Fire Science

Director:
Robert E. Massicotte Jr.
Assistant Professor 
M.S., University of New Haven

Fire science is an interdisciplinary master's degree program that provides an advanced technical background for professionals involved with fire protection and investigation, in areas such as fire service, fire safety, occupational safety, and security.

Fire protection specialists require knowledge of the science and methodology for preserving lives and property by preventing or minimizing losses resulting from fires, explosions, accidents and other related hazards. Current national needs indicate that trained fire protection specialists are in extremely limited supply. Job opportunities in the insurance field, industry, and government service may involve applications engineering, research and product design, building and systems design, fire hazard analysis, and marketing of equipment. The fire science program covers a wide range of topics including the proper design, arrangement and use of building materials; analysis of fire and explosion hazards; safe design of industrial processes; management of property loss control and insurance programs; investigation of fires; management in the public sector; and safe design, selection and handling of equipment and materials. Updated skills are provided in the application of fire protection principles to fire department, water supply and building code aspects of community planning. In addition to the graduate fire science program at the main campus in West Haven, the University is authorized to offer the master of science degree in fire science at its California location in Riverside. Graduate certificates in fire science are also available at the California site. Authorization for UNH to operate in California is granted through the Bureau for Private Post-secondary and Vocational Education, which oversees and monitors the University's com-pliance with regulations set forth in the California Education Code and is the students' primary advocate in matters of consumer protection.