Fire and Emergency Services Administration

Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

More Information

For online education and registration questions:

Frances Betts
Continuing Education
(970) 491-0675
(877) 491-4336
fbetts@learn.colostate.edu

For admission or academic advising questions:

Kelli Heenan
College of Applied Human Sciences
(970) 491-2093
kheenan@cahs.colostate.edu

Degree Requirements & Curriculum

Requirements

A total of 120 credits is required for graduation. Of these 120 credits, a total of 42 upper-division credits (300 to 400 level) is required with a minimum of 30 upper-division credits earned at Colorado State University after formal admission. Thirty-one general education credits of All University Core Curriculum (AUCC) are also needed to complete this degree. The number of courses needed for completion will depend on the number of transfer credits awarded.

Curriculum

You must take the nine core FESA courses for a total of 25 credits. The remainder of the credits needed for graduation can be satisfied with transfer coursework and electives in accordance with the credit totals described in the program requirements and departmental and university policies. You are encouraged to design a program of study choosing electives that complement your professional interest areas and career status. Non-admitted students may enroll for courses or complete the entire Fire and Emergency Services Certificate prior to formal admittance.

The FESA program recognizes the importance of life-long experiential learning. Elective seminar (FESA 492) and independent study (FESA 495) opportunities are provided to allow you to apply professional experience to learning activities. This is not direct credit for experience. The seminars require you to produce academic quality products and engage in discussion with faculty and peers on the impact of professional experience on personal learning related to the FESA core curriculum. The independent study allows you to study a FESA topic in-depth that may be based on your professional experience.

You are not required to complete courses during the summer semester for this program. Throughout the program, you are allowed to repeat courses if necessary. You can view what semesters each course is offered by clicking on the specific course link below.

Core Courses

FESA 331 - Structure Influence on Tactics and Strategy (3 cr.)
FESA 333 - Proposals/Reports in Fire Service Management (3 cr.)
FESA 334 - Orientation to Experiential Learning (1 cr.)
FESA 336 - Fire and Emergency Services Management (3 cr.)
FESA 337 - Policy and Public Administration (3 cr.)
FESA 338 - Essentials of Emergency Management (3 cr.)
FESA 432 - Fire and Emergency Services Budgeting (3 cr.)
FESA 433 - Fire and Emergency: Human Resources (3 cr.)
FESA 467 - Integrated Management Simulation (3 cr.)

Recommended Electives

ECON 320 - Economics of Public Finance (3 cr.)
FESA 330 - Industrial Processes and Fire Protection (3 cr.)
FESA 335 - Trends in Fire Science Technologies (3 cr.)
FESA 339 - Incident Command Systems (3 cr.)
FESA 431 - Emergency Medical Service Management (3 cr.)
FESA 434 - Training Programs Management (3 cr.)
FESA 435 - Volunteer/Combination Organization Management (3 cr.)
FESA 436 - Fire Protection Through Model Building Codes (3 cr.)
FESA 437 - Fire and Emergency: Legal Considerations (3 cr.)
FESA 438 - Prevention Programs Management (3 cr.)
FESA 492 - Seminar (1-3 cr.)
FESA 495 - Independent Study (var. cr.)
JTC 350 - Public Relations (3 cr.)
POLS 437 - American Security Policy (3 cr.)
SPCM 420 - Political Communication (3 cr.)

The Learning Experience

The Bachelor of Science in fire and emergency services administration will prepare you for managerial positions in the fire service. Coursework will build upon your technical training and provide you with knowledge in emergency services management, personnel administration, finance and program development and evaluation. Prior experience in fire and emergency services is strongly recommended.

This online degree completion program permits you to take the required courses in the order that best suits your needs. You have the flexibility to get the degree you want without a strict timeline or schedule of completing the courses. Although this degree offers flexibility, it still requires the same amount of work and time as an on-campus program. It is recommended to spend nine to twelve hours per week on a three credit course. This will vary depending on your learning and studying style.

Your interactions with the faculty and fellow students depends on the specific course, but the online courses do provide you with online office hours and email contact information as well as discussion board postings.

Degree at a Glance

Delivery

DVD and online. Courses use a combination of DVD lectures supported by online resources. On-campus attendance is not required to complete this program.

Total Credits

120 credits (a minimum of 60 credits must be transferred into the program).

Tuition

$280 per credit. All courses require the purchase of textbooks. Some courses require the purchase of a DVD lecture set.
(financial aid available)

Time Frame

Can be completed in two years; most students require three to four years. Most FESA students are currently employed professionals who take an average of two courses per semester. The program completion time is heavily influenced by the number of transfer credits so students are encouraged to take advantage of all opportunities for transfer credit.

Designed For

Fire and emergency services professionals looking to advance their careers with increased administrative, management, and leadership skills.

Typical students are currently employed as career or volunteer firefighters, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, fire/building inspectors or trainers.

What You Will Earn

You will earn the same regionally accredited Colorado State University degree that a student on the Fort Collins campus is awarded. Your diploma and transcript are identical to those given to on-campus students.