Program Overview

Fire protection engineering is a multidisciplinary program that combines principles from various areas of science and engineering. Our program teaches you how to apply these principles to the problem of fire protection by designing, constructing, and installing fire protection systems to prevent or minimize potential losses.

You’ll begin by laying a firm foundation in mathematics, science, and engineering, then move on to applying your knowledge through practical, hands-on laboratory experiences. As you progress through the program, you’ll also acquire the critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are vital in this field.

Train in state-of-the-art fire labs

Get up-close-and-personal experience in some of the finest fire labs in the country:

• Main Laboratory. Here, you’ll learn the key components of fire pumps, water mains, sprinklers, hydrants, extinguishers, and appliances and how these devices work.
• Fire Investigation Laboratory. Gain hands-on experience investigating fires. The rooms in this lab are regularly re-burnt to change the fire so that you can keep adding to what you learn.
• Computer Laboratory. The computers here contain the same specialized software that the fire service uses. They are available to you so that you can become familiar with all of the software’s capabilities.
• Fire Dynamics Laboratory. Conduct experiments with burning metals and other materials here. See how certain materials ignite and how they burn as well as how they react with various extinguishing agents.
• Fire Detection/Alarm Laboratory. Updated in 2010 to the newly updated NFPA alarm codes, this lab gives you the chance to experiment and understand the details of how a code-compliant alarm system operates.
• Sprinkler Laboratory. Learn how to reset a sprinkler system, trip the valve, and flow water out of whichever head you want — sidewall, pendant, upright or deluge-type head — as well as gauge the floor coverage of each head.
• Fire and Security Demo Laboratory. This lab is a work in progress. When it is finished, you’ll be able to work with thermal dynamics and the explosive characteristics of gaseous products.