Fire Protection Engineering
Graduate certificate programs in Fire Protection Engineering Science and Fire Protection Engineering Applications provide students with the knowledge, skills and tools needed to solve FPE problems and develop fire safety design solutions in a variety of professional settings.
As only the third set of graduate programs in FPE in the United States and the first one to be located on the West Coast, one goal of this program is to help fill the increasing demand for fire protection engineers, particularly in California and other western states, where the lack of educational programs in FPE has resulted in a shortag.
For admission as a classified graduate student, an applicant should hold a bachelor's degree in engineering, fire science, fire protection and safety, or a closely related field from a regionally accredited institution, college, or university. An undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 is required. On occasion, where other credentials are exceptionally strong, a GPA in the 2.5-3.0 range may be accepted.
What is a Graduate Certificate?
An academic graduate certificate declares that a student has satisfactorily completed a sequence of advanced academic courses that provide instruction in a stand-alone, coherent body of specialized knowledge.
It is designed to meet requirements for professional competence, expand access to specialized knowledge, or meet occupational needs for advanced interdisciplinary work.
The program consists of 12-24 quarter units (3-6 courses) and may be provided via Special Sessions (self-support) through Cal Poly Extended, Professional and Continuing Education (see Executive Order 1099); it has a formal application process and a distinct matriculation.
AS Resolution AS-726-11 March 8, 2011
FPE Science Certificate
The educational objective of the Fire Protection Engineering Science graduate certificate program is to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to solve fire protection engineering problems and develop fire safety design solutions in a variety of professional settings.
Upon completing the requirements for the graduate certificate, students should be able to:
- Apply concepts associated with the thermal sciences, including thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and heat transfer, to the analysis of fire protection engineering problems.
- Analyze the flammability characteristics of different materials, interpret the results of standard and non-standard fire test methods, and evaluate the fire hazards associated with different materials in a range of anticipated settings.
- Analyze the dynamics of fires in and around buildings and other structures through the application of fundamental principles and the use of state-of-the-art computer-based fire simulation models.
FPE Applications Certificate
The educational objective of the Fire Protection Engineering Applications graduate certificate program is to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to solve fire protection engineering problems and develop fire safety design solutions in a variety of professional settings.
Upon completing the requirements for the graduate certificate, students should be able to:
- Identify relevant fire safety codes, standards, and regulations; comprehend the fire safety performance objectives and criteria associated with these documents; and apply these fire safety objectives and criteria to a broad range of applications.
- Understand how people interact with fire conditions in buildings and calculate evacuation times through the application of fundamental principles of people movement and the use of state-of-the-art computer-based evacuation models.
- Design fire detecion and alarm systems, fire suppression systems, structural fire protection systems, and egress systems to achieve specified performance objectives.
Graduate Certificate Specific Requirements
DEGREE
Admission to a graduate certificate program requires a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a major in a relevant field of study.
ADMISSION GPA
The applicant must have attained a minimum GPA of 2.5 in the last 90 units attempted or have earned a GPA of at least 2.5 in the last degree completed. Work experience may substitute (at the discretion of the program) for the relevancy of the bachelor’s degree and for the minimum GPA requirements.
COURSES
Courses taken to satisfy the requirements of a graduate certificate program may be applied to the requirements of a graduate degree program; however, students must apply separately for admission into a graduate degree program. No coursework for the certificate may be below the 400 level. One 4-unit course in transfer credit may be allowed as determined by the graduate certificate program advisor.
GRADUATION GPA
A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required for successful completion of a graduate certificate program. Students may not elect to take courses required for the certificate as credit/no credit. A graduate certificate program must be completed within three years.
ENROLLMENT
Students who are enrolled only in a graduate certificate program are exempt from the continuous enrollment requirement for graduate students.
NO Graduate Writing Requirement
There is no Graduate Writing Requirement for a certificate program.
COMPLETION
A certificate program must be completed within 3 years.