall at Baker College in Michigan. Bachelor's Degree in Leadership in Public Safety. It's open to police, fire, and EMS. The biggest advantage is the schedule-they offset the sections of each class so you can work around a shift schedule. That and I already have all the electives, I only need 13 classes.


Leadership in Public Safety – Bachelor of Leadership
This program provides an opportunity for a holder of an approved associate's degree or equivalent, with significant full-time work experience in a public safety environment, to earn a baccalaureate degree at an accelerated pace. This program provides students with an advanced understanding and application of the fundamentals of business management and leadership in today's global, diverse, highly competitive, and rapidly changing environment, thereby preparing them for successful careers as leaders in the area of Public Safety. ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE OR APPROVED EQUIVALENT OF 90 CREDIT HOURS FROM AN ACCREDITED INSTITUTION, INCLUDING THE REQUIRED CORE COURSES BELOW. (MINIMUM GPA 2.0)

PROGRAM CONDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
* OTHER REQUIREMENTS *
File approved by Dean
Approved resume/work exp
Approved writing sample

ASSOCIATE DEGREE 90

MAJOR CORE - 27 HOURS
BUS 301 Accelerated Program Workshop 1
BUS 499A Integration Portfolio 2
HRM 401R Human Resource and Employment Law 6
MGT 445R Administration and Public Policy 6
MGT 446R Current Issues in Public Safety Leadership 6
MGT 451R Management Styles and Strategies 6

GENERAL EDUCATION CORE - 48 HOURS
ELECT111A Scientific Inquiry Elective 4
ELECT141A Personal and Social Environments Elective 4
HUM 401A Philosophy of Ethics 4
MTH 312R Research and Statistics 6
PSY 231R Organizational Psychology 6
SOC 321R Cultural Diversity 6
SOC 325R Current Topics in Global Terrorism 6
SPK 435R Effective Communication in Crisis Environments 6
WRI 311R Report Writing 6

EXPERIENTIAL CREDIT 15

QUARTER HOURS REQUIRED FOR GRADUATION 180

THIS PROGRAM IS OFFERED AT THE FOLLOWING BAKER COLLEGE CAMPUS: Clinton Township.