Public Safety Administration Major

The Bachelor of Science major in Public Safety Administration is designed for the public safety professional. It equips the public safety professional with the skills necessary to work with people, manage change in an organization, create innovation in organizations and utilize communication skills to solve social and organizational problems.

The Emergency Medical Service (EMS) concentration will allow EMS professionals the knowledge and skills to operate as supervisors or managers specifically in the EMS field, allowing them to further their careers and meet workforce needs.

This program is exclusively for personnel with a public safety or public safety related background.  Including (but not limited to) fields such as law enforcement, firefighting, emergency medicine, judicial marshals, corrections, transportation security administration and border patrol.

Students without a public safety background, but possessing an equivalent associate degree (such as criminal justice, fire science, etc.) may also participate in the Public Safety Administration major.

All major requirements must be completed with a grade of 'C' or higher. This major requires 36 credits.

In order to earn a Bachelor's degree at Charter Oak, all Major, General Education, Liberal Arts , elective, and Upper Division credit must equal 120 or more credits

Major Requirements

Students enrolled in the Public Safety Major must choose one of the Concentrations below for an additional 15 credits:

Public Safety Professional Concentration:

Emergency Medical Services Concentration:

Program Learning Outcomes

Students who graduate with a major in Public Safety Administration, Public Safety Professional Concentration will be able to:

• discuss current issues, propose solutions, and describe shortcomings in public safety preparation for and response to the threat of terrorism;
• identify and analyze various cultures and their diverse historical, economic and societal variations within the context of public safety;
• apply motivational theory and leadership theory to individual and groups functioning in public safety organizations;
• apply personal and professional ethical accountability in the public safety environment;
• analyze and apply the political and legal systems model for understanding governmental, legal, and operational problems;
• discuss the various models and application of public safety service delivery systems throughout the United States;
• examine how group behavior affects organizational effectiveness, decision-making, conflict resolution, and strategies for efficient group and task management;
• analyze problems and needs within the public safety sector, review literature, collect data, measure objectives, and apply analytical skills in research project;
• explain the fundamentals and application of strategic analysis and planning in public safety.
• use effective verbal and non-verbal skills and interpret how they affect personal and professional relationships; and
• explain the values and perceptions of groups affecting recruiting, training, and evaluation, and identify the current legal issues in human resources as they pertain to the public safety arena.

Students who graduate with a major in Public Safety Administration, Emergency Medical Services Leadership Concentration will be able to:

• identify and analyze various cultures and their diverse historical, economic and societal variations within the context of public safety;
• apply personal and professional ethical accountability in the public safety environment;
• analyze and apply the political and legal systems model for understanding governmental, legal, and operational problems;
• discuss the various models and application of public safety service delivery systems throughout the United States;
• examine how group behavior affects organizational effectiveness, decision-making, conflict resolution, and strategies for efficient group and task management;
• analyze problems and needs within the public safety sector, review literature, collect data, measure objectives, and apply analytical skills in a research project;
• explain the fundamentals and application of strategic analysis and planning in public safety;
• use effective verbal and  non-verbal skills and interpret how they affect personal and professional relationships; 
• explain the values and perceptions of groups affecting recruiting, training, and evaluation, and identify the current legal issues in human resources as they pertain to the public safety arena;
• communicate effectively with all members of the healthcare team to improve patient outcomes and system design;
• strategize, develop, and implement plans to improve access to care and create more efficient patient throughput; 
• operate at a mid-level to high level supervisor or manager in a healthcare setting;
• implement a quality management program based on research and predetermined national standards;
• incorporate EMS Systems into other public health initiatives to reduce risk in the communities served;
• understand political, legal and regulatory framework that impact the delivery of out of hospital medicine; and
• synthesizes data from multiple sources in stressful situations to mitigate negative outcomes.