The Bachelor of Science in Emergency Services is offered at the Worldwide Campus, giving students the flexibility to balance coursework with full-time work, shift schedules, or family commitments. The program provides students with the theoretical foundations, principles, and practices for management and leadership in fire and emergency services response organizations. It broadly encompasses all emergency services response disciplines in public and private sectors including fire, emergency medical service, investigation, aircraft rescue and firefighting, hazardous materials, inspection, instruction, public information, and wildland firefighting. Concepts covered include human behavior, structures and systems, prevention, protection, investigation and analysis, organization and management, research, administration, hazardous materials, personnel management, political and legal foundations, terrorism, community risk reduction, system design for life safety, occupational safety, and human program management.
Students who choose the Aviation specialization focus on aircraft accident crash investigation, airport emergency management, aviation safety, and leadership in emergency response organizations.
Those who pursue the Fire and Emergency Services specialization study emergency response administration, management, leadership, community risk reduction, and operational issues in emergency services.
The program is part of the Air University-Associate to Baccalaureate Cooperative (AU-ABC Category I). Students with an associate degree in Fire Science and Emergency Management from the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) can easily transition to this bachelor's program by completing no more than 60 semester hours beyond the CCAF degree.
The curriculum for this degree is designed, in part, from the National Fire Academy's Fire and Emergency Services Higher Education (FESHE) Model Curriculum for a bachelor’s degree. When students complete FESHE courses through Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, they can earn a National Fire Academy certificate just as if they completed the courses at the National Fire Academy. In addition to the FESHE core courses, our program also offers several of the FESHE non-core courses, of which have accompanying NFA certificates.
To further boost their credentials, students may consider earning a certificate from the FEMA Emergency Management Institute's Professional Development Series (PDS), which offers insights into federal emergency management practices. Additionally, the Combined Program Pathways program allows students to pursue both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree simultaneously, helping them advance more quickly in the field.
Program-Level Student Learning Outcomes
Students will:
Employ leadership and supervisory practices to effectively manage fire and emergency services incidents, resources, and programs.
Apply research, critical thinking, and analytical decision-making skills to contemporary public safety challenges.
Apply foundational fire and emergency services to scientific and technical concepts and principles.
Implement management, protection, prevention, mitigation, response, recovery, and planning strategies responsive to community needs.
Identify and solve problems related to one's specialty area using Fire Science knowledge and its interrelations with historical, organizational, legal, social, political, economic, and physical factors.
Worldwide Program Requirements
General Education Requirements
36
Program Support Courses
6
Specialization
39
Specified Electives
12
Open Electives/Minor
27
Total Credits
120
Program Details
The Bachelor of Science in Emergency Services requires successful completion of a minimum of 120 credit hours. Students enrolled in the Worldwide Undergraduate Online program may complete the degree in 20 terms, or approximately four years, assuming full-time enrollment and continuous progress. Students pursuing this undergraduate degree must earn a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 2.00 for all work completed at the University. The courses required to earn this degree are listed below.
Students should be aware that many courses have prerequisites and/or corequisites. Students are responsible for ensuring that all prerequisite and degree requirements are satisfied prior to enrollment in advanced coursework. The suggested plan of study is provided as a guide. A student's actual plan of study may vary based on term of admission, course availability, transfer credit, and other academic considerations. Students should consult with their academic advisor to develop an individualized plan of study.
