Emergency Services Administration

Elevate your career in public safety with Mission College’s Bachelor of Science in Emergency Services Administration. This program starting in the 2027 Spring Term prepares professionals to lead emergency management and public safety organizations through complex challenges. Build skills in leadership, organizational change, ethics, and policy while exploring critical topics such as community risk reduction and infrastructure protection.

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Top Benefits

Advanced Leadership and Management Training: Mission College’s Bachelor of Science in Emergency Services Administration prepares public safety professionals with the leadership, management, and strategic decision-making skills needed to oversee complex emergency operations and organizations.
Real-World Instruction from Industry Experts: Courses are taught by experienced practitioners in the field, providing students with practical insights and applied knowledge in emergency management, policy, budgeting, and personnel administration.
Career Advancement in Public Safety: This bachelor’s degree helps professionals qualify for leadership positions such as company officer, captain, battalion chief, emergency services manager, and other supervisory roles within fire, EMS, and public safety agencies.
Focused on Modern Emergency Management: The program integrates incident command systems, public safety technologies, legal considerations, and disaster preparedness to equip graduates with the tools needed to address today’s complex public safety challenges.

Skills Gained

Strategic Decision-Making in Emergency Situations: Develop the ability to analyze complex, high-stakes scenarios and make informed decisions that protect communities and support coordinated emergency response efforts.

Leadership and Team Management: Gain the skills to lead diverse teams, manage personnel effectively, resolve conflicts, and guide organizations through change in demanding public safety environments.

Policy, Legal, and Ethical Understanding: Learn to navigate local, state, and federal public safety policies while addressing legal considerations and ethical responsibilities in emergency services administration.

Communication and Interagency Collaboration: Build strong communication skills to work with community members, public safety agencies, and multidisciplinary teams during planning, response, and recovery operations.

Admission, Requirements, Costs, and Outcomes

Degree Requirements

Admission to a community college offering the Emergency Services Administration baccalaureate program does not guarantee admission into the program itself. Students wishing to declare the ESA major must meet minimum eligibility requirements for admission.

Admission may be selective due to limited program capacity. Students admitted to the program must be able to meet the essential requirements of the courses and program curriculum.

Mission College uses a multi-criteria screening process to evaluate applicants. This process may include, but is not limited to, the following factors:

Completion of a qualifying academic degree
Grade-point average in relevant coursework
Relevant work or volunteer experience in public safety fields
Professional licensing or state/national certifications
Portfolio review for Credit for Prior Learning
Life experiences or special circumstances such as disability, low family income, first-generation college status, need to work, disadvantaged social or educational environment, extenuating circumstances, refugee status, or veteran status
Proficiency or advanced coursework in languages other than English

In accordance with California Education Code Sections 66025.8, 66025.91, and 66025.92, priority enrollment and admissions may be granted to:

Military veterans
Foster youth
Students participating in Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS)
Students eligible for Disabled Student Programs and Services (DSPS)
California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) recipients

Program Learning Outcomes

Analyze complex situations and make informed decisions in high-stakes emergency scenarios.
Demonstrate effective leadership, team management, and conflict resolution skills.
Apply knowledge of local, state, and federal emergency policies, procedures, and best practices.
Communicate effectively with diverse audiences, particularly under high-stress conditions.
Engage communities in emergency preparedness and foster strong public relations.
Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams and agencies in planning and response efforts.
Utilize advanced technologies and data management tools for emergency operations.

Program Prerequisites

All prerequisites must be completed no later than the summer prior to fall admission.

Completion of an accredited Associate Degree in Public Safety or a closely related field

Applicants must also hold one of the following associate degrees or an equivalent credential:

Fire Technology
Public Safety
Company Officer
Lifeguard / Aquatics Public Safety
Administration of Justice
Law Enforcement
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) / Paramedic
Other closely related Public Safety Associate Degree or Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT)

Costs

Tuition & Fees
$130 per unit ($46 enrollment fee plus $84 bachelor’s fee)

$21 Mandatory Health Fee (one time fee per term for 4 terms total)

Typical 12 unit semester: $1,581 not including books, certifications, etc.

50 units of upper-division coursework: Tuition degree cost: $6,584, not including books, certifications, etc.

