Program Overview

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Fire Protection Technician

Program Number:

Your Degree: Associate Degree

Area of Study: Law, Protective and Human Services

Delivery Method: 100% In Person, Some Online/Some In Person

Estimated Time to Complete: 64 Credits | Finish degree in 2 years

Financial Aid Available:

Program Transfers:

Program Overview

Madison College's Fire Protection Technician program is designed to meet the needs of any person currently employed in or preparing for a fire service career. Opportunities for graduates exist with municipal fire departments, insurance and government agencies, and in the field of industrial safety and related fields. Classes should be taken in the sequence listed.

Program Details

Fire Protection Technician is on a career pathway that includes this associate degree, a technical diploma and a certificate. All will prepare you for a good job. The associate degree allows you to transfer to another college to earn your bachelor’s degree. Learn at your own pace and increase your earning potential with credentials that keep you moving on career path.

Students in the Fire Protection Technician program can attend full or part-time. Classes should be taken in the sequence listed.

Fire classes are offered at the Madison College Truax campus.

Fire Service Careers

Associate degree graduates are ready for a range of professional positions in the field including:

• Firefighter
• EMT
• Fire Protection Technician
• Fire Protection Systems Installer
• Industrial Safety Technician
• Property Risk Management Specialist

With additional education and/or work experience, graduates may find employment as:

• Fire Protection Consultant
• Fire Protection Equipment Sales Manager
• Industrial Safety Manager
• Municipal Safety Manager
• Property Loss/Risk Management Supervisor
• Fire Investigator
• Fire Marshal
• Fire Inspector
• Fire Officer

Fire Service Jobs

• Fire Service Exploring
• USDA Forest Service
• Public Safety Jobs
• Wisconsin State Firefighters’ Association

Resources for Fire Service Students

• Student Health Insurance
• National Fire Protection Association
• Fire Service Continuing Education Training

Finish Your Fire Degree Online

The only hands-on courses you are required to complete on campus are the Fire Academy (Firefighter I and II, Hazardous Materials Operations) and Emergency Medical Technician. These hands-on courses can be completed through Madison College, any of the other 15 technical colleges around the state, or any other IFSAC or Pro-Board accredited program and National Registry courses.

What You'll Pay

• Use our Net Price Calculator to estimate your tuition costs.
• Estimated Program Cost: $11,574.84
• View Tuition and Fees
• Financial Aid: Applying for financial aid and scholarships help you pay for your education.
• Learn About Paying for College

Curriculum and Experience

First Semester

• Building Construction for Fire Protection (3 credits)
• OSHA for the Fire Service (3 credits)
• Principles of Emergency Services (2 credits)
• Fire Recruit Academy (5 credits)
• Written Communication (3 credits)

Second Semester

• Fire Protection Systems (3 credits)
• Emergency Medical Technician 1 (2 credits)
• Emergency Medical Technician 2 (3 credits)
• Mathematical Reasoning (3 credits)
• Psychology Of Human Relations (3 credits)

Third Semester

• Fire Prevention (4 credits)
• Fire Behavior and Combustion (3 credits)
• Hazardous Materials Chemistry (2 credits)
• Oral/Interpersonal Communication (3 credits)
• Introduction to Diversity Studies (3 credits)

Fourth Semester

• Strategies, Tactics & Inc Mgmt (4 credits)
• Fire Investigation (3 credits)
• Principles of Emergency Services Safety & Survival (3 credits)
• Fire Protection Hydraulics (3 credits)
• Technical Reporting (3 credits)

Admission

Earning a degree is a great way to advance your career development opportunities, so apply today!

• This program is in transition to assess capacity and enrollment availability for the academic year. Beginning Fall 2026, all qualified applicants will be placed on a waiting list.
• Program Capacity: 50 spots each Fall
• Estimated Wait Time: To be determined
• Notification Timeline: Students on the waiting list will be notified in March 2026 about available spots. Those who remain on the list will also receive an update on their estimated wait times.

Application Dates

Summer 2025

• Application open
• Application completion deadline is July 15, 2025

Fall 2025

• Application open
• Application completion deadline is November 15, 2025

Spring 2026

• Application open
• Application completion deadline is April 15, 2026

Summer 2026

• Application available on September 15, 2025
• Application completion deadline is July 15, 2026

Fall 2026

• Application available on September 15, 2025
• Application completion deadline is August 31, 2026

Admission Requirements

All materials must be submitted by the application deadline.

1. Admission Application

The online application allows you to save your work as you complete it and ensures fast, secure delivery to our office.

2. Education Completion

Submit official transcripts from the institutions you attended that indicate one of the following:

• High school completion (current high school seniors may submit an in-progress transcript)
• GED/HSED completion
• College transcript or Madison College experience showing:
  • Completion of an associate degree or higher, or
  • At least 30 credits completed with a minimum GPA of 2.0 on a 4-point scale
    • The credits must be completed at a single college and cannot be combined with other transcripts
    • Any transfer credit listed on a transcript does not count toward the 30-credit minimum
    • Credits completed at Madison College are evaluated and do not require a transcript

All high school and/or college transcripts are recommended to be submitted for Credit for Prior Learning evaluation.

Transfer Opportunities

UW System Schools

• UW Oshkosh
  • The terms of the B.S in Human Services Leadership agreement are limited to students who complete selective A.A.S degrees and are admitted to the Human Services Leadership at UW-Oshkosh. Students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher
• UW Oshkosh
  • Students must have successfully completed their AAS in Fire Protection Technician with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher and have graduated 1990 or later.

