Public Safety Management Major

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Degree Requirements
124 semester hours

Public Safety Management is a completion major designed to complement the existing technical skills of an individual to include general knowledge, communication skills and application of business and leadership practices. The major will accept students who have the equivalent of an associate's degree, including 24 semester credit hours (36 quarter credit hours) of courses in a defined technical discipline that has a public safety mission, from an accredited institution or professional certification from an approved public safety training academy.

Students seeking a bachelor's degree must earn at least 40 credit hours in residence at Franklin University to be eligible for a degree. Students entering the major with an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) or technical training and other college credit must satisfy General Education requirements listed below for a total of 50 hours in General Education.

The following degree requirements are from the current Franklin University Academic Bulletin. If you began your coursework before the current academic year, please contact your SSA for your degree requirements. Always confirm your degree requirements with your SSA.

Technical Credit

Students with Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degrees in Law Enforcement, Criminal Justice, Fire Safety, Emergency Medical Services, Corrections or other Public Safety related fields will satisfy the Technical and some of the General Education requirements of the B.S. degree in Public Safety Management at Franklin University. Students without an A.A.S. degree must satisfy the Technical and all of the General Education requirements listed below.

General Education Core (50 hours)

• COMM 120 - College Writing (4)
• COMM 320 - Business and Professional Communication (4)
• COMP 106 - Introduction to Spreadsheets (1)
• COMP 108 - Introduction to Databases (1)
• ECON 210 - Introduction to Microeconomics (4) OR
  ECON 220 - Introduction to Macroeconomics (4)
• MATH 215* - Statistical Concepts (4)
• PF 305 - Global Issues (4)
• PF 321** - Learning Strategies (2)
• SPCH 100 - Speech Communication (4) OR
  COMM 150 - Interpersonal Communication (4)
• Humanities Elective (4)
• Science Elective (4)
• Social and Behavioral Science Elective (4)
• General Education Electives (10)
  Recommended:
  • COMM 305 - Virtual Communication Strategies (2)
  • PF 302 - Applied Research Methods (4)
  • PF 304 - Strategies for Motivation (4)

* Students must also meet the University algebra competency requirement.
** PF 321 must be taken prior to the first BLF course.

Business Core (16 hours)

• ACCT 215 - Financial Accounting (4)
• ACCT 225 - Managerial Accounting (4)
• BSAD 312 - Management Theory and Practices (4)
• HRM 300 - Human Resources Management (4)

University Electives (14 hours)

It is recommended students take:

• AMGT 490 - Project Management (4) OR
  MGMT 352 - Management and Leadership: A Continuum (4) OR
  MGMT 435 - Evolution of Management (4)
• BSAD 320 - Decision Making and Problem Solving (4)

Additionally, students are recommended to select from University courses that correspond with the following topics:

• strategy and tactics
• small group behavior and team building
• advanced psychology
• advanced communications
• corporate culture and diversity
• developing people and self development

OR

• BSAD 325 - Organizational Behavior (4)
• OLM 435 - Perspectives on Leadership (4)

Public Safety Technical Area (24 hours)

24 credit hours in a public safety related discipline from transfer credit.

Major Area (20 hours)

• PSMT 420 - Public Sector Finance and Budgeting (4)
• PSMT 430 - Contemporary Issues in Public Safety (4)
• PSMT 435 - Emergency Management and Homeland Security (4)
• PSMT 440 - Administrative Law (4)
• PSMT 495 - Public Safety Management Capstone (4)

Students seeking a bachelor's degree must earn at least 40 credit hours in residence at Franklin University to be eligible for a degree.

A minimum 2.25 GPA is required in the major area and each major area course must be completed with a grade of "C" or better to count toward degree requirements.

If needed, English, reading, and mathematics placement tests determine which, if any, developmental education courses are required. Students placing into these courses must pass them prior to enrolling in any course at the 200 level or above. Developmental education courses carry institutional credit only and do not count toward degree requirements for graduation. Computer Literacy is a General Education prerequisite. Students with computer experience will have the option of completing a free placement exam to waive this prerequisite.

All students are required to pass College Writing (COMM 120), Learning Strategies (PF 321), and either Speech Communication (SPCH 100) or Interpersonal Communication (COMM 150) prior to enrolling in any course at the 200 level or above. General Education courses must be selected from science, math, social and behavioral science, humanities, economics, communication or professional foundations.

The Public Safety Management Program also offers a Minor.