Major in Fire Service Administration

Students may seek either an academic major or minor in fire service administration.

The major in fire service administration helps students develop the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed for leadership in fire protection. It covers disaster planning and the administration of fire-protection services, encompassing all areas of incendiary-fire management. It provides an understanding of the interagency coordination necessary for fire prevention, emergency management, safe and successful fire-incident command, and arson investigation. The curriculum includes analytical approaches to fire protection and investigation, personnel management, disaster and fire-defense planning, hazardous materials management, fire-protection structure and system design, the role of the fire service within the community and political structure, and the phenomena of fire propagation. Developed in conjunction with the National Fire Academy of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the major serves fire-service professionals seeking state-of-the-art knowledge to support advancement to chief executive management and senior leadership positions. It also serves professionals in related fields such as public safety, law enforcement, government, health services, insurance, and private-industry emergency response, as well as those in military fire departments in the United States and abroad.

Intended Program Outcomes

The student who graduates with a major in fire service administration should be able to

• Apply principles of transformational leadership to negotiate, mentor, motivate, and lead others toward a shared and ethical organizational vision or goal.
• Apply knowledge of leadership, change, business models, organizational issues, and regulations when working with staff and federal officials to ensure organizational effectiveness, resulting in the improvement of emergency services.
• Utilize the methods and resources of research, science, and technology to effectively manage emergency services.
• Use appropriate communication strategies and methods to accomplish organizational goals and objectives.
• Utilize appropriate assessment and planning skills to improve organization and community risk management for emergency services.

Degree Requirements

A degree with a major in fire service administration requires the successful completion of 120 credits of coursework, including 30 credits for the major; 41 credits in general education requirements; and 49 credits in the minor, electives, and other degree requirements. At least 15 credits in the major must be earned in upper-level courses (numbered 300 or above).

Requirements for the Fire Service Administration Major

Coursework for a major in fire service administration includes the following:

• Required core courses (18 credits): FSCN 302, 304, 305, 412, 415, and 416
• Supplemental major courses (9 credits): Any upper-level FSCN courses
• Required capstone course (3 credits): HMLS 495
• Required related course (3 credits), which may be applied anywhere in the degree: IFSM 300

Recommended Sequence

The following course sequence will fulfill all the requirements for the BS in fire service administration. Coursework for the major is indicated by . Since some recommended courses fulfill more than one requirement, substituting courses for those listed may make it necessary to take additional courses to meet degree requirements. Students should consult an advisor whenever taking advantage of other options.

Fire Service Administration Degree Courses

First Courses (to be taken within the first 18 credits)

Note: Placement tests are required for math and writing courses.

• EDCP 100 Principles and Strategies of Successful Learning (3)
  (strongly recommended as first course)
• LIBS 150 Introduction to Research (1)
• WRTG 101 Introduction to Writing (3)
  or WRTG 101S Introduction to Writing (3)
• MATH 106 Finite Mathematics (3)
  or a higher-level math course

Introductory Courses (to be taken within the first 30 credits)

• ECON 103 Economics in the Information Age (3)
  or other behavioral and social sciences course
• BIOL 103 Introduction to Biology (4) 
  or other biological and physical sciences lecture and laboratory course(s)
• WRTG 293 Introduction to Professional Writing (3)
  or other writing course
• IFSM 201 Concepts and Applications of Information Technology (3)
  prerequisite to requirements for major
• HUMN 100 Introduction to Humanities (3)
  or other arts and humanities course

Foundation Courses (to be taken within the first 60 credits)

• BEHS 103 Technology in Contemporary Society (3)
  or other behavioral and social sciences course (discipline must differ from first)
• NSCI 100 Introduction to Physical Science (3)
  or other biological and physical sciences lecture course
• HIST 125 Technological Transformations (3)
  or other arts and humanities/historical perspective course (discipline must differ from other humanities course)
• FSCN 302 Fire and Emergency Services Administration (3)
• COMM 202 Media and Society (3)
  or other communication, writing, or speech course
• IFSM 300 Information Systems in Organizations (3)
  (related requirement for the major; also fulfills the computing requirement)
• FSCN 304 Personnel Management for Fire and Emergency Services (3)

Additional Required Courses (to be taken after introductory and foundation courses)

• WRTG 394 Advanced Business Writing (3)
  or other upper-level advanced writing course
• FSCN 305 Fire-Prevention Organization and Management (3)
• FSCN 412 Political and Legal Foundations of Fire Protection (3)
• FSCN 415 Application of Fire Research (3)
• FSCN 416 Emergency Services Training and Education (3)
• FSCN 306 Fire Investigation and Analysis (3)
  or FSCN 303 Analytic Approaches to Public Fire Protection or other supplemental major course
• FSCN 402 Fire-Related Human Behavior (3)
  or FSCN 401 Disaster Planning and Control or other supplemental major course
• FSCN 411 Fire Protection and Structure (3)
  or FSCN 413 Community Risk Reduction for the Fire and Emergency Services or other supplemental major course

Capstone Course for Major (to be taken after all other courses for the major)

• HMLS 495 Public Safety Policies and Leadership (3)

Minor and/or Elective Courses  (46)
(to be taken in the last 60 credits along with required major courses)

Recommended Electives

• CMIS 111 Social Networking and Cybersecurity Best Practices
• IFSM 304 Ethics in Information Technology
• STAT 200 Introduction to Statistics
• WRTG 490 Writing for Managers

Total credits for BS in fire service administration: 120

Fire Service Administration Degree Planning Worksheet