Degrees/Promotion

[wannabe]

Thinking a bit ahead..LOL...

Which type of degree makes you more 'promotable'? I have heard administration degrees. That would be Public Administration I take it? Or Business Administration? What about these Fire and Safety Engineering or Fire Science Degrees?

Is anyone currently taking the U of Cincinnati online one?

[colin911]

I've been wondering that myself lately. Although I'm coming up to my second class examination, it doesn't hurt to think ahead.

I've looked at the University of Maryland online course and even sent away for some info, but they didn't tell me a whole lot.

I would think that a degree in anything would help out in a promotion, but would tend to agree that either an administration or fire science degree would be that much better.

I'm still doing some research on it and I'll try to post any new information that I come across in this section.

Good luck.

Colin

[wannabe]

Hey Colin,

I like the U of Maryland program as well. One problem though...have you seen the price tag? $399 a credit hour! yikes.

Some schools charge you out of state prices, some don't.

I've decided to put it off until I finish up my 1001's this summer. Let me know if you find anything interesting, I'll do the same.

Best of luck to you too,

Paula

[Leafs Fan]

As Colin said I don't think it matters much what the degree is in , but rather that you have one. Your collective agreement usually spells out a formula for giving marks on your personal evaluation that includes post secondary education. Unfortunately it usually means a person with basketweaving 101 gets the same points as the person with chemical engineering. The powers to be seem more interested in the fact the candidate is willing and able to continue bettering themselves through education rather than what that education really is.
When it really matters is when you apply for a management position in the future (ie. Chief).

[18atone]

Lakeland College in Alberta started a new program two years ago which seems to be fitting the bill to help train people to handle the requirements of chief officers job descriptions. Many in my cohort have taken other classes and certificates for fire officer development at other schools in Canada and the States but say so far this program has been the best. I too am finding the course very useful and am using the skills taught, every day. Certainly modules are not all fire related but is a more rounded perspective. A business related look, because operating of an emergency service department as simular to running a business. This allows you to speak to the bean counters and baby kissers in a manner they can relate to. This course is for training to promotions at a high level in emergency services but it is never to early to think progressively in your career. A program of study such as this one is not meant to circumvent years of training and actual fire ground experience it is meant to augment your experience. The advantage to the service will be when chief officers can appear as credible professionals in the eyes of all stateholders not simply as some good old boy asking for expensive fancy new toys.




http://www.lakelandc.ab.ca

[Dissipate]

Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology (Toronto, Ontario) has just started a joint degree program in Fire Science with the University of Cincinnati (Accredited by United States Fire Administration). The Fire Science degree program is a four year program that offers various different courses like Advanced Fire Administration, Incendiary Fire Analysis and Investigation, Political and Legal Foundations of Fire Protection and Disaster and Fire Defense Planning. Seneca has long been known for there Fire Protection Engineering programs, now they are offering this great program.

I started taking the degree program with the University on Cincinnati Degrees at a Distance program more then a year ago and it was the best program that I could find that interested me. I tried other University programs (Ryerson) but the University of Cincinnati program was best suited for the fire service, I felt.

Now Seneca College is the first in Ontario to offer the program into a full-time schedule and with the option for a part-time schedule.

I highly recommend anyone interested in pursuing a higher education look into the Seneca College or University of Cincinnati program.

If interested go to Seneca and speak to someone in the Fire Protection Technology Department.

http://www.uc.edu/programs/viewprog.asp?progid=1820

[hmckay91]

Another option (Correspondance) is the Certificate in Fire Service Leadership from Dalhousie University. If you have completed any NPFA 1021 level training it will be a good refresher and the couse includes some material that a firefitghter or line officer (and NFPA 1021) doesn't normally provide such as budget preparation and apparatus specification. It also inlcudes assignments on motivation, confict, volunteer, career, unions, and combination departments.

If you want to follow up more there is a certificate in Fire Service Administration.

Its three courses over a year. You can do them individually, or as a set to make it work for you.

The Lakeland College course also seems worthwhile, however when I looked at it seemed to be a rather larger commitment (time and financial).

But if you are loking at an online degree its probably comparble to others.