A public administration degree can prepare you for many different upper-level careers in public service, including firefighting careers like Assistant Chief, Deputy Chief, and finally, Chief. The curriculum includes leadership and management skills, strategic planning for single departments but also for major disaster response, communication skills, media relations to name a few. One can expect to come away from a program in public administration with a clear understanding of how to react, manage and direct in emergency situations, making it a perfect companion to the fire and rescue field. Any rescue personnel with a public administrative degree can expect to be in high demand.

The curriculum covers leadership, emergency management and preparedness, homeland security and terrorism, and security management. Successful graduates are prepared for careers in a variety of protective and security professions. Recent major disasters around the world have brought to light the importance of professionals with advanced leadership skills to oversee the organizations that respond to complex emergencies, such as natural disasters and terrorist attacks. This specialization is designed to deepen your knowledge of how to handle sensitive and unpredictable situations, navigate the many public safety agencies, and deal with varied human reactions. The emergency management specialization is designed for professionals in law enforcement, fire service, or other security fields who want to expertly manage critical incidents.

Fire science students receive all the basics of fire suppression plus an in-depth understanding of industry science, administration, fire detection systems, hazardous materials, fire behavior, crisis management and incident salvage. Some fire science programs also instruct students in ecosystems including landscape-specific fire effects and rehabilitation.
In addition to industry-specific information, fire science students are often required to take public speaking, technical writing, and administration courses, preparing them for a career as a public figure.

Students in the Fire Protection Engineering field can expect to evaluate buildings to pinpoint risks, investigate and learn how fire spreads, why protective measures failed, and how to design them more effectively.
Throughout the world, fire is a significant problem. An applicant with a bachelor’s degree in Fire Protection Engineering would be a strong candidate for any job related to fire and rescue, but especially jobs that protect the public with preventative measures.

Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) exist all over the world as health care providers trained to provide pre-hospital treatment in emergencies. The procedures that EMTs may perform differ by country and state and their regulations are set by the local government in their area. EMTs respond to medical emergencies, hazardous materials exposure, childbirth, child abuse, fires, rescues, trauma and psychiatric crises.