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Rouse Company Foundation Student Services Building

Fire Science and Leadership - A.A.S. Degree (Career)

Application Code 305
Pending MHEC Approval

For curriculum information, contact the Science, Engineering, and Technology Division – Room ST-248 – 443-518-1600.

The Fire Science and Leadership A.A.S. degree prepares graduates to function as entry-level officers with the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services. The curriculum is a partnership between Howard Community College and the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services and is designated specifically for firefighters employed by the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services.  Firefighters will complete 20 credits of required general education courses at Howard Community College and 40 credits of fire and rescue science courses in the firefighters program administered by the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services in accordance with the National Fire Protection Agency Standards and the National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications.

This program prepares students for a career in fire services by providing an understanding of fire causes, fire hazards, and fire behavior, emergency control and fire suppression, building and fire codes and the role they play in building construction, and organizational structure. A deep understanding of fire behavior and combustion is provided with a focus on firefighter safety and survival. The national fire problem will be analyzed for professional development with a focus on the National Fire Protection Development model.

General Education Core

Arts & Humanities

Course NumberTitleCredits
SPCH-105Fundamentals of Public Speaking

3

-OR

SPCH-110Interpersonal Communication

3

-OR

SPCH-115Intercultural Communication

3

-OR

SPCH-151The Spoken Word

3

Biological & Physical Sciences

Course NumberTitleCredits
CHEM-101General Inorganic Chemistry I

4

Core Electives

Select one of the following:

Course NumberTitleCredits
HEED-104Personal Nutrition Assessment

1

HEED-106Introduction to Stress Management

1

HEED-110Introduction to Personal Wellness

1

Total Credit Hours:1

English Composition

Course NumberTitleCredits
ENGL-121College Composition

3

Mathematics

Course NumberTitleCredits
MATH-141College Algebra

3

-or higher core course

Social & Behavioral Sciences

Select two of the following:

Course NumberTitleCredits
ANTH-120Comparative World Cultures

3

ECON-101Principles of Economics (Macro)

3

ECON-102Principles of Economics (Micro)

3

POLI-101American Federal Government

3

POLI-102State and Local Government

3

POLI-103Political Ideology

3

POLI-104The U.S. Constitution

3

POLI-201Comparative Government

3

PSYC-101General Psychology

3

SOCI-101Introduction to Sociology

3

SOCI-102Social Problems

3

Total Credit Hours:6

Required Courses Related to Major

Course NumberTitleCredits
FIRE-101Firefighter I

5

FIRE-102Firefighter II

2

FIRE-103Firefighter Survival and Rescue

1

FIRE-111Hazardous Materials Operations

1

FIRE-112Hazardous Materials Technician

3

FIRE-120Introduction to the Incident Command System (ICS)

1

FIRE-121Advanced Incident Command System (ICS)

1

FIRE-130Principles of Building Construction

1

FIRE-140Rescue Technician: Site Operations

2

FIRE-141Rescue Technician: Vehicle and Machinery Extrication

2

FIRE-201Instructor I

2

FIRE-202Instructor II

2

FIRE-210Fire Department Safety Officer

3

FIRE-211Fire Officer I

4

FIRE-212Fire Officer II

3

FIRE-213Fire Officer III

3

-OR

FIRE-231Leadership I: Strategies For Company Success

1

-AND

FIRE-232Leadership II: Strategies For Personal Success

1

-AND

FIRE-233Leadership III: Strategies For Supervisory Success

1

FIRE-214Fire Officer IV

3

-OR

FIRE-220Inspector I

3

FIRE-240Pump Operator

1

A graduate should be able to

  1. 1. Evaluate the components of building construction related to fire and life safety, including inspections, pre-incident planning, and emergency operations.
  2. 2. Compare the benefits of fire protection systems in various types of structures.
  3. 3. Demonstrate basic technical skills and knowledge of fire chemistry and physics as they apply to fire prevention, strategy, and tactics.
  4. 4. Demonstrate an interdisciplinary perspective on the issues which face fire science professionals and local governments.
  5. 5. Identify, explain, evaluate, and apply ethical reasoning within emergency services in a professional context.
  6. 6. Demonstrate and use basic interpersonal, group, and public communication skills.
  7. 7. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the field of fire science through a balance of theory and practical application.
  8. 8. Summarize and explain the basic theories and concepts of how and why fires start, spread, and are controlled.
  9. 9. Apply basic mathematical models to fire and fire safety.
  10. 10. Compare the basic responsibilities of company officers including supervision, delegation, problem solving, decision making, communication, and leadership, and demonstrate the ability to perform those roles.
  11. 11. Demonstrate an understanding of and apply the laws, rules, regulations, and codes relevant to fire prevention of the authority having jurisdiction.
  12. 12. Understand and foster the national firefighter life safety initiatives, focusing on the need for cultural and behavioral change throughout the emergency services.
  13. 13. Identify, examine, evaluate, and implement policies and procedures that affect the safety and health of emergency responders.
  14. 14. Employ the basic skills and tools needed to perform effectively as a leader in the fire science environment.

Total Credit Hours: 60