Overview

The Degree Program in Fire Science and Public Safety Administration is designed to:

1. prepare students for leadership positions in the fire service and public safety fields by developing emergency management, safety, administration, critical thinking, communication, leadership, and decision-making skills;
2. prepare students for graduate study;
3. utilize Fire Science and Public Safety education to better serve the needs of a diverse society; and
4. provide those in the fire service and public safety fields a liberal and business component to their technical knowledge.

The most recent graduate survey (2009) revealed information that is important to anyone considering this program. All of our graduates reported that they are/were employed in a career in the fire service or a related field. Sixty-five percent of the graduates had achieved a leadership position (supervisory position or higher) in their organization. Slightly more than half of our FSPS graduates attended graduate school and one-third earned their Master’s degree. Overwhelmingly, the Fire Science and Public Safety Administration Program graduates who responded to the survey believed that:

• Their undergraduate degree in Fire Science and Public Safety Administration helped them in their careers (95%).
• The program prepared them for graduate school (91%).
• The Fire Science and Public Safety Administration courses were beneficial (100%).
• The Fire Science and Public Safety Administration curriculum added a necessary business component to their education (91%).
• The Holy Family University faculty is knowledgeable in the subject matter they taught (95%).

We believe that the reason for our graduates’ success is that the Fire Science and Public Safety Administration program develops and refines the student’s knowledge and skills in risk management, emergency services administration, communication, critical thinking, emergency scene management and business. These are the skills that leaders in emergency response organizations need today. We assess our students’ proficiency in these skills using examinations, reports and the required Comprehensive Examination. Ninety-four percent of our students achieve either proficiency (32%) or mastery (64%) of the skills we believe are needed for a successful career in this field. For the last three years, on average, 71% of our full-time Fire Science and Public Safety Administration students graduate in four years or less.

The Fire Science and Public Safety Administration program is evolving and improving to meet the needs of today’s public safety organizations. Based upon our most recent graduate survey and with the approval of our Advisory Committee, composed of fire and public safety leaders from throughout the region, we now require our students to complete additional business courses to earn their degree. Today, public safety organizations need to develop a business model that allows them to move toward financial self sustainment and we want our graduates to be able to handle this challenge.

We believe that the Fire Science and Public Safety Administration degree helps our graduates advance in the fire service, in public safety or in a related field. Our graduates serve as firefighters, paramedics, police officers, fire investigators, fire code officials, fire officers and fire chiefs. Others work in related fields such as the insurance industry, industrial safety, risk management, fire protection system design, and campus fire safety. And perhaps most importantly for a potential student, every graduate stated that they would recommend the Fire Science and Public Safety Administration Program at Holy Family University to others.