SAU TECH ACADEMICS - ARKANSAS FIRE ACADEMY Degree Program
FIRE AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE Associate in Applied Science Degree
Southern Arkansas University Tech (SAU Tech) and the Arkansas Fire Academy (AFA) wish to provide the opportunity for students to earn an Associates in Applied Science Degree in Fire and Emergency Response through courses offered through these institutions and other accredited colleges. SAU Tech and the AFA, through articulation agreements with other two-year colleges across Arkansas and local fire departments, hope to provide courses at locations easily accessible to the students seeking this degree.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES SAU Tech shall provide degree accreditation, general education core curriculum, instructional staffing, and classroom space. It shall act as liaison to other institutions and as the state=s administrative agency for the AFA. The AFA shall provide curriculum, instructional staffing/administrative support, classroom space, training equipment and devices, training hours-to-semester college credit hours conversion, and direct the program. Other two-year colleges shall provide general education core curriculum instruction and instructional staffing, classroom space, administrative support, AND, perhaps in time, possible locations for new regional training sites. The local fire departments provide the personnel interested in pursuing this degree and the use of certain equipment and training site activities. (In fact, some fire departments are already assisting their personnel pay tuition costs.)
The Assistant Director of On-Campus Programs at the Arkansas Fire Academy shall serve as SAU Techýs Program Coordinator for the Fire and Emergency Response Degree Program.
PARTNERING COLLEGES Through articulation agreements, the following two-year colleges have agreed to work with SAU Tech and the Arkansas Fire Academy to aid students in completing this degree program:
Arkansas State University ý Mountain Home
Black River Technical College (existing program)
Cossatot Technical College
East Arkansas Community College
Mississippi County Community College
North Arkansas College
Northwest Arkansas Community College (existing program)
Pulaski Technical College
Rich Mountain Community College
Southeast Arkansas College (adopted our program)
University of Arkansas Community College ý Batesville
West Arkansas College
Additionally, the AAS in Fire and Emergency Response Program has been articulated with the Bachelor of Science in Emergency Administration and Management degree program provided by Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, Arkansas. In fact, our program is recognized by ATU as a MINOR in their program. A graduate of the Fire and Emergency Response program (who takes College Algebra) can transfer all 60 semester hours of the F&ER program into the EAM program (if all grades are C or better).
AFA COURSES - SAU TECH COURSES Those interested in earning college credit through SAU Tech while attending Arkansas Fire Academy courses may do so. It is important for the student to understand that while the training offered through the AFA is offered to Arkansas firefighters by tuition scholarship (at no charge to the student or fire department), the student (or participating fire department) is responsible to pay the tuition costs and related fees for college credit courses the student takes after the Firefighter Standards Course. (See Notes 1 and 2 below.)
There are three ways in which to take Fire and Emergency Response program courses:
Attend fire science courses conducted by the Arkansas Fire Academy and later convert those training hours to SAU Tech semester hours through the Portfolio Development and Review Process. A maximum of 30 semester hours can be awarded through this process.
Attend fire science course sets conducted by the AFA, pay SAU Tech tuition and enroll in the corresponding SAU Tech course. The student must attend and successfully complete all portions of the course to receive credit for the course through SAU Tech.
Pay the tuition, enroll in, and complete the Fire and Emergency Response course(s) offered at a two-year college in Arkansas with which we have an articulation agreement.
NOTE 1: Students attending the Firefighter Standards course in residence at Camden are offered the opportunity to be admitted into the degree program. Students wishing to be admitted into this program will be enrolled in Firefighter I, Firefighter II, and Hazardous Materials Operations as well as the EMS First Responder or Emergency Medical Technician course taken as the prerequisite for the Firefighter Standards course. Students enrolling in EMS First Responder, Firefighter I, Firefighter II and Hazardous Materials Operations are enrolled for a total of twelve (12) semester hours while those enrolled in EMT, Firefighter I, Firefighter II, and Hazardous Materials Operations are enrolled for a total of fifteen (15) semester hours. (SAU Tech offers a tuition scholarship for students attending the Firefighter Standards Course.)
NOTE 2: Students seeking college level credit through Portfolio Development, GS 1021, shall pay the tuition costs for one (1) semester hour for that course. They are not charged separately for the semester hours awarded as part of the educational review process. More information on the Portfolio Development and Review Process can be found on page 6 of this pamphlet.
DEGREE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS To earn an Associate in Applied Science in Fire and Emergency