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What is public safety management?

Emergency responders are public safety specialists who serve with pride, professionalism, and compassion. When fellow citizens are in crisis, public safety specialists are called upon to help. There are high expectations of how public safety specialists perform in the routine situation and during a disaster. This expectation begins before an emergent event ever occurs. Public safety specialists must have the education, training, professional development, and community commitment to effectively manage the all-hazard environment in which we reside.

Why public safety management?

The Public Safety Management Bachelor of Technology program has a comprehensive curriculum package that prepares prospective and current public safety specialists for the dynamic work environment and for advancement into leadership positions. Students study a variety of topics in a multi-disciplined classroom setting that includes critical incident response, emergency management principles, human resource management, strategic planning and risk analysis, legal and ethical issues, research design, community relations, public information, and a practical experience. Students are assessed on their knowledge acquisition in a comprehensive assessment process and defended by students in a capstone course.

 

Career Options

Public safety management degree holders qualify for employment in police positions, fire safety roles and emergency management.  After completing an online public safety administration bachelor’s degree, graduates may find employment in the public and private sectors. Jobs as police officers and detectives generally don't require a bachelor's degree, but public safety administration graduates may benefit when they seek leadership roles.

 

Academic Advantage

This environment includes critical incidents requiring multi-agency collaboration and coordination activities, as well as strategic planning, budgeting, and supervising processes and teams. The Public Safety Management curriculum provides a foundation for the public safety professional to advance into leadership positions. The degree track offers:

 

  • 100 percent online program
  • Eligibility for financial aid
  • Credit for prior learning
  • Theories and practices you can use at work the same day

What do first responders have to say about the program?

How to Apply

Students wanting to apply for admissions to the Public Safety Management program need to:

  1. Complete an online OSU-OKC admissions request;
  2. Submit the Immunization Waiver form to the Admissions Office; and
  3. Submit all official transcripts to the OSU-OKC Admissions Office.
  4. Contact Human Services Academic Advisor and request application review and degree audit.

Mission and Goals

Our mission is to deliver a comprehensive bachelor degree program for prospective and current public safety specialists to obtain the required knowledge and skill to effectively lead, manage, and serve in a dynamic all-hazards environment where critical incidents require multi-agency collaboration and coordination activities.

Core Values

With integrity, innovation, collaboration, and rigor, the following are emphasized for student success:

  • Excellence in teaching through Cowboy Quality certification.
  • Excellence in program administration through program accreditation.
  • Inclusiveness and diversity of students and their ideas.
  • Student-centered curriculum and advisement.
  • Promoting faculty professional development.
  • Transparency of program administration and information.

Vision

The Public Safety Management Bachelor of Technology program is an innovative leader in delivering quality public safety education using a multi-disciplined approach to foster professional relationships and build a community of public safety leaders.

 

Program Goals

  • Goal #1: Curriculum – maintain appropriate, rigorous curriculum to meet the mission.

    Strategies to Achieve Goal

    • Continue to evaluate courses for appropriateness to today’s all-hazard public safety field.
    • Comply with the federal credit-hour definition in 34CFR600.2 and as adopted by the Higher Learning Commission and the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.
    • Develop/revise curriculum to support changes as guided by the advisory board.
    • Continually evaluate course sequencing and offerings for a smooth path to graduation.
    • Institute changes in degree requirements as set by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.
    • Collaborate with other departments to ensure curriculum is rigorous to the level offered and enhances the assessment of student learning in the program.
    • Continue to certify online courses to the Cowboy Quality or Lite standards.
    • Be innovative in the technological design of the online course.

    Measurements

    • Curriculum change data.
    • Credit-hour worksheets.
    • Assessment report documents changes for improvement.
    • Cowboy Quality certification data.
  • Goal #2: Accreditation – maintain/support program and institutional accreditation.

    Strategies to Achieve Goal

    • Maintain program accreditation from the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress.
    • Serve on campus committees to support institutional accreditation.
    • Continually monitor compliance with accreditation standards.
    • Continue to be a mission-centered program with regular review and revision as needed.
    • Continue to be guided by an active advisory board with a diverse representation of the public safety community.

    Measurements

    • Accreditation status.
    • Committee assignments.
    • Program review – advisory board minutes.
  • Goal #3: Assessment – maintain a comprehensiveness of assessment of student learning.

    Strategies to Achieve Goal

    • Ensure all reports are completed with an attention to detail.
    • Implement changes as guided by the assessment process.
    • Keep the assessment cycle moving.
    • Regularly review the program outcomes with the advisory board to ensure appropriateness. Make revisions as necessary.
    • Ensure assessment of outcomes is comprehensive and supports the quality improvement process.
    • Ensure outcomes are aligned to the mission, goals, objectives, and curriculum.

    Measurements

      • Assessment report.
      • Program review – advisory board minutes.
  • Goal #4: Faculty – maintain and support faculty professional development.

    Strategies to Achieve Goal

    • Support faculty attendance at conferences, seminars, and training sessions.
    • Support faculty in serving on committees and organizations.

    Measurements

    • Conference/training completion.
    • Committee assignments.

Student Learning Goals

  • Goal #1: Assessment – assessment of outcomes leads to quality improvement and student success.

    Strategies to Achieve Goal

    • Continue to evaluate courses for lessons that support assessment in capstone course.
    • Continue to include direct and indirect measures in assessment report.
    • Evaluate direct and indirect measures in assessment to determine what improvements can be recommended to support student success.

    Measurements

    • Assessment plan and curriculum map completion.
    • Obtain direct and indirect measures of outcomes.
    • Document course improvements on assessment report.
  • Goal #2: Retention and Persistence – students are supported during their education.

    Strategies to Achieve Goal

    • Outreach to students is achieved in the classroom from their primary instructor.
    • Early alerts and instructor communication are supportive to student success.
    • Availability of student activities to support engagement.

    Measurements

    • E-mail communications.
    • Success rates from early alerts.
    • Use of SSOC services.
    • Course grade comparisons.
    • Honors, Student Learning, Public Safety Student Association data.
  • Goal #3: Graduation – students are supported through to graduation.

    Strategies to Achieve Goal

    • Advisement services provided to students.
    • Course sequencing supports program completion.

    Measurements

    • Degree audit data.
    • Advisement data.
    • Enrollment data.
    • Graduation rates.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Which degrees articulate into the Public Safety Management degree program?

    Applicants to the Public Safety Management degree program must have a completed associate of applied science degree in one of the following areas:

    • Fire Science
    • Municipal Fire Protection
    • Police Science
    • Criminal Justice
    • Law Enforcement
    • Crime Scene Investigation
    • Emergency Medical Services
    • Paramedic
    • Emergency Management

    *Final admission approval decided after a formal transcript evaluation is complete.

  • Will the classes be offered at convenient times?

    Public Safety Management coursework is currently 100 percent online in order to accommodate the various shift schedules of public safety professionals.

  • What does the curriculum of the Public Safety Management look like?

    The Public Safety Management program is designed to provide the public safety professional with a comprehensive foundation of management, leadership, research, and practical experience. Students will develop the necessary knowledge and skill to effectively solve complex issues in the workplace and during critical emergency events. The Public Safety Management curriculum provides a foundation for the public safety professional to advance into a leadership position.

For more information, contact:

Dr. Larry Robinson
Public Safety Training Center
3501 W. Reno Ave.
Oklahoma City, OK 73107

 

Maribeth Dawson
Academic Advisor
(405) 945-3248
maribeth.dawson@okstate.edu

 

Location

Public Safety Training Center
3501 W. Reno Ave.
Oklahoma City, OK 73107

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