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Fire Science

The Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Fire Science provides the opportunity for individuals seeking careers in the fire service to acquire standard firefighting skills and prepare for state and/or national certifications, including the Firefighter I and II Certification. Students will gain broad knowledge and skills necessary to work effectively in the fire service as firefighters. A Certificate of Completion (CCL) in Firefighter Operations is also available.

Details

Field of Interest
Behavioral Science and Human Services
Degree Type
Associate in Applied Science (AAS)
Academic Plan
Fire Science (DEG)
Academic Plan Code
3205
Total credits required
61.5-92
Catalog Year
2024-2025
Effective Term
Fall 2022
Admissions criteria

Admission to program is required. See Program Director for details.

Notes

Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses within the program.

Consult with your faculty mentor or academic advisor to determine educational requirements, including possible university transfer options, for your chosen career field.

What You'll Learn

This pathway map will help you gain the expertise needed to:

  1. Apply the basic theories of fire behavior and methods of fire control and prevention in a variety of fire operations.
  2. Demonstrate the appropriate and safe use of personal firefighting equipment and fire apparatus.
  3. Demonstrate the knowledge of the professional and organizational structures, processes, and policies that guide fire departments.
  4. Demonstrate physical tasks, proper tool selection, and knowledge of operating procedures in accordance with the standards of the profession.
  5. Mitigate hazards to health and safety by assessing, planning and responding to emergency situations.
  6. Demonstrate the critical thinking, mental, and emotional skills needed to perform firefighting tasks and services.
  7. Practice industry accepted professional and ethical behavior related to fire service.
  8. Collaborate effectively with members of a team to achieve goals.
  9. Communicate efficiently and effectively with members of diverse populations in a culturally responsive manner.
  10. Apply relevant knowledge, skills, and habits of mind to seek career opportunities in the field.

Successful completion of this degree may lead to employment in a variety of different occupations and industries. Below are examples of related occupations with associated Arizona-based annual median wages* for this program. Education requirements vary for the occupations listed below, so you may need further education or degrees in order to qualify for some of these jobs and earn the related salaries. Please visit with an academic advisor and/or program director for additional information.

Firefighters

$47,490

* Wage information sourced from the . Updated May 2022.

Course Sequence by Term

The following is the suggested course sequence by term. Please keep in mind:

  • Students should meet with an academic advisor to develop an individual education plan that meets their academic and career goals. Use the Pathway Planner tool in your to manage your plan.
  • The course sequence is laid out by suggested term and may be affected when students enter the program at different times of the year.
  • Initial course placement is determined by current district placement measures and/or completion of 100-200 level course and/or program requirements.
  • Degree and transfer seeking students may be required to successfully complete a MCCCD First Year Experience Course (FYE) within the first two semesters at a MCCCD College. Courses include FYE101 and FYE103. Course offerings will vary by college. See an academic, program, or faculty advisor for details.
  • Consult with your faculty mentor or academic advisor to determine educational requirements, including possible university transfer options, for your chosen career field.

Full-time Sequence

Full-time status is 12 credits to 18 credits per semester.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
OR
Current validation in Basic Life Support (BLS) Health Care Provider/Professional Rescuer (0) AND
Credit By Evaluation (0.5) 0.5 		0.5
OR Permission of Program Director 0–3
OR Verification of CPAT completion 0–1
and
and
 and and OR Arizona State EMT Certification (0) OR
Arizona State Paramedic Certification (0) OR
Permission of Program Director 		0–12.5
or
 or 1–3

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
Critical course Gateway course 11
or
 or Critical course is recommended for students who have already completed the Fire Academy equivalent of 3
Critical course 2

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
OR Current employment as a firefighter as determined by the Program Director 0–4
or
 or is recommended 3
or
 or Critical course FYC or FYC 3
Critical course MA 3–6
HU 3

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
3
3
3
3
or
 or FYC or FYC 3
SB 3
OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment L 0–3

Term 5

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 5
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
Recommend , , , or 1–3
3
3
or
 or SG or SQ 4
or
or
or
 or or or is recommended SB or SB or L or SB 3

Part-time Sequence

Part-time status is 11 credit hours or less.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
OR
Current validation in Basic Life Support (BLS) Health Care Provider/Professional Rescuer (0) AND
Credit By Evaluation (0.5) 0.5 		0.5
OR Permission of Program Director 0–3
OR Verification of CPAT completion 0–1
and
and
 and and OR Arizona State EMT Certification (0) OR
Arizona State Paramedic Certification (0) OR
Permission of Program Director 		0–12.5
or
 or 1–3

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
Critical course Gateway course 11
or
 or Critical course is recommended for students who have already completed the Fire Academy equivalent of 3
Critical course 2

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
or
 or is recommended 3
or
 or Critical course FYC or FYC 3

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
OR Current employment as a firefighter as determined by the Program Director 0–4
Critical course MA 3–6
or
or
or
 or or or is recommended SB or SB or L or SB 3

Term 5

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 5
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
3
3
OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment L 0–3

Term 6

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 6
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
3
or
 or FYC or FYC 3

Term 7

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 7
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
3
SB 3

Term 8

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 8
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
3
or
 or SG or SQ 4

Term 9

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 9
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
Recommend , , , or 1–3
3
HU 3
Course Area Key

Gateway Course = Generally the first major-specific course in a pathway.

Critical Course = A course that is highly predictive of future success in a pathway.

  • FYC = First Year Composition
  • HU = Humanities, Fine Arts, and Design
  • L = Literacy & Critical Inquiry
  • MA = Mathematics
  • SB = Social-Behavioral Sciences
  • SG = Natural Sciences General
  • SQ = Natural Sciences Quantitative
Disclaimer

Students must earn a grade of C or better for all courses required within the program.

Course Sequence total credits may differ from the program information located on the MCCCD curriculum website due to program and system design.

View MCCCD’s for additional details regarding the requirements of this award .

At Maricopa, we strive to provide you with accurate and current information about our degree and certificate offerings. Due to the dynamic nature of the curriculum process, course and program information is subject to change. As a result, the course list associated with this degree or certificate on this site does not represent a contract, nor does it guarantee course availability. If you are interested in pursuing this degree or certificate, we encourage you to meet with an advisor to discuss the requirements at your college for the appropriate catalog year.