Reinhardt College’s Associate Degree in Fire Management Addresses Need for Future Leaders in this Critical Field

The new Associate of Science degree in Fire Management planned for May 2010 at Reinhardt College’s North Fulton Center in Alpharetta, Ga., features online options, leadership and decision-making skills and technical knowledge as program building blocks.

Developed with the assistance of experienced professionals from the five-city area of Alpharetta, Milton, Roswell, John’s Creek and Sandy Springs, the degree program addresses the needs of the local firefighter and addresses standards identified at the state and national level. Underscoring the program is the need to respond to a national mandate for more than 500,000 trained professional leaders by the year 2015.

Reinhardt, a member of the Homeland Security and Defense Education Consortium Association, (HSDECA), recognizes that the need for leaders who are problem solvers, critical thinkers and decision makers has never been greater. These advanced analytical skills come not only from the fire management courses identified by the National Fire Academy, but also through the general education courses that develop the intellectual muscle needed by professionals and leaders in firefighting.

Meeting the scheduling needs of firefighters requires innovation and creativity. Reinhardt has asked fire chiefs from the local area to determine what class offerings and delivery methods would best fit the firefighters’ needs, and the institution has built the program accordingly.

“This type of scheduling will allow a higher level of participation in the programs and more flexibility for the firefighter,” said Margaret “Peg” O’Connor, associate vice president for academic affairs. “In addition, our instructors all bring solid academic credentials to the table, and the special chemistry afforded by field experience and academic scholarship offers a real advantage to students. Coupled with this is the instructors’ ability to provide students a look at the current trends in the field, provide the research that is critical for their development, and offer them the guidance and mentoring necessary for them to succeed.”

Fire Management students will be able to access the latest journals and periodicals in their discipline from a web site dedicated to their special needs. Links to various databases, international material, as well as government resources, will also be available.

For information about this innovative new program, please contact Ray Schumacher at 770-720-5922 or RES@reinhardt.edu.

Founded in 1883, Reinhardt College has been a proud affiliate of The United Methodist Church with a residential campus 45 minutes northwest of Atlanta, Ga., and an adult education program in Alpharetta, Ga. Reinhardt students can choose from a Master in Business Administration to 38 undergraduate degree programs, which range from business, education and communication to sociology, digital art, math and music. For more information about Reinhardt College, please visit www.reinhardt.edu

Peg O’Connor
North Fulton Center of Reinhardt College
4100 Old Milton Parkway
Alpharetta, GA 30005-4442
Phone (770) 720-5921
Fax (770) 475-0263
POC@reinhardt.edu

This release was published on openPR.