Fire Science
The Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Fire Science provides the opportunity for individuals seeking careers in the fire service to acquire standard firefighting skills and prepare for state and/or national certifications, including the Firefighter I and II Certification. Students will gain broad knowledge and skills necessary to work effectively in the fire service as firefighters. A Certificate of Completion (CCL) in Firefighter Operations is also available.
Details
Field of Interest
Behavioral Science and Human Services
Degree Type
Associate in Applied Science (AAS)
Academic Plan
Fire Science (DEG)
Academic Plan Code
3205
Total credits required
82-92
Catalog Year
2025-2026
Effective Term
Fall 2025
Admission criteria
See Program Director for details.
Notes
Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses within the program.
Consult with your faculty mentor or academic advisor to determine educational requirements, including possible university transfer options, for your chosen career field.
Prior Learning Assessment Credit (PLA) is available for the following:
Current Employment as a Firefighter
BLS
EMT
Fire I and II
Hazmat
Wildland Redcard
What You'll Learn
- Apply the basic theories of fire behavior and methods of fire control and prevention in a variety of fire operations.
- Demonstrate the appropriate and safe use of personal firefighting equipment and fire apparatus.
- Demonstrate the knowledge of the professional and organizational structures, processes, and policies that guide fire departments.
- Demonstrate physical tasks, proper tool selection, and knowledge of operating procedures in accordance with the standards of the profession.
- Mitigate hazards to health and safety by assessing, planning and responding to emergency situations.
- Demonstrate the critical thinking, mental, and emotional skills needed to perform firefighting tasks and services.
- Practice industry accepted professional and ethical behavior related to fire service.
- Collaborate effectively with members of a team to achieve goals.
- Communicate efficiently and effectively with members of diverse populations in a culturally responsive manner.
- Apply relevant knowledge, skills, and habits of mind to seek career opportunities in the field.
Career statistics
Successful completion of this degree may lead to employment in a variety of different occupations and industries. Below are examples of related occupations with associated Arizona-based wages* for this degree. Education requirements vary for the occupations listed below, so you may need further education or degrees in order to qualify for some of these jobs and earn the related salaries. Please visit with an academic advisor and/or program director for additional information. You can click on any occupation to view the detail regarding education level, wages, and employment information.
Firefighters
$48,750 Show expanded career information for Firefighters
* Career and wage information provided by Pipeline AZ using data, reports, and forecasts which are generated using government data sources. Sources
Course Sequence by Term
The following is the suggested course sequence by term. Please keep in mind:
- Students should meet with an academic advisor to develop an individual education plan that meets their academic and career goals. Use the Degree Progress Report Tool in your Student Center to manage your plan.
- The course sequence is laid out by suggested term and may be affected when students enter the program at different times of the year.
- Initial course placement is determined by current district placement measures and/or completion of 100-200 level course and/or program requirements.
- Degree and transfer seeking students may be required to successfully complete a MCCCD First Year Experience Course (FYE) within the first two semesters at a MCCCD College. Courses include FYE101 and FYE103. Course offerings will vary by college. See an academic, program, or faculty advisor for details.
- Consult with your faculty mentor or academic advisor to determine educational requirements, including possible university transfer options, for your chosen career field.
Full-time Sequence
Full-time status is 12 credits to 18 credits per semester.
Term 1
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EMT101 | Basic Life Support/Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) for Health Care Providers | OR Current validation in Basic Life Support (BLS) Health Care Provider/Professional Rescuer (0) AND Credit By Evaluation or Prior Learning Assessment credit (0.5) 0.5 |
0.5 | ||
| FSC105 | Hazardous Materials Awareness and Operations | OR Prior Learning Assessment (3) for Hazardous Materials Awareness and Operations certification 3 | 0–3 | ||
| FSC130 | Fitness for Firefighters/CPAT | OR Prior Learning Assessment for CPAT completion or completion of a Regional Fire Academy (1) 1 | 0–1 | ||
| EMT104 and EMT104AB and EMT104LL |
Emergency Medical Technology and Applied Practical Studies for Emergency Medical Technology and Emergency Medical Technology Practicum | OR Prior Learning Assessment for Arizona State EMT Certification or Arizona State Paramedic Certification or equivalent (12.5) 12.5 | 0–12.5 | ||
| FYE101 or FYE103 |
Introduction to College, Career and Personal Success or Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success | 1–3 |
Term 2
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FSC102 | Fire Department Operations | Critical course Gateway course OR Prior Learning Assessment for Firefighter I and II certifications or completion of a Regional Fire Academy (11) 11 | 11 | ||
| FSC134 or FSC234 |
Fitness and Conditioning for Firefighters or Fitness and Wellness for Firefighter Candidates | Critical course FSC234 is recommended for students who have already completed the Fire Academy equivalent of FSC102 or OR Prior Learning Assessment for completion of Regional Fire Academy (3) 3 | 3 | ||
| FSC174 | Functions of Command | Critical course | 2 |
Term 3
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FSC101 | Introduction to Fire Service Selection and Entry | OR Prior Learning Assessment for Current employment as a firefighter (4) 4 | 0–4 | ||
| FSC108 or FSC110 |
Fundamentals of Fire Prevention or Wildland Firefighter | FSC110 is recommended or OR Prior Learning Assessment for Wildland Red Card OR S-130 and S-190 Course Completion Certificate (3) | 3 | ||
| ENG101 or ENG107 |
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL | Critical course | FYC or FYC | 3 | |
| MAT14+ | College Mathematics | Critical course | MA | 3–6 | |
| HU | Humanities, Fine Arts & Design | HU | 3 |
Term 4
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FSC113 | Introduction to Fire Suppression | 3 | |||
| FSC117 | Fire Apparatus | 3 | |||
| FSC118 | Fire Hydraulics | 3 | |||
| FSC119 | Introduction Fire Service Ethics | 3 | |||
| ENG102 or ENG108 |
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL | FYC or FYC | 3 | ||
| SB | Social & Behavioral Sciences | SB | 3 | ||
| CRE101 | College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking | OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment | L | 0–3 |
Term 5
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FSC+++++ | Any Fire Science Technology course | Recommend FSC202, FSC204, FSC282AC, or FSC296WC | 1–3 | ||
| FSC208 | Firefighter Safety and Building Construction | 3 | |||
| FSC215 | Customer Service in the Public Sector | 3 | |||
| SG or SQ |
Natural Sciences General or Natural Sciences Quantitative | SG or SQ | 4 | ||
| COM100 or COM110 or COM225 or COM230 |
Introduction to Human Communication or Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking or Small Group Communication | COM100 is recommended | SB or SB or L or SB | 3 |
Part-time Sequence
Part-time status is 11 credit hours or less.
