2024-25 Catalog

Public Safety Administration

Bachelor of Applied Science in Public Safety Administration (CIP #1104399991)

School of Public Safety, Legal Studies & Education 

The Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.S.) in Public Safety Administration program is designed to educate students and develop essential skills to manage and lead public safety organizations. Students will apply theory to practical, real-life scenarios as they develop critical thinking skills necessary for a career in public safety in local, state, or federal governments and the private sector. The program focuses on discipline-specific workforce skills related to public safety administration and personnel management, policy and law, communications and the community, operational planning, and research methods. The coursework emphasizes the practical and theoretical skills of supervision, management, administration, and leadership, focusing on the public safety organizations of criminal justice, fire rescue, and other public and private sector safety careers.

This is a workforce-driven degree program for students who have earned an Associate in Science or Associate of Arts degree and desire to pursue or advance in a career in public safety. The program also offers opportunities to earn credit for prior learning and articulation of industry certifications for credits.  

Salary & Earnings Information

For career information related to this program, please visit O*Net OnLine.

Contacts

Future/Prospective Students

Please visit the Virtual Advising Center:
https://valenciacollege.edu/students/advising-counseling/virtual-advising.php

Application Fee

There is no application fee for this program.

Admission Requirements

Students must submit official transcripts from all prior colleges and universities and must meet one of the following criteria:

  • Completion of an Associate in Arts (A.A) degree* from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum of 60 semester hours of course work and a 2.0 overall Grade Point Average (GPA).
  • Completion of an Associate in Science (A.S.) degree* from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum of 60 semester hours of course work and a 2.0 overall Grade Point Average (GPA).
  • Completion of at least 60 semester credit hours of college level course work at a regionally accredited institution, including 15 credits that are in applicable to Valencia’s College’s General Education Program requirements, with a minimum of a 2.0 overall Grade Point Average (GPA).

*Other Associate or higher degrees must be formally evaluated by the School of Public Service and Legal Studies for admission.

Program Outcomes

1. Evaluate the interactions of public safety organizations in maintaining public safety. 

2. Analyze skills and knowledge essential for managers in public safety organizations. 

3. Apply public policy, laws, values, and ethics to operational dilemmas.  

4. Demonstrate the concepts of strategic planning and emergency response to public safety policy and organization. 

5. Apply theories of ethics, supervision, management, administration, and leadership to public policy and operational dilemmas that promote effective public safety administration. 

Degree Requirements

A.S. students or students who have completed 60 credit hours, but have not met the General Education requirement, will need to finish the balance of their General Education courses. 

Foundational Coursework

PAD 3003INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION3
PAD 3040ETHICS AND VALUES IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION3
PAD 3113LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT IN PUBLIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION3
PAD 4332STRATEGIC AND ORGANIZATIONAL PLANNING
PAD 4414PUBLIC PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION3
PAD 3034PUBLIC POLICY ~3
PAD 3874COMMUNITY RELATIONS: THEORY AND PRACTICE 3
PAD 4723APPLIED RESEARCH METHODS FOR PUBLIC POLICY AND MANAGEMENT3
PAD 4878PUBLIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION: CAPSTONE ~3
Total Hours27

Upper Division Directed Electives

Select four courses from the following course list. 

PAD 3940INTERNSHIP EXPLORATION/PRACTICUM IN PUBLIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION1-3
PAD 4931SELECTED TOPICS IN PUBLIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION3
PAD 3821CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN PUBLIC SAFETY3
FES 3003FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICE ADMINISTRATION3
PAD 4089NATIONAL INCIDENT MANAGEMENT3
DSC 3243INDUSTRIAL SECURITY3
PAD 4232GRANT ADMINISTRATION AND RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT 3
Total Hours12

Lower Division Restricted Electives

  • A.A. students will take 21 credit hours of lower division restricted electives from the following prefixes: CCJ, CJE, CJL, CJC, CJJ, DSC, FFP, EMS (EMS 1119, EMS 1119L, and EMS 1431L), and HFT (HFT 2600, HFT 2630). From the lower division restricted electives, students will have an opportunity to earn an industry recognized college credit certificate or industry certification. Students interested in earning a college credit certificate or certification should contact their Student Success Coach.  
  • A.S. students or students who have not met the General Education requirement will use the 21 credit hours of lower division elective courses to complete their general education course work. Students who need to complete their General Education requirement should contact their Student Success Coach. 

 Total Hours                                                                                                                                                                    21

~  This course has a pre-requisite; check the description in the catalog. 

Graduation Requirements:

  • In addition to completing the course requirements detailed in the curriculum in order to graduate, students must:
  • Earn a minimum 2.0 Valencia College and Overall GPA.
  • Complete all Core and Concentration course work with a minimum grade of C (2.0) in all core and concentration courses.
  • Satisfy Valencia’s General Education requirements and Gordon Rule requirements unless you hold an Associate in Arts or Bachelor’s degree or have completed the entire general education program at a regionally accredited institution.

  • Satisfy the civic literacy requirement. As per Florida Rule 6A-10.04213, prior to the award of an associate in arts or baccalaureate degree, students initially entering a Florida College System institution in the 2021-22 school year*, and thereafter must demonstrate competency in civic literacy prior to graduation by:
    a. receiving a passing score on the Florida Civic Literacy Exam (FCLE), and
    b. successful completion of one of the following:

    • successfully passing POS 2041 U.S. GOVERNMENT or AMH 2020 U.S. HISTORY 1877 TO PRESENT or

    • successfully passing a prescribed assessment:
      AP Government & Politics: United States Test** (passing score =3), or
      AP United States History Test** (passing score = 4), or
      CLEP American Government** (passing score = 50)
      *The Department of Education has provided guidance that the Civic Literacy requirement is based on the student's governing catalog year (e.g., it is for all students who have a catalog year of Fall 2021 or after even if they had previously attended a Florida public institution).
      **receiving a passing score will satisfy both the FCLE and course requirements.

  • Complete at least 25% of the 120 credit hour degree program (30 credits) at Valencia College, based upon the Florida College System's requirement of a 2+2 admission into the baccalaureate program.  Fifteen of those credits must be 3000 or 4000 level courses from the program core course list.
  • Submit an application for graduation through Atlas by the deadline date listed in the Academic Calendar in the online official catalog.  The student must have at least the minimum number of college-level credits for the degree, including all courses currently registered, in order to submit a graduation application.
  • Fulfill all financial obligations to Valencia College.
  • Foreign Language: Successfully complete the Florida foreign language requirement: two years high school or one year of college (at least eight credits) in a single foreign language. American Sign Language is acceptable. Foreign language taken at the college level does not satisfy the General Education credits.

Total Semester Credits required – 120 credit hours in addition to completing the Civic Literacy and Foreign Language Requirements above.  The credit courses required may vary depending on the credits the student brings to the BAS program.  Additional courses to complete the required 120 credit hours for graduation must apply to the degree and be approved by a Student Success Coach. 

Students who have completed core courses prior to entering the BAS program may substitute CGS 2510C SPREADSHEET APPLICATIONS FOR BUSINESS, CIS 3304C MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS, OST 1335C BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS, OST 2836C MICROSOFT ACCESS (DATABASE MANAGEMENT), OST 2854C MICROSOFT OFFICE (APPLICATIONS PACKAGE), OST 2858C MICROSOFT EXCEL, or any lower or upper level ACG, APA, BUL, ECO, EMS, FIN, GEB, LDR, MAN, MAR, MKA, MNA, PLA, REE, SBM, or TAX courses with Student Success Coach approval.