Fire and Emergency Response Administration Extended Major, B.S.

Passion and experience drive the Fire and Emergency Response Administration program and it shows. MSU Denver has earned the “Certificate of Recognition” from the National Fire Academy’s Fire and Emergency Services Higher Education (FESHE) network as one of only a few colleges and universities in the country and the only four-year university in Colorado to do so. As a result, for each FESHE course you complete, you will receive a National Fire Academy certificate, signifying the high level of training you have received. 

The extended major is a completion degree for students who transfer 24-credits in Firefighter I, EMT-Basic, and Hazardous Materials Operations from a regionally accredited Colorado Community College or possess a state or national certification in these areas. This will expedite your graduation date with one year less in the classroom. Without a need to declare a minor, you can focus on all things firefighting by exploring more electives. 

Encompassing all of the major emergency response disciplines, MSU Denver’s Fire and Emergency Response Administration program will provide you with foundational skills in fire research, emergency response administration, personnel safety, emergency management, community risk reduction and disaster planning and control. A major part of the FERA program is service learning, so you will have the opportunity for field experiences such as fire and emergency awareness exercises and arson investigations that involve direct interaction with citizens or community partners, which include the American Red Cross, the Center for Excellence in Aerial Wildland Firefighting and many fire departments in Denver and the metropolitan area. 

As a graduate of MSU Denver’s Fire and Emergency Response Administration degree program, you will have a competitive edge in the emergency response job market by increasing your administrative and management knowledge, as well as occupational and life safety awareness. You’ll also be prepared to face new challenges in technology, human resource management and fiscal responsibility.

Some departments now require a four-year degree to be eligible for promotion. Because MSU Denver’s program is a great way for firefighters and first responders to gain the education and certifications to advance in their careers, many current professionals have chosen to earn their bachelor of science degree in Fire and Emergency Response Administration, including those working for the Denver, Aurora, South Metro, Littleton, Golden and Franktown fire departments.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2016 Occupational Outlook Handbook, the median annual salary for firefighters was $48,030; the starting salary in the Denver Fire Department is approximately $52,000 and in four years grows to $72,000.

The BLS Handbook lists a median salary of $70,500 for emergency management directors, which does require several years of experience.

As a FERA graduate, your career path might include working for a fire department, FEMA, the Red Cross and other emergency response agencies in positions such as:

• Firefighter
• Fire officer
• Fire inspector
• Fire investigator
• Forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists
• Fire prevention supervisor
• Emergency management technician
• Emergency and disaster response technician
• Emergency management specialist
• Hospital emergency preparedness administrator
• Emergency dispatcher
• Emergency planning and response manager

Brian Bagwell

FERA Coordinator and Associate Professor Brian Bagwell, MSU Denver ’92, brings 23 years of experience as a firefighter/paramedic as well as his expertise as a doctor of psychology to the classroom. Bagwell has presented locally and nationally on topics that include campus and workplace violence, critical incident stress management, trauma, treating claustrophobic firefighters and perception of threat and de-escalation of violence strategies for first responders, employers and mental health clinicians.