The Associate of Applied Science (AAS) Public Safety program includes the necessary general education and specialized law enforcement, fire science and emergency medical technology coursework to prepare students for a career in law enforcement, fire service, emergency medical care, or security services. Students will learn fundamental skills in all areas of public safety. In the law enforcement area students will develop an understanding of Constitutional law, Oregon state laws and the basics of policing. The student will learn basic emergency medical skills necessary to provide emergency medical aid to those sick or injured. In the fire science area, students will study topics such as fire service culture, professional standards, tools and equipment, fire apparatus, and fire prevention. Using specific electives, students can choose to focus their studies in one particular area, or study a variety of topics in criminal justice, emergency medical services, and fire science.
Graduation Requirements
Students must complete a minimum of 90 credit hours with a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.0 or better. All courses must be completed with a grade of 'C' or better. Twenty-four (24) credits must be completed at Southwestern before the AS degree is awarded.
Courses that are developmental in nature, (designed to prepare students for college transfer courses), are not applicable to this degree.
Complete the graduation application process one term prior to the term of completion (e.g., spring term graduates must apply during winter term).
Pre-Program Courses
Students are required to take the following courses prior to the program courses, depending on students' college placement information. See advisor for details:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CIS90 | Computer Basics | 2 |
| MTH20 | Basic Mathematics (or placement in higher math course) | 4 |
| WR90R | Academic Literacy (or placement in higher writing course) | 4 |
Program Guide
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| WR121 | English Composition (or higher) | 3 |
| BA285 | Human Relations in Organizations | 3 |
| CJ100 | Intro to Criminal Justice | 4 |
| FS105 | Firefighter Fundamentals I | 2 |
| EMT175 | Intro Emergency Medical Services | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| SP111 |
Fundamentals of Public Speaking or Interpersonal Communication or Small Group Discussion |
3 |
| MTH65 | Algebra II (or higher, excluding MTH 81 and MTH211) | 4 |
| CJ110 | Intro to Policing | 4 |
| FS110 | Firefighter Fundamentals II | 2 |
| Specific Elective 1 | 2 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| CIS120 | Concepts of Computing | 4 |
| FS115 | Firefighter Fundamentals III | 2 |
| Health, Wellness, and Fitness 2 | 3 | |
| Specific Elective 1 | 6 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| CJ222 | Constitutional Law | 4 |
| EMT260 | Emergency Medical Responder | 3 |
| FS100 | Principles of Emergency Services | 3 |
| FS205 | Fire Prevention | 3 |
| Specific Elective 1 | 2 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| EM101 | Incident Command & Emergency Mngmt | 4 |
| EMT170 | Emergency Response & Communication Documentation | 2 |
| EMT171 | Emergency Response Transport | 2 |
| FS280 | CWE: Fire Science | 1 |
| Specific Elective 1 | 6 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| CJ220 | Introduction to Substantive Law | 4 |
| EMT169 | Emergency Medical Technology Rescue | 3 |
| FS232 | Occupational Safety and Health ES | 3 |
| Specific Elective 1 | 5 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 90 | |
Footnotes
| 1 | Specific Elective options: Students may take any CJ, EM, EMT, or FS course to fulfill this requirement. The courses selected to fulfill the elective requirement must not be a specified requirement of this degree program. |
| 2 | Heatth, Wellness, and Fitness options: HE250 Personal Health, PE231 Wellness for Life, or three (3) credits of PE185. |
Program Student Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this program, the student will be able to:
- Identify the characteristics of professional integrity and ethical standards for Oregon Criminal Justice, Emergency Medical, and Fire Science professionals.
- Describe and relate the Constitutional rights and responsibilities of citizens, offenders, and victims as they apply to state, federal, and procedural laws.
- Demonstrate personal behaviors and technical proficiency in all of the skills necessary to fulfill the role of an entry level emergency medical first responder.
- Apply critical-thinking and decision-making skills relevant to public safety scenarios.