Several schools across America offer two-year associate degree-level courses related to the field of fire prevention. These include Columbia Southern University in Orange Beach, AL, which offers a Bachelor of Science in Fire Science, and Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, which runs courses in Fire Protection Engineering Technology. Meanwhile, Bates Technical College in Tacoma, Washington, runs programs in Fire Protection Technology, as does Delaware Tech at its Stanton campus.
Alongside the course providers in America, several overseas institutions are also listed as potential 'Pathways to Fire Protection Education' by the Society of Fire Protection Engineers. These include Glasgow Caledonian University in Scotland, the London South Bank University and the University of Central Lancashire in England, the Main School of Fire Service in Poland, and Victoria University in Australia.
Students pursuing degrees related to the field of fire prevention are able to focus their studies on a range of specialist areas. Columbia Southern asks its students to take core modules in subjects including Interactions of Hazardous Materials, Advanced Fire Administration and Incendiary Fire Analysis, while other modules cover issues such as leadership and health and safety. Delaware Tech, meanwhile, focuses its associate's degree courses on the design and implementation of fire detection and prevention systems, potential hazards and building codes.
There are no fixed criteria for being accepted into a fire prevention degree program, with specific requirements varying between course providers. However, applicants are usually required to show evidence of a solid academic background, particularly in the fields of math and science. The Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, for example, asks that prospective fire prevention students have a high school background in math, science and technology, with above-average benchmark scores needed.
Students graduating from fire prevention courses should have a good grounding in the latest developments within the field and be well-placed for embarking on a related career. The Northeast Wisconsin Technical College advises that its graduates will have the potential for employment in the areas of systems design engineering, equipment sales and installation and industrial safety, while with additional experience or education, they can move into the fields of safety management. Furthermore, Bates Technical College advises that "knowledgeable fire protection engineering technicians are hard to come by," and as such, graduates will be sought-after by state, county and municipal governments as well as by private-sector employers.