School of Criminal Justice, Fire Science, and Emergency Medical Service

OVERVIEW STATEMENT  

The school of criminal justice, fire science, and emergency medical service does not train police officers, firefighters, or paramedics. Instead students are educated with the intention of producing individuals that will enhance the emergency services with potential leaders and administers. Having made that statement, the program is designed to be somewhere between fully academic and an academy. Conceptual combined with limited hands-on involvement is emphasized in order to produce a well-rounded graduate.

It is the intent of this program to develop, produce, and monitor the classes, student growth, and retention in concert with the university’s mission and vision. We do, however, view specifics, relevant to our students, somewhat more closely in order to meet the needs of the student and the career path that they have chosen.  

MISSION STATEMENT  

The primary mission of the Criminal Justice, Fire Science, and Emergency Medical Services faculty and staff is to provide a stimulating atmosphere where active learning may occur to provide students with the highest quality educational experience, to continue to support the “professional model” as currently used, to be appropriate role models for the students, to support the educational program by acquiring suitable equipment and supplies and replacing worn-out or obsolete equipment, to fulfill the advising role, and to assess academic outcomes of the program.

VISION STATEMENT  

Students who seek degrees from the Criminal Justice, Fire Science, and Emergency Medical Services Program, graduate, and continue by acquiring a position in a related field, will be involved in their career field for a long period, no doubt at various levels of responsibility. The Criminal Justice, Fire Science, and Emergency Medical Services faculty continue to attempt to anticipate changes that occur in such fields and prepare the students for such changes. Courses are reviewed and updated to include new, different, and current issues and topics that may be important to the practitioners in the various fields (e.g., terrorism, homeland security, emergency planning). The future of the Criminal Justice, Fire Science, and Emergency Medical Services Program will depend upon the faculty’s ability to continually monitor and estimate the professional demands of the various emergency service fields and the needs of such employers.

The faculty has developed, and continues to review and update, a holistic approach to the study of criminal justice, fire science, and emergency medical services. As an example, many crossover courses have been, and continue to be, developed in order to expand the educational experience of the students. Forensic chemistry, a combining of criminal justice and chemistry; Wildland firefighting, a combining of fire science and related natural sciences which includes students from fishery and wildlife, outdoor recreation, and biology; Public safety degree which combines law enforcement and fire science; Hazardous Materials courses that cut across a variety of disciplines that may be impacted by such problems. In general, our students are exposed to a number of interrelated disciplines.

This program emphasizes critical thinking and writing. The faculty engages in critical observations of the discipline, and challenges the students through thoughtful discourse. Students are given the opportunity to reflect on relevant controversial issues which are raised, addressed and put into proper context for enhancement of the student’s understanding and preparation for growth toward leadership and expanded responsibility.

LONG TERM OUTCOME STATEMENT

It must be assumed that individuals that invest time, effort and money into obtaining a degree in this discipline will most likely expect to succeed in the areas of learning, application, growth through experience, and promotion to higher levels of responsibility and leadership. We, as a program, faculty, and university will continue to seek out, monitor and measure our alumni in order to compare the ultimate outcome of our efforts so that we can update, as needed, our attempts at producing well-educated, successful, and competent leaders in the various emergency service entities.