Please note: This program is not accepting applications at this time. We encourage you to check out our Master of Science in Fire and Explosion Investigation.
Engineer the defeat of a destructive force of nature
Fire’s mindless fury destroys lives, homes, businesses, the environment, and even history when it ravages irreplaceable items such as records and artifacts. Another force of nature, water, is its downfall, but there’s a more studied method of attack — the application of scientific and engineering principles that prevent, suppress, or mitigate fire. That’s where Fire Protection Engineers come in.
Our M.S. in Fire Protection Engineering program immerses you in the scientific application of chemistry, physics, and principles of civil and mechanical engineering to prevent and suppress fires. It also will give you an extensive understanding of fire science and fire dynamics — how fires get started and the ways they behave and spread. By understanding the behavior of fire, you can analyze potential risks and design solutions that will prevent a blaze from igniting in the first place.
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Dynamics, Evaluation, and Prevention of Structural Fires
This course presents a detailed analysis of the factors and physical processes that govern the growth and spread of fire and its products within a structure. Includes a review and an evaluation of national, state, and local fire loss data leading to the development of fire prevention strategies.
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Chemistry of Fires and Explosions
Students will examine the basic organic chemistry, combustion, and explosive properties of flammable materials. They will investigate the chemical principles underlying fires and explosions and the chemical properties of various synthetic materials and the products of their combustion. Fire retardant materials and chemicals used in fire extinguishment will be explored as well.
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Quantitative Analysis of Fire Phenomena
This course introduces students to different experimental measurement techniques to quantitatively understand the analytical methods to address problems of basic fire phenomena. Topics include the understanding and measurements of temperature, flame, CO/CO2, oxygen consumption calorimetry, heat flux, limiting oxygen index, optical thermometry, and ignition parameters.
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Advanced Computer-Aided Drafting
Designed for students with basic to intermediate level CAD software experience, this course will take their skill to the next level. Drawing exercises are used extensively to demonstrate the use of advanced drawing tools and to provide hands-on experience in topic-specific drawings. Topics include 2D and 3D drawing, perspective and axonometric views, rendering, natural and artificial lighting, dynamic blocks, layouts and viewports, title blocks, plot styles, layout grids, and fixing problematic drawing files.
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Fire Hazard and Risk Analysis
This course covers the application of systems analysis, probability, engineering economy, and risk management techniques to the problem of fire. The basic principles of fire growth and spread in a building are also studied. Timelines will be established from the time of ignition to that of extinguishing. Students will also explore various methods of modifying the timeline.
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Fire Modeling
This course introduces students to computer-based fire modeling — zone modeling and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) by conducting a series of case studies with documentation of input data, validation, and verification tests. Fire scene reconstruction will be emphasized. Basic programming knowledge is recommended but not required.
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Full List of Courses and Learning Outcomes for Fire Protection Engineering, M.S.
The University of New Haven offers a wide variety of in-depth courses that create a transformational educational experience for our students. To view the complete list of courses you'll take while pursuing a Masters of Science in Fire Protection Engineering, check out the Academic Catalog: