Program Overview

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Science in Fire and Emergency Services Administration (FESA) is an online degree completion program designed for working professionals in the fire and emergency services industry. The program provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to take on leadership roles in fire protection, prevention, emergency medical, and emergency preparedness services.

Program Details

• The program requires a minimum of 120 credits to complete.
• Students must take 11 core FESA courses for a total of 37 credits.
• The remainder of the credits needed for graduation can be satisfied with transfer coursework and electives.
• The program can be completed in two years, but most students take three to four years to complete the degree.

Admission Requirements

• High school graduation or equivalent
• 2.7+ high school GPA (freshmen) OR 2.5+ college GPA (transfer) preferred
• Freshman course recommendations OR Transfer mathematics requirement

Curriculum

Core Courses

The core courses for the FESA program include:

• FESA 310: Fire Service Leadership
• FESA 331: Structure Influence on Tactics and Strategy
• FESA 333: Proposals/Reports in Fire Service Management
• FESA 334: Orientation to Experiential Learning
• FESA 335: Trends in Fire Science Technologies
• FESA 336: Fire Emergency Services Administration
• FESA 338: Essentials of Emergency Management
• FESA 432: Fire and Emergency Services Budgeting
• FESA 433: Fire and Emergency: Human Resources
• FESA 437: Fire and Emergency: Legal Considerations
• FESA 467: Integrated Management Simulation

Electives

Students can choose from a variety of electives to complete their degree, including:

• FESA 330: Industrial Processes and Fire Protection
• FESA 337: Policy and Public Administration
• FESA 339: Incident Command Systems
• FESA 431: Emergency Medical Service Management
• FESA 434: Training Management Program
• FESA 436: Fire Protection Though Model Building Codes
• FESA 438: Prevention Program Management

Degree Minors

The FESA program offers several degree minors, including:

• Agricultural Business
• Anthropology
• Business Administration
• Computer Science
• Creative Writing
• Design Thinking
• Economics
• Gerontology
• Global and Environmental Sustainability
• History
• Horticulture
• Human Development and Family Studies
• Interdisciplinary Global Studies
• Interdisciplinary Information Science and Technology
• Journalistic Reporting and Storytelling
• Machine Learning
• Media Studies
• Music, Stage, and Sports Production
• Political Science
• Science Communication
• Sociology

Undergraduate Certificates

The FESA program also offers several undergraduate certificates, including:

• Climate Change and Society
• Design Thinking Certificate
• Disability and Neurodiversity
• Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health
• Integrated Pest Management
• International Economics
• Macroeconomics
• Spanish for Animal Health and Care
• Seed Science and Technology

How to Apply

To apply to the FESA program, students must:

1. Review admission requirements
2. Talk with a student success coach
3. Complete the online application
4. Apply for financial aid (optional)
5. Check application status

Application Dates

• Fall semester: June 1
• Spring semester: November 1
• Summer semester: May 1

Tuition and Fees

• Tuition: $490 per credit
• Learn more about financial aid and scholarships

Degree Awarded

• Bachelor of Science in Fire and Emergency Services Administration

Time Frame

• Can be completed in 2 years

Faculty

The FESA program has a diverse faculty with expertise in fire and emergency services administration, including:

• Caleb Connor
• Holger Durre
• Larry Grosse
• Lonnie Inzer
• John Roper
• Stephen Sears
• David Wolf

Student Testimonials

• Randy Callahan: "Education in this field puts you in a proactive position to promote to captain, battalion chief, and chief officer."
• Ralph King: "The classes that are offered by Colorado State are completely applicable to day-to-day operations of the fire department."
• C. Kimball: "I gained a focused, structured view inside the fire service, with all its moving pieces including policy, legal, HR, budget, project management, communications, etc."
• M. Malone: "I have a better understanding of how emergency services organizations function in a 'big picture' sense."
• Elie A.: "I am most proud of the fact that being a first-generation graduate student, I can now be a role model for my family to keep pursuing their dreams and goals, no matter how long it takes."