Online Fire and Emergency Services Courses

Master of Public Administration - Fire and Emergency Services Specialization

Discover Top Fire and Rescue Leadership Techniques

You’ve made a commitment to your community to help in times of need. The Fire and Emergency Services specialization of the online MPA from Anna Maria College delivers the most progressive fire and rescue knowledge and leadership practices directly to you.

For students who have recently graduated or are looking for a career change, the Direct Track is 12 classes, including the Public Administration curriculum and four Fire and Emergency Services concentration courses.

Mid-Career Track Available

Students with four years or more of administrative or managerial experience may be eligible to take the Anna Maria College Fire and Emergency Services MPA Mid-Career Track, allowing them to complete the degree program with just 10 courses (six from the MPA curriculum and four Fire and Emergency Services concentration courses).

*U.S. Fire Administration Executive Fire Officer (EFO) certification waives MPA 502 and the Open Elective.

Public Administration Core Courses

MPA 501 Strategic Management of Human Capital (3 credits)
Provides an overview of how a leader can address current and emerging human capital challenges to drive organizational transformation.

MPA 502 Organizational Theories & the Public Sector (3 credits)
The study of the fundamental theory of the management development process and the analysis of employee behavior patterns.

MPA 503 Executive Leadership (3 credits)
This course focuses on the study and analysis of human behavior patterns. Special consideration is given to the role of the emergency services department management team member as a leader and motivator of people.

MPA 504 Management Policies in Government Finance (3 credits)
This course explores various aspects of local financial management including developing new revenue sources, designing a budget that includes performance reporting, conducting strategic economic development, understanding debt management and bond sales, use of modern information systems to improve financial decision, and meeting the day-to-day challenges of financial management from procurement to labor negotiations.

MPA 600 Ethics in Public Service (3 credits)
The course will address a number a number of issues including ethics theory and the history of ethics, ethics and consciousness, ethics and self-control, emotional fallacies and ethics, tools for ethical thinking, ethics and professionalism in public service, the value of ethics in preventing public corruption, and creating public organizational ethics. Real-world ethical failures in public administration will be discussed.

MPA 603 Public Policy (3 credits)
This course uses case studies and other materials to help students to develop excellence in oral and written skills in the formation of public policy at the senior management level. Drawing on previous course work in ethics, quantitative analysis and management students will develop models for solving significant problems in the public arena coupled with the planning strategy for implementing these policies.

MPA 604 Strategic Planning for Public Managers (3 credits)
Through the utilization and application of risk assessment and master planning concepts, this program will guide the student through the process of problem identification and comparative analysis. This course will focus upon identifying the benefits and the development of a long term planning effort within the student’s local jurisdiction.

Fire and Emergency Services Concentration Courses

FRS 529 Labor Management Relations (3 credits)
Covers the development, structure and current status of labor unions in the United States. The course examines management attitudes toward the bargaining process, the evolution of labor legislation, government policy toward labor management relations (i.e. changes in the composition of the labor force, white collar organizations soliciting bargaining units).

FRS 695 Customer Service: Creating a Customer Friendly Organization (3 credits)
This course allows the student to develop a customer service program specific to their respective community. Through case analysis and examination of practices within other public and private sector agencies, customer service will be examined as a foundational philosophy that is a critical component of a dynamic emergency services organization.

PSA 891 Policy and Strategy (Capstone Project) (3 credits)
Serves as the final evaluation for Criminal Justice students. Requires case studies and other materials to demonstrate oral and written competence in the areas of research, professional responsibility, and management. Analyzes issues of law, policy, and society, allowing students to integrate knowledge and experience as they apply ethical principles in developing effective strategies to confront issues facing practitioners within the realm of human service and criminal justice. Culminates with a final project presented to a faculty panel.

PSA 892 Thesis (3 credits)
Facilitates thesis writing within your subject area. Specific guidelines are available from the Program Director.

Learn More

Click here to learn more about the Fire and Emergency Services specialization of AMC’s online Master of Public Administration or call 877-265-3201.