Fired up: FSA program ranks high

Fire services ranked among most affordable & best online degrees in 2016

News contact: Laura Hancock, University Advancement, 541-962-3585

LA GRANDE, Ore. August 23, 2016 – A new survey from OnlineU ranks Eastern Oregon University among the top 10 most affordable colleges in the nation offering online fire science degrees.

EOU is ranked number seven on the list of 22, and with the only bachelor’s level program for fire services administration in Oregon, the university is filling a need for an in-demand field.

The OnlineU study follows another top 10 listing for EOU’s degree as one of the “2016 Best Online Programs: Bachelor’s in Fire Science” published by BestColleges.com.

“Fire services administration students frequently mention affordability along with the quality of the program as their primary reasons for choosing EOU,” said Kevin Walker, program chair and associate dean of the College of Business.

“Our number of graduates has more than doubled since 2010 and enrollment growth in the program demonstrates an increasing desire for bachelor’s-level academic preparation in this field,” Walker added. “While most of our students hail from the Pacific Northwest, we draw students from all over the United States who are looking for a quality, affordable program.

Before returning to college to finish his own degree, Walker worked as an emergency medical technician and paramedic and knows the value of applying skills learned in the field. That’s why EOU’s program focuses on helping students coming from the workforce earn maximum credit for previous education and training.

Like Walker, program instructors bring first-hand experience with many serving as current or former fire chief officers. Classes are available entirely online or through a hybrid mix and cover diverse aspects of management ranging from building construction for fire prevention, fire behavior and combustion, to emergency services delivery, fiscal management in fire protection and more.

Program curriculum follows the National Fire Academy’s Fire and Emergency Services Higher Education model and addresses the requisite knowledge and skills found in NFPA 1021, Standard for Fire Officer Professional Qualifications (2014).

View the rankings at www.onlineu.org/most-affordable-colleges/fire-science-degrees and www.bestcolleges.com/features/top-online-fire-science-degree-programs.

Learn more about EOU’s fire services administration program at www.eou.edu/fire-services-administration and all other online programs at www.eou.edu/online.