The B.S. in Emergency Services (BSES) degree program provides students with the theoretical foundations, principles, and practices for management and leadership in fire and emergency services response organizations.
The BSES degree 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 can choose from two specializations currently offered at the baccalaureate level: Aviation Emergency Management or Fire and Emergency Services.
• The Aviation Emergency Management Specialization has a focus on aircraft accident crash investigation, airport emergency management, aviation safety, and leadership in emergency response organizations.
• The Fire and Emergency Services Specialization focuses on emergency response administration, management, leadership, community risk reduction, and operational issues in emergency services.
Our BSES program offers several advantages including flexibility to balance education with work, family, or other commitments; accessibility by overcoming geographical barriers and providing individuals with physical disabilities or other limitations better access to education; cost-effectiveness by saving on commuting, housing, and course materials; Advancement of Career with online education being suited for professionals with prior experience look to expand their formal education. Our state-of-the-art online modality allows students to acquire new skills and knowledge with little interruption to their careers. Many of our students can complete course work during downtimes at work or on the weekends.
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.
Students can earn NFA certificates for the following courses:
ESVS 406: Political and Legal Foundations for Fire Protection (C0258)
ESVS 401: Applications of Fire Research (C0260)
ESVS 305: Fire Prevention Organization and Management (C0264)
ESVS 405: Personnel Management for the Fire Service (C0266)
ESVS 402: Fire and Emergency Services Administration (C0271)
ESVS 301: Community Risk Reduction for the Fire and Emergency Services (C0287)
ESVS 302: Fire Dynamics (C0257)
ESVS 201: Fire Related Human Behavior (C0263)
ESVS 400: Analytical Approaches to Public Fire Protection (C0265)
ESVS 404: Managerial Issues in Hazardous Materials (C0274)
ESVS 304: Fire Investigation and Analysis (C0285)
ESVS 303: Fire Protection Structures and Systems Design (C0295)
Students will complete the FEMA | Emergency Management Institute Professional Development Series (PDS), which includes seven Emergency Management Institute independent study courses that provide a well-rounded set of fundamentals of the emergency management profession. At the completion of the PDS, students will earn a certificate.
The Bachelor of Science degree in Emergency Services is one of only a handful of programs around the world to have International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) accreditation and FESHE recognition which all lead to demonstrate our programs excellence and student dedication.
Accreditation is the hallmark of quality and excellence in higher education, and for our Bachelor of Science degree in Emergency Services program, accreditation by IFSAC underscores our commitment to academic rigor and industry standards. This accreditation ensures that our curriculum meets the highest benchmarks set by professionals in the field, providing students with the knowledge and skills they need to excel in their careers. By choosing an accredited program, students can be confident that they are receiving a reputable education that is recognized and respected by employers worldwide, giving them a competitive edge in the dynamic and critical field of emergency services. In addition, our BSES program is designed in collaboration with an industry advisory board of experts in emergency services, ensuring that the curriculum is relevant to the demands and challenges of the profession.
The BSES program also participates in the Air University-Associate to Baccalaureate Cooperative (AU-ABC Category I). All students who have completed a Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) associates degree in Fire Science and Emergency Management are eligible. CCAF graduates can complete a Bachelor of Science in Emergency Services by taking no more than 60 semester hours beyond their CCAF degree.
B.S. in Emergency Services students who wish to continue to a master's degree may enroll in the BSES to MSES 4+1 program as outlined in this program.
Estimated Cost of Attendance
BSES to MSES 4+1 Program, A Unique Opportunity
The BSES to MSES 4+1 program is for exceptional students who are committed to continuing their education through the Master of Science in Emergency Service (MSES) degree. The MSES degree program is designed for individuals seeking advanced knowledge in planning, emergency services, hazard mitigation and preparedness, disaster response, recovery, and homeland security. The 4+1 option accelerates the completion of the MSES degree by allowing qualified BSES students to complete three MSES graduate courses and count them toward both degrees.
4+1 students may begin to complete the requirements when they have achieved senior status (having earned at least 75 credit hours with a 3.00 CGPA). 4+1 students must earn a B grade or better in each of the three MSES courses. If a grade of C, D, or F is earned in any of the MSES graduate courses taken for BSES credit, the student will be removed from the 4+1 program, have credit awarded to the BSES degree only, and may continue to complete the BSES degree. Additionally, students must complete a minimum of 120 course credits for their Bachelor of Science degree.
Upon completion of the BSES degree, 4+1 students will be enrolled in the MSES program where they can continue completing the degree requirements with the three previous MSES courses already credited.
Students interested in this accelerated program option should contact their Academic Advisor or Campus Advisor.