Nonresident Tuition
The nonresident tuition fee is $369 per unit in addition to the $130 is $499 per unit. This fee is in addition to the enrollment fee, for students who are not residents of California

Bachelor of Science in Emergency Services Administration

Course	Title	Units	Year/Semester
Lower Division	Required	27 Units
FPT 051	Fire Protection Organization	3	Y1
FPT 052	Fire Behavior & Combustion	3	Y1
FPT 053	Fire Protection Equipment & Systems	3	Y1
FPT 054	Building Construction for Fire	3	Y1
FPT 055	Fire Prevention Technology	3	Y1
FPT 056	Hazardous Materials Technology
Lower Division	Electives	Complete at least six units
KIN 039A (elective, lower)	Fire Agility	2	Y1 or Y2
FPT 057 (elective, lower)	Rescue Practices	3	Y1 or Y2
FPT 060 (elective, lower)	Wildland Fire Technology	3	Y1 or Y2
FPT 065	Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Theory	6	Y1 or Y2
FPT 065C	EMT 1	0.5	Y1 or Y2
FPT 065L	EMT Lab	1.5	Y1 or Y2
FPT 180	EMT Refresher	2	Y1 or Y2
FPT 201	Fire Fighter 2 Academy/Capstone Testing	2	Y2
Lower Division GE: Minimum 26 units local lower division GE (AA/AS requirements + 1 Critical Thinking course and 1 Comm course from Area A-1B)

Course	Title	Units	Year/Semester
Upper Division	Required	57 Units
EMSA 4401	Functions of Emergency Services Administration (add to prerequisite for EMSA 4405)	3	S1
EMSA 4402	Incident Command Systems	3	S1
EMSA 4403	Proposals/Reports in Emergency Services Management	3	S1
COMM 3401	Leadership Communication	3	S1
EMSA 4404	Trends in Public Safety	3	S2
EMSA 4406	Essentials of Emergency Management	3	S2
EMSA 4408	Policy and Public Administration	3	S2
PSYC 3401	Community Psychology: Prevention, Empowerment & Social Change	3	S2
ESMA 4405	Emergency Services Leadership (Prerequisite EMSA 4401)	3	S2
SOCI 4401	Police, Community & Problem-Oriented Strategies	3	S3
EMSA 4409	Training Program Management	3	S3
EMSA 4411	Emergency Services Budgeting	3	S3
EMSA 4412	Emergency Services: Human Resources	3	S3
ESMA 4413	Emergency Services: Legal Considerations	3	S3
EMSA 4407	Industrial Processes and Fire Protection	3	S4
EMSA 4416	Integrated Management Simulation	3	S4
EMSA 4418	Fire Protection Management	3	S4
SOCI 3402	Sociology of Victimology	3	S4

Upper Division: Semester 1: (12 units) Builds baseline knowledge of the field + communication + writing skills needed for upper-division coursework. Focus – Core concepts, communication, and introduction to emergency services systems Semester 2: (15 units) Expands understanding of systems, populations served, and policy environment before moving into leadership. Focus – Broader systems, policy, and social context of public safety Semester 3: (15 units) Centers managing people, money, training, and legal risk which are key competencies for leadership roles. Focus – Operational leadership and internal organizational functions Semester 4: (12 units) Ends with applied, scenario-based learning (simulation) and specialized fire/emergency management topics. Focus – Specialized topics and capstone-level application

When Classes are Offered

EMSA 4401 – Functions of Emergency Services Administration

EMSA 4402 – Incident Command Systems

EMSA 4403 – Proposals/Reports in Emergency Services Management

EMSA 4404 – Trends in Public Safety

SOCI 4401 – Police, Community & Problem-Oriented Strategies

FPT 303 - Fire Inspector 1C: Field Inspection

FPT 304 - Fire Inspector 1D: Field Inspection CA

EMSA 4405 – Emergency Services Leadership

EMSA 4406 – Essentials of Emergency Management

EMSA 4407 – Industrial Processes and Fire Protection

EMSA 4408 – Policy and Public Administration

COMM 3014 – Leadership Communication

EMSA 4409 – Training Program Management

EMSA 4411 – Emergency Services Budgeting

EMSA 4412 – Emergency Services: Human Resources

EMSA 4413 – Emergency Services: Legal Considerations

PSY 3401 – Community Psychology: Prevention, Empowerment & Social Change

EMSA 4416 – Integrated Management Simulation

EMSA 4418 – Fire Protection Management

SOC 3402 – Sociology of Victimology

The schedules reflect the planned offerings by the department. Note that occasionally, courses may not be scheduled or may be cancelled due to extenuating circumstances. If this occurs, you may reach out to the department for further information.