Texas Wesleyan University is teaming up with the Fort Worth Fire Department to start the state's first bachelor's degree designed specifically for firefighters.

The four-year business degree is designed to help firefighters learn the business side of their job, including budgeting, department organization, community relations and personnel management.

This could be the wave of the future for firefighting, said James Gaston, executive director of the Texas Fire Chiefs Association, which endorses the degree program.

More than a dozen area fire departments have expressed interest, said Associate Business Dean Charles Little, who worked with area firefighters to create the degree in fire management.

The initial classes will be live, but because it's difficult for firefighters to fit normal classes into their schedule, most courses will eventually be taught online.

"When I joined here in 1977, I was one of about 10 people in the department that had a degree," said Lt. Kent Worley, spokesman for the Fort Worth Fire Department, who worked with Little on the program. "Now, many have a lot of college hours when they come in the door. This will give them something to shoot for and make them better employees."

Distributed by the Associated Press