Fire Services Administration (FSA)

Program Objectives

The goal of our top ranked FSA program is to provide fire service professionals the opportunity to obtain a bachelor’s degree in their professional field and seek advancement. Whether a transfer student or freshman, attending full-time or part-time, our FSA program advisors will design a flexible career-focused degree completion pathway that works for you.

The Fire Services Administration program’s BA/BS degree requirements provide for a major built upon an associate degree in fire protection science or a professional technical core fire science curriculum available from most community college fire programs. Core lower-division courses are also available through our FSA program.

The FSA program strives to make maximum use of a student’s existing training and certifications. Submit training and certification records during the admission process to allow FSA advisors time to review them for applicability to your degree program. It can save significant time and money. Students certified by a state agency at the firefighter II level may find most, if not all, 200-level fire courses waived by certification. Additionally, some NFA and state certifications may substitute for upper division FSA courses. Decisions on certification applicability are made on a case by case basis.

Transfer students: Completion of an associate’s degree in a fire science or fire protection technology or a related fire program should allow the transfer student to graduate within 2 years. The National Fire Academy (NFA) has recognized the EOU FSA program as a Fire and Emergency Services Higher Education (FESHE) compliant program.

Learning Outcomes

Content Knowledge: Demonstrate a broad-based understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the fire services including all-hazard prevention, response, and mitigation, staffing, organization, and future-planning.
Communication: Demonstrate an understanding of core concepts in fire and emergency services through effective communication, including scholarly writing and presentations.
Inquiry: Demonstrate and apply cross-cultural perspectives, rooted in inquiry-based knowledge, in the analysis of social, economic, and political issues affecting the need for, and delivery of, fire and emergency services.
Critical Thinking: Demonstrate effective skills in critical thinking, analytical and reflective writing, and appropriate discourse within the fire and emergency services field.
Civic Engagement: Identify, analyze, and address real world problems through investigation and analysis of community hazards and hazard mitigation techniques and planning.
Applied and Integrated Learning: Connect student experience in the curriculum with required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) provided in relevant National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) publications paying particular attention to NFPA 1021: Standard for Fire Officer Professional Qualifications.

Means of Assessment

To assess student learning, the faculty will employ traditional evaluation techniques such as multiple-choice & true-false quizzes, short answer questions, and analytic problems. Additionally, students have mandatory discussion board participation requiring a thoughtful analysis and response to a given topic along with mandatory thoughtful interaction with classmates. Students also have research and writing assignments reflecting student investigation of a topic while demonstrating proficiency in a professional writing style (APA 6.0 required). FSA courses required by the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) for Firefighter III & IV certification. Course objectives and outcomes correspond to the standards published in NFPA 1021, Standard for Fire Officer Professional Qualifications, chapters 6 & 7 (2020 Edition).

All core Lower Division FSA classes are offered online once per year and all core Upper Division FSA classes are offered online at least twice per year, usually on alternating terms (summer/winter & spring/fall rotations). FSA electives are generally offered at least once per year. Upper division courses in the FSA program are occasionally offered as onsite weekend hybrid courses in Eastern Oregon, Southern Oregon and the Portland region.

Programs

Major(s)

Fire Services Administration Major

Minor(s)

Fire Services Administration Minor

Four Year Plan(s)

Fire Services Administration Typical Four Year Curriculum