Division of Public Safety

Public Safety Areas of Study

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The Public Safety Division is dedicated to providing quality programs that effectively address the diverse and comprehensive needs of the Law Enforcement, Fire Service, and Emergency Medical Services professions. The division provides educational opportunities of the highest quality that will produce graduates ready to meet the demands of the communities and citizens they serve. In-service programs provide courses to meet professional certification or licensure renewal requirements for public safety professionals.

 

Criminal Justice

Walters State offers study options in criminal justice, including university parallel pathways designed for individuals who plan to transfer to a four-year college or university to obtain a bachelor's degree, as well as an Associate of Applied Science.

 

Emergency Medical Services

The Emergency Medical Services programs prepare competent entry-level healthcare providers across multiple campuses.

Program Minimum Expectations

To prepare competent entry-level Paramedics in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains with or without exit points at the Advanced Emergency Medical Technician and/or Emergency Medical Technician, and/or Emergency Medical Responder levels. These programs are offered on multiple campuses.

 

 

Fire Science

The Fire Science degree program assists the career and volunteer fire service agencies and personnel throughout the East Tennessee region in dealing effectively with all aspects of fire and emergency response. The program is unique as it creates a leadership model consistent with the National Fire Academy's Fire and Emergency Services Higher Education project. Additionally, the program enhances the fire service's professional standing and abilities to protect citizens from the devastation of fire, man-made and natural disasters. The state-of-the-art program includes a strong homeland security and disaster management component to position graduates to be fire service leaders. This program is linked to the Naval Postgraduate School's University and Agency Partnership Initiative for Homeland Defense and Security.

Upon completion of the program, the student will be able to demonstrate a basic understanding of the components of fire and emergency services, understand the concepts of fire prevention and building construction as it relates to firefighter safety, and have a fundamental comprehension of the relationship of materials and their relationship to fire.

 

Law Enforcement

The Associate of Applied Science degree in Law Enforcement prepares individuals for employment in the criminal justice field at the state or local level in positions for which a four-year degree is not required. This program is also beneficial for individuals already working in the criminal justice field who want to enhance their knowledge and position.