Fire and emergency services degree program is designed to add the academic substance to prepare graduates to lead public or private sector fire, EMS and emergency management. Students earn a bachelor of science with the ability to specialize in fire, emergency medical services management or emergency management.
To graduate with this major, students must complete all university, college, and major requirements.
The program specializations offer the student the ability to focus their degree in three different aspects of the emergency services industry. The program prepares the graduates for advancement in the ranks for the fire service, EMS and emergency management. In addition, graduates can find jobs at the local, state and national level of government, insurance companies, industry, and other areas. Students may apply to the university at the junior year after earning the Associate of Arts degree from a Florida state college or other regionally accredited academic institution. Freshman and sophomore coursework will be taken at a Florida state or public college or other regionally accredited academic institution.
After being accepted, students can pursue a Bachelor of Science without moving to Gainesville. Coursework for the junior and senior years will be offered via electronic distance learning, and UF faculty will teach and advise students in the program.
Students need access to a personal computer capable of connecting to the Internet.
Course requirements for the Degree
The B.S. degree is for students with different professional objectives. All students, regardless of specialization, are required to take FES 3015 Principles of Fire and Emergency Services Management as their opening course.
Each specialization has a specific set of required core courses required courses and electives of upper-division courses that represent important interdisciplinary topic areas. Core courses provide students with the knowledge and fundamental concepts essential to the specialization. The required courses are designed to be applicable across all specializations. The electives allow the students to select courses that meet their career interest. Upper-division courses are designed to build knowledge, competency and skills applicable to professional development.
Students should meet with an advisor as early as possible in their academic careers to choose their specialization and to plan their course of study.
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Coursework
Core Coursework by Specialization
| Fire Management |
EMS Management |
Emergency Management |
|---|
| FES 3004 Political and Legal Foundations of Fire Protection |
FES 3223 Foundations of EMS |
FES 3533 Community Risk Reduction for Emergency Services |
| FES 3533 Community Risk Reduction for Emergency Services |
FES 3233 EMS Safety and Risk Management |
FES 3822 Disaster Policy in Emergency Management |
| FES 3782 Applications of Fire Research |
FES 3284 Management of Emergency Medical Services |
FES 4003 Fire and Emergency Services Administration |
| FES 4003 Fire and Emergency Services Administration |
FES 4244 Legal, Political, and Regulatory in EMS |
FES 4014 Foundations of Emergency Management |
| FES 4045 Personnel Management for Emergency Services |
FES 4274 Quality Management and Research in Emergency Services |
FES 4045 Personnel Management for Emergency Services |
FES 4585 Management of Fire Prevention Programs
FES 3815 Command and Control at Catastrophic Fire-Recue Incidents |
FES 4234 EMS Community Risk Reduction
FES 4224 Management of Mass Casualty Incidents |
FES 4884 Introduction to Terrorism in Emergency Management
FES 3815 Command and Control at Catastrophic Fire-Rescue Incidents |
Required Coursework for all Specializations
| Course |
Credits |
|---|
| FES 3153 Fire and Emergency Services Information Technology |
3 |
| FES 3753 Fire and Emergency Services Financial Management |
3 |
| FES 4023 Fire and Emergency Services Ethical Practices and Leadership |
3 |
| FES 4055 Fire and Emergency Services Public Relations |
3 |
FES 4825 Disaster Planning and Control
FES 3720 Strategic Planning in FES
FES 3015 Principles of Fire and Emergency Services Management |
3
3
3 |
Electives: Choose 6
- FES 3285 Advanced Leadership Issues EMS
- FES 3780 Analytical Approaches to Fire Protection
- FES 3803 Multi-Agency Incident Command
- FES 4034 Regulatory Issues in Fire and Emergency Services
- FES 4226 EMS Special Operations
- FES 4685 Fire Investigation and Analysis
- FES 4804 Disaster Recovery and Mitigation
- FES 4820 Critical Incident Management for Emergency Managers
- FES 4835 Natural Disaster Phenomena for Emergency Services
- FES 4935 Current Issues in FESS 4935 Current Issues in FES
- FES 3263 Public Safety Educator
- FES 3227 Ambulance Operations
- FFP 4507 Management Fire-Related Human Behavior
- Any course from other core courses
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Fire Management
For students who wish to work in the fire service or a fire related career. The program focuses on the area of fire science.
Critical Tracking
Critical Tracking records each student’s progress in courses that are required for entry to each major. Please note the critical-tracking requirements below on a per-semester basis.
Equivalent critical-tracking courses as determined by the State of Florida Common Course Prerequisites may be used for transfer students.
Model Semester Plan
This semester plan represents an example progression through the major. Actual courses and course order may be different depending on the student's academic record and scheduling availability of courses. Prerequisites still apply.