Term 1
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EMT101 | Basic Life Support/Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) for Health Care Providers | OR Current validation in Basic Life Support (BLS) Health Care Provider/Professional Rescuer (0) AND Credit By Evaluation or Prior Learning Assessment credit (0.5) 0.5 |
0.5 | ||
| FSC105 | Hazardous Materials Awareness and Operations | OR Prior Learning Assessment (3) for Hazardous Materials Awareness and Operations certification 3 | 0–3 | ||
| FSC130 | Fitness for Firefighters/CPAT | OR Prior Learning Assessment for CPAT completion or completion of a Regional Fire Academy (1) 1 | 0–1 | ||
| EMT104 and EMT104AB and EMT104LL |
Emergency Medical Technology and Applied Practical Studies for Emergency Medical Technology and Emergency Medical Technology Practicum | OR Prior Learning Assessment for Arizona State EMT Certification or Arizona State Paramedic Certification or equivalent (12.5) 12.5 | 0–12.5 | ||
| FYE101 or FYE103 |
Introduction to College, Career and Personal Success or Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success | 1–3 |
Term 2
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FSC102 | Fire Department Operations | Critical course Gateway course OR Prior Learning Assessment for Firefighter I and II certifications or completion of a Regional Fire Academy (11) 11 | 11 | ||
| FSC134 or FSC234 |
Fitness and Conditioning for Firefighters or Fitness and Wellness for Firefighter Candidates | Critical course FSC234 is recommended for students who have already completed the Fire Academy equivalent of FSC102 or OR Prior Learning Assessment for completion of Regional Fire Academy (3) 3 | 3 | ||
| FSC174 | Functions of Command | Critical course | 2 |
Term 3
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FSC108 or FSC110 |
Fundamentals of Fire Prevention or Wildland Firefighter | FSC110 is recommended or OR Prior Learning Assessment for Wildland Red Card OR S-130 and S-190 Course Completion Certificate (3) | 3 | ||
| ENG101 or ENG107 |
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL | Critical course | FYC or FYC | 3 |
Term 4
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FSC101 | Introduction to Fire Service Selection and Entry | OR Prior Learning Assessment for Current employment as a firefighter (4) 4 | 0–4 | ||
| MAT14+ | College Mathematics | Critical course | MA | 3–6 | |
| COM100 or COM110 or COM225 or COM230 |
Introduction to Human Communication or Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking or Small Group Communication | COM100 is recommended | SB or SB or L or SB | 3 |
Term 5
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FSC117 | Fire Apparatus | 3 | |||
| FSC118 | Fire Hydraulics | 3 | |||
| CRE101 | College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking | OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment | L | 0–3 |
Term 6
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FSC113 | Introduction to Fire Suppression | 3 | |||
| ENG102 or ENG108 |
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL | FYC or FYC | 3 |
Term 7
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FSC119 | Introduction Fire Service Ethics | 3 | |||
| SB | Social & Behavioral Sciences | SB | 3 |
Term 8
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FSC208 | Firefighter Safety and Building Construction | 3 | |||
| SG or SQ |
Natural Sciences General or Natural Sciences Quantitative | SG or SQ | 4 |
Term 9
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FSC+++++ | Any Fire Science Technology course | Recommend FSC202, FSC204, FSC282AC, or FSC296WC | 1–3 | ||
| FSC215 | Customer Service in the Public Sector | 3 | |||
| HU | Humanities, Fine Arts & Design | HU | 3 |
Course Area Key
Gateway Course = Generally the first major-specific course in a pathway.
Critical Course = A course that is highly predictive of future success in a pathway.
- FYC = First Year Composition
- HU = Humanities, Fine Arts, and Design
- L = Literacy & Critical Inquiry
- MA = Mathematics
- SB = Social-Behavioral Sciences
- SG = Natural Sciences General
- SQ = Natural Sciences Quantitative
Disclaimer
Students must earn a grade of C or better for all courses required within the program.
Course Sequence total credits may differ from the program information located on the MCCCD curriculum website due to program and system design.
View MCCCD’s official curriculum documentation for additional details regarding the requirements of this award (https://aztransmac2.asu.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MCCCD.woa/wa/freeForm13?id=15993212).
At Maricopa, we strive to provide you with accurate and current information about our degree and certificate offerings. Due to the dynamic nature of the curriculum process, course and program information is subject to change. As a result, the course list associated with this degree or certificate on this site does not represent a contract, nor does it guarantee course availability. If you are interested in pursuing this degree or certificate, we encourage you to meet with an advisor to discuss the requirements at your college for the appropriate catalog year.
Previous Catalog Years
The pathway map presented above is for the current catalog year and is the intended pathway map for new students. All previous catalog years for this pathway map are available at the link below.
Previous catalog years for Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Fire Science