Wisconsin Private Schools

• Concordia University
  • Students with an AA, AS or AAS are Advanced Core. Advanced Core requires students to have earned at least 60 credits. Students transferring prior to completion or with less than 60 credits are standard core and credits are evaluated course by course.
• Lakeland University
  • Student who earn an Associate Degree from Madison College can transfer a minimum of 60 credits and a maximum of 72 credits to Lakeland College to be applied to the requirements of the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Sciences degree.
• Milwaukee School of Engineering
  • Completion of an A.A.S. Degree at Madison College after 2015, and meeting admission requirements for the Rader School of Business (RSOB) at the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) can earn a B.B.A degree in Technical Sales at MSOE.

Out-of-State Schools

• Bellevue University
  • Students who complete any associate degree at Madison Area Technical College will have no additional general education core curriculum requirements to meet but must satisfy the Kirkpatrick Signature Series requirement.
• Capella University
  • Per the agreement, students must complete the associates of arts, associates of science or associates of applied science with an overall GPA of a 2.0 prior to transferring.
• Colorado State University Global Campus
  • Students graduating with an associate degree from MATC with a 2.0 GPA or higher are guaranteed admissions into CSU-Global and can transfer up to 64 semester credits from MATC to be applied toward earning a Bachelor’s Degree at CSU-Global.
• Franklin University
  • Franklin University will guarantee acceptance of Madison College graduates with an AA, AS, or AAS. Madison College graduates will have junior standing at Franklin University and may transfer up to 94 additional credits toward their baccalaureate degree.

Career Outcomes

After completing the Fire Protection Technician program at Madison Area Technical College, you will be able to demonstrate:

Professionalism

• Demonstrate professional conduct by displaying personal code of ethics, positive work ethics, flexibility, teamwork skills, physical fitness, safe procedures, and sensitivity to diverse cultures and individuals.

Technical Skills

• Develop and employ an incident command system.
• Develop and apply preincident plan.
• Demonstrate awareness of basic fire code enforcement inspection process.
• Develop and present public fire education seminars.
• Investigate fires.
• Perform fire service hydraulics.

Technical Knowledge

• Explain and apply strategic tactical priorities for safety, rescue, incident control, and loss control for situations including: fire suppression, search and rescue, hazardous materials, and disaster management.

Communication Skills

• Communicate clearly and effectively both verbally and through written documentation with clients, coworkers, other agencies and supervisors.

Management Skills

• Apply appropriate management skills to work effectively within emergency services organizations.

Graduate Summary

Graduate Report Summary Overview Count

• Number of Program Graduates: 12
• Number of Surveys Sent: 12
• Number of Surveys Returned: 9
• Percent of Surveys Returned:
• Available for Employment: 8
• Percent Available for Employment: 88.9%
• Not in Labor Market:
• Percent Not in Labor Market: 11.1%

Available for Employment Count

• Graduates Employed: 8
• Percent of Graduates Employed: 100.0%
• Employed in Related Occupation: 6
• Percent Employed in Related Occupation: 75.0%
• Employed in Unrelated Occupation: 2
• Percent Employed in Unrelated Occupation: 25.0%
• Employed - No Response: 0
• Percent Employed - No Response: 0.0%
• Seeking Employment: 0
• Percent Seeking Employment: 0.0%

Reaction To Training at Madison College Count

• Student satisfaction Mean (Out of 4): 3.4
• Number of Satisfaction Responses: 9
• Very Satisfied (4): 5
• Percent Very Satisfied: 55.6%
• Satisfied (3): 3
• Percent Satisfied: 33.3%
• Unsatisfied (2): 1
• Percent Unsatisfied: 11.1%
• Very Unsatisfied (1):
• Percent Very Unsatisfied: 0.0%

Primary Reason for Attending Madison College Count

• Number of Primary Reason Responses: 9
• Preparation for Getting a Job:
• Percent Preparation for Getting a Job:
• Career Change:
• Percent Career Change:
• Improvement of Existing Skills:
• Percent Improvement of Existing Skills:
• Preparation for Further Education:
• Percent Preparation for Further Education:
• Personal Interest:
• Percent Personal Interest:
• Other:
• Percent Other: 11.1%

When Employment was Obtained Count

• Number of When Employment Obtained Responses: 8
• Before Enrollment: 2
• Percent Before Enrollment: 25.0%
• While Attending the College: 4
• Percent While Attending the College: 50.0%
• After Training at the College: 2
• Percent After Training at the College: 25.0%

Location of Employment (related and unrelated) Count

• Number of Employment Location Responses: 8
• In College District: 4
• Percent In College District: 50.0%
• In Wisconsin, Not in District: 1
• Percent of In Wisconsin: 12.5%
• Outside of Wisconsin: 3
• Percent Outside Wisconsin: 37.5%
• Employer Location Unknown: 0
• Percent Location Unknown: 0.0%

Salary Trend

• Full Time Employment (Related Job): Full Time Salary Count: 5
• Average Monthly Wage: $3,971
• Average Hourly Wage: $23.09
• Average Work Hours per Week: 49.5
• Part Time Employment (Related Job): Part Time Salary Count:
• Average Hourly Wage:
• Average Work Hours per Week:

Graduate Employers

• Fitchburg Fire Dept
• Grand Forks Fire Dept
• Janesville Fire Department
• Kenosha Fire Department
• Madison Fire Department
• Monona Fire Department
• Stoughton Fire Dept
• Sun Prairie Fire Department

Related Programs

• Fire Service Certification
• Emergency Medical Technician
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