COURSE CURRICULUM

The Bachelor of Science in Fire Protection Engineering is a STEM-designated engineering program that combines advanced engineering principles with specialized fire protection and safety education to prepare students for careers focused on protecting people, structures, and systems from fire and explosion hazards. Students complete a 41-credit University Core Curriculum that includes academic writing, communication, chemistry with laboratory, physics, ethics, cultural studies, and advanced mathematics through Calculus I, II, and III, providing a strong scientific and analytical foundation for engineering study. The major curriculum includes comprehensive engineering coursework in statics, mechanics of materials, engineering analysis, materials science, analog devices, project management, engineering economics, differential equations, and electromagnetism, ensuring students develop broad technical engineering competence. Specialized fire protection engineering courses focus on the science and technology of fire prevention, suppression, and hazard analysis. Students study fire protection fluids, egress and life safety analysis, hazardous materials chemistry, fire protection systems, structural fire protection engineering, fire dynamics, heat transfer, fire modeling, and fire hazard and risk analysis. Laboratory experiences and applied engineering coursework help students understand how fire behaves, how fire protection systems are designed and evaluated, and how to develop effective strategies for minimizing fire-related risks and losses in buildings and industrial environments. Advanced courses also train students in plan review, quantitative fire analysis, and code-based safety evaluation, preparing them to work with regulatory standards and engineering design requirements. Students complete either a research project or professional internship, gaining valuable practical experience in engineering analysis, system design, or fire safety operations. Additional restricted electives chosen with an advisor allow students to tailor the program toward specialized interests or career goals, while a free elective provides academic flexibility. Overall, the program prepares graduates for careers in fire protection engineering, safety engineering, risk assessment, industrial safety, fire system design, code compliance, consulting, insurance analysis, and public safety sectors, where they can apply engineering expertise to reduce fire hazards and improve life safety in complex environments.