Program description
Do you want to make a difference in the safety of your community, state, or country? If so, you may want to consider the Associate of Applied Science in Public Safety program at Century College. Century is highly regarded as a regional leader in public safety education.
The events of 9/11 and the hurricanes that devastated vast areas of our nation illustrated the need for all emergency services to work collaboratively. The public will no longer accept a haphazard approach to emergency situations.
This two-year program is designed both for:
- Professionals working in the field of public safety or homeland security
- Individuals interested in a public safety career
The multi-disciplinary program provides an overview of all public safety disciplines including:
- Law enforcement
- Firefighting
- Emergency medical care
- Dispatching
Areas of study include:
- Principles of public safety
- Incident management
- Community service principles
- Homeland defense
Program points of pride
Century College has long been viewed as a leader in public safety education. Its Law Enforcement and Paramedic programs are recognized as among the best in the region. This new degree program will work closely with these established programs to give the student a wide overview of public safety.
Student points of pride
The Woodbury Public Safety Department is integrating its police, paramedic, and firefighting functions. All new police officers will be required to cross-train as either firefighters or paramedics. Woodbury, considered to be one of the most progressive departments in the state, has chosen Century to train its personnel in this new initiative.
Occupational trends
The Public Safety Degree Program was developed in conjunction with an advisory committee of industry officials which included police, fire, EMS, and homeland security officials from the Twin Cities Metro Area. When surveyed, 100% of them said they would give preference to a person who possessed this degree from Century if all other qualifications were equal.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2006-2007 edition, public safety positions will grow at either an average or faster than average rate by 2014. DOL sees a more security conscious society in our future. They also predict that many volunteer firefighting positions will transition to fulltime in suburban areas. The Twin Cities Metro Area is definitely seeing this trend.
Because the Public Safety degree program is new at Century, no articulation agreements are in place. “Getting articulation agreements with area four year institutions are a high priority for the program”, according to program director Bill Hering.
Flexible learning options
For professionals working in this field already, consideration will be given to setting up cohort style course sequences that can be held at your facility.
The development of online courses is also a high priority for this program. Current students enrolled in FRTA 1092 (Firefighter II) are being offered a blended course in Hazardous Materials Operations from Century's EMS program. Similar programs will follow.