| Semester 1 |
Credits |
|---|
| FES 3015 Principles of Fire and Emergency Services Management |
3 |
| FES 3815 Command and Control at Catastrophic Fire-Rescue Incidents |
3 |
| Total |
6 |
| Semester 2 |
Credits |
|---|
| FES 3720 Strategic Planning in FES |
3 |
| FES 4003 Fire and Emergency Services Administration |
3 |
| Total |
6 |
| Semester 3 |
Credits |
|---|
| FES 4585 Management of Fire Prevention Programs |
3 |
| Elective |
3 |
| Total |
6 |
| Semester 4 |
Credits |
|---|
| FES 3533 Community Risk Reduction for Emergency Services |
3 |
| FES 3004 Political and Legal Foundations of Fire Protection |
3 |
| Total |
6 |
| Semester 5 |
Credits |
|---|
| FES 3782 Applications of Fire Research |
3 |
| Elective |
3 |
| Total |
6 |
| Semester 6 |
Credits |
|---|
| FES 3153 Fire and Emergency Services Information Technology |
3 |
| FES 4825 Disaster Planning and Control |
3 |
| Total |
6 |
| Semester 7 |
Credits |
|---|
| Elective |
6 |
| FES 4045 Personnel Management for Emergency Services |
3 |
| Total |
9 |
| Semester 8 |
Credits |
|---|
| FES 3753 Fire and Emergency Services Financial Management |
3 |
| FES 4023 Fire and Emergency Services Ethical Practices and Leadership |
3 |
| Elective |
3 |
| Total |
9 |
| Semester 9 |
Credits |
|---|
| FES 4055 Fire and Emergency Services Public Relations |
3 |
| Elective |
3 |
| Total |
6 |
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Emergency Medical Services Management
For students seeking careers in managing an EMS system, working in a governing agency for EMS, or management and leadership positions for the hospital environment.
Critical Tracking
Critical Tracking records each student’s progress in courses that are required for entry to each major. Please note the critical-tracking requirements below on a per-semester basis.
Equivalent critical-tracking courses as determined by the State of Florida Common Course Prerequisites may be used for transfer students.
Model Semester Plan
This semester plan represents an example progression through the major. Actual courses and course order may be different depending on the student's academic record and scheduling availability of courses. Prerequisites still apply.
| Semester 1 |
Credits |
|---|
| FES 3015 Principles of Fire and Emergency Services Management |
3 |
| FES 3720 Strategic Planning in FES |
3 |
| Total |
6 |
| Semester 2 |
Credits |
|---|
| FES 4224 Management of Mass Casualty Incidents |
3 |
| FES 4244 Legal, Political, and Regulatory in EMS |
3 |
| Total |
6 |
| Semester 3 |
Credits |
|---|
| FES 3233 EMS Safety and Risk Management |
3 |
| FES 3284 Management of Emergency Medical Services |
3 |
| Total |
6 |
| Semester 4 |
Credits |
|---|
| Elective |
3 |
| FES 4045 Personnel Management for Emergency Services |
3 |
| Total |
6 |
| Semester 5 |
Credits |
|---|
| FES 3223 Foundations of EMS |
3 |
| Elective |
3 |
| Total |
6 |
| Semester 6 |
Credits |
|---|
| FES 3153 Fire and Emergency Services Information Technology |
3 |
| FES 4825 Disaster Planning and Control |
3 |
| Total |
6 |
| Semester 7 |
Credits |
|---|
| FES 4234 EMS Community Risk Reduction |
3 |
| Elective |
3 |
| FES 4274 Quality Management and Research |
3 |
| Total |
9 |
| Semester 8 |
Credits |
|---|
| FES 3753 Fire and Emergency Services Financial Management |
3 |
| FES 4023 Fire and Emergency Services Ethical Practices and Leadership |
3 |
| Elective |
3 |
| Total |
9 |
| Semester 9 |
Credits |
|---|
| FES 4055 Fire and Emergency Services Public Relations |
3 |
| Elective |
3 |
| Total |
9 |
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Emergency Management
For students seeking careers in emergency management in the public or private sector.
Critical Tracking
Critical Tracking records each student’s progress in courses that are required for entry to each major. Please note the critical-tracking requirements below on a per-semester basis.
Equivalent critical-tracking courses as determined by the State of Florida Common Course Prerequisites may be used for transfer students.
Model Semester Plan
This semester plan represents an example progression through the major. Actual courses and course order may be different depending on the student's academic record and scheduling availability of courses. Prerequisites still apply.
| Semester 1 |
Credits |
|---|
| FES 3015 Principles of Fire and Emergency Services Management |
3 |
| FES 3815 Command and Control at Catastrophic Fire-Rescue Incidents |
3 |
| Total |
6 |
| Semester 2 |
Credits |
|---|
| FES 3720 Strategic Planning in FES |
3 |
| FES 4003 Fire and Emergency Services Administration |
3 |
| Total |
6 |
| Semester 3 |
Credits |
|---|
| Electives |
6 |
| Total |
6 |
| Semester 4 |
Credits |
|---|
| FES 3533 Community Risk Reduction for Emergency Services |
3 |
| FES 4884 Introduction to Terrorism in Emergency Management |
3 |
| Total |
6 |
| Semester 5 |
Credits |
|---|
| FES 4014 Foundations of Emergency Management |
3 |
| Elective |
3 |
| Total |
6 |
| Semester 6 |
Credits |
|---|
| FES 3153 Fire and Emergency Services Information Technology |
3 |
| FES 4825 Disaster Planning and Control |
3 |
| Total |
6 |
| Semester 7 |
Credits |
|---|
| FES 3822 Disaster Policy in Emergency Management |
3 |
| FES 4045 Personnel Management for Emergency Services |
3 |
| Elective |
3 |
| Total |
9 |
| Semester 8 |
Credits |
|---|
| FES 3753 Fire and Emergency Services Financial Management |
3 |
| FES 4023 Fire and Emergency Services Ethical Practices and Leadership |
3 |
| Elective |
3 |
| Total |
9 |
| Semester 9 |
Credits |
|---|
| FES 4055 Fire and Emergency Services Public Relations |
3 |
| Elective |
3 |
| Total |
9 |
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Related Fire and Emergency Services Programs
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