Henderson, Nev. – Nevada State College (NSC) has launched its Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) in Fire Science degree, which is Southern Nevada’s first bachelor’s degree in fire science.
The new degree, which trains students to hold a managerial position in a fire department, allows students to transfer and apply 100 percent of their associates of applied science (AAS) degree credits from any regionally accredited community college fire science program toward a BAS degree.
The degree came as a result of a joint collaboration between many local organizations, including Nevada State College, the Clark County Fire Department, Las Vegas Fire and Rescue, North Las Vegas Fire Department, Henderson Fire Department, Nevada Test Site and the Bureau of Land Management.
“The degree program is the direct result of a very effective collaboration among a number of agencies,” said John Rynes, deputy chief of the NTS Fire Department. “The NTS is very pleased to have been a part of this and look forward to some of our own staff completing the program.”
To further assist in establishing the need for the new degree, fire chiefs throughout Southern Nevada conducted their own unofficial surveys among their battalions. As a result, an overwhelming majority of the firefighters surveyed indicated that they were interested in the new degree as well.
“There is always a risk in becoming a firefighter, and it’s our job as a state college to provide Nevada’s fire science students with as much training as possible before they ever fill out an application,” said Nevada State College President Dr. Fred Maryanski. “We determined that a bachelor in applied science degree is best suited to provide all potential firefighters, regardless of rank, with the practical knowledge and leadership skills that will help keep them and others safe.”
Courses for the degree are based on the National Fire Administration’s Fire and Emergency Service Higher Education strategic direction and include:
Advanced Fire Administration
Analytical Approaches to Public Fire Protection
Applications of Fire Research
Disaster and Fire Defense Planning
Managerial issues in Hazardous Materials and Personnel Management for the Fire Science
The fire science degree will pilot this fall with two classes.
Nevada State College opened its doors to students in September 2002 after the Board of Regents and the Nevada State Legislature determined the need for enhanced educational opportunities in Southern Nevada in 1997. The college currently enrolls 1,950 students.
NSC offers progressive bachelor’s programs in several in-demand fields of study as well as a low student-to-professor ratio and competitive tuition rates.
For more information on Nevada State College, call: 702.992.2000 or visit: nsc.edu
NSC Offers Southern Nevada’s First Bachelor’s Degree in Fire Science
