There are numerous roads to becoming a firefighter or fire safety professional. Some people enter the field straight out of high school to gain work experience, while others choose to pursue a college education, such as a degree in fire science.
Many fire science degrees started out as fire protection engineering programs, but they evolved over the years as the need arose to develop management and leadership skills within the fire service.
Robert J. Healey, senior lecturer in the fire science and emergency management department at the University of New Haven in Connecticut, says programs like his “are trying to provide that aspect of the formal education.”
“Most people who go into the fire service are going to go to a fire academy provided by their municipality, fire department, county or their government, which teaches them the how: how to stretch hoses, how to put up ladders, things like that,” Healey says. “We are educating our students on the why.”
[Related:What a College Minor Is and Why It Matters]
What Is Fire Science?
In fire science programs, students acquire the administrative and technical skills necessary to become a firefighter, learning about fire prevention, fire behavior, health and safety, and building codes. There is often crossover between fire science and emergency services management, and students may also learn about insurance, fire and arson investigations, and how to be a fire expert in court cases, experts say.
In the past, “you went to the fire academy and then you became a firefighter. You did the certifications that your state or your county required,” says Holli Vah Seliskar, academic department chair of the graduate public safety and public administration programs, and the undergraduate fire science and emergency management programs, at Purdue University Global.
“Over time, the field of fire science essentially realized they needed to professionalize their own discipline and have standards in place so that firefighters were receiving similar training no matter where they lived in the United States. Our programs were essentially created to help in professionalizing the field of fire service.”
Common Courses in a Fire Science Degree Program
Most fire science programs are certified by the Fire and Emergency Services Higher Education initiative and are offered in person, online or through a hybrid model. The curriculum may vary slightly by college. Some programs, for instance, have options for concentrations in fire administration, fire and arson investigation, and emergency services management.
Beyond general education, students majoring in fire science can expect to take courses on fire prevention, fire codes, building construction, hazardous materials, firefighter safety and survival, emergency personnel fitness and ethics. Given the prevalence of wildfires on the West Coast, schools in that area of the country may also have classes on wildland fire management.
[READ: Earning a Forestry Degree: What to Know]
Some colleges provide students with additional certification alongside their associate or bachelor’s degree. Fire science students at Purdue Global, for instance, can earn and add a National Fire Academy certificate to their portfolio after completing a related course.
“When you are going up for advancement, it’s very competitive,” Vah Seliskar says. “Sometimes there can be 500 applicants and there’s one job. One of the things that we try to do is to give our students an advantage as much as we can.”
How to Know if Fire Science Is Right for You
Students who are undecided about their major should explore a wide range of courses in their first year or consider a double major. Generally, careers in fire science are service-oriented and require teamwork skills.
Firefighting in particular is not for everyone, as it’s both physically and mentally demanding. Because of that, students should gain exposure to the field — whether through an internship or pre-college program — as early as possible, experts say. Many cities have Citizens Fire Academy programs, or explorer programs for teens and young adults, that provide insight into fire safety and the day-to-day operations of a fire department.
Certain fire science degree programs also require students to get internships, such as at a fire station, as a way to gain hands-on experience in the field.
“It helps someone who is thinking about it. Expose them to it and they determine they don’t want to do that the rest of their life,” says Walter Nugent, assistant professor and chair of the fire science department at New Jersey City University. “And that’s OK. The worst thing is for someone to get into a career and say, ‘This is not what I want to do.’ It’s not good for the fire service and it’s not good for them.”
What You Can Do With a Degree in Fire Science
Those earning a degree in fire science often want to become a firefighter or have already started their career as one. To work as a firefighter — a field expected to grow by 4% by 2031 — candidates typically need a high school diploma and emergency medical services training, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
But many fire stations require at least an associate or bachelor’s degree for promotion and raises, experts say.
[Read: 5 Reasons to Consider Community College]
Firefighting is not the only career route for graduates with fire science degrees. There are plenty of other options, such as in risk management, insurance, fire protection engineering, fire investigation and academia, though some jobs require an advanced degree and additional training.
Graduates may also work for government agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Homeland Security, or be part of the military.
“Consider an area you might want to specialize in,” says Joseph Henning, assistant professor of fire science at Western Illinois University and former chief of Quincy Fire Department in Illinois. “Some careers you need to start as a boots-on-the-ground firefighter and work your way up. But there are others where you might want to go and get specialized training beyond your college degree to help get your foot in the door. The fire science world has lots of different areas where people can contribute and not be an actual hands-on firefighter.”
Schools Offering Fire Science Majors
Below are 10 schools that offer an associate or bachelor’s fire science degree program. This is not a comprehensive list, so prospective students should do their own research on available academic programs at schools of interest.
| SCHOOL NAME | LOCATION | U.S. NEWS RANKING |
| Western Illinois University | Macomb, IL | 39 (tie), Regional Universities Midwest |
| Purdue University Global | West Lafayette, IN | 331-440, National Universities |
| New Jersey City University | Jersey City, NJ | 133-175, Regional Universities North |
| University of New Haven | West Haven, CT | 58 (tie), Regional Universities North |
| Anna Maria College | Paxton, MA | 133-175, Regional Universities North |
| University of Florida Online | Gainesville, FL | 1, Best Online Bachelor’s Programs |
| Keiser University | Ft. Lauderdale, FL | 219 (tie), National Universities |
| University of the District of Columbia | Washington, DC | 133-175, Regional Universities North |
| CUNY–John Jay College of Criminal Justice | New York, New York | 37 (tie), Regional Universities North |
| Central New Mexico Community College | Albuquerque, NM | Unranked |
Searching for a college? Get ourcomplete rankingsof Best Colleges.
More from U.S. News
10 College Majors With the Lowest Starting Salaries
Everything You Need to Know About Community Colleges: FAQ
Becoming a Native American Studies Major: What to Know
Earning a Fire Science Degree: What to Know originally appeared on usnews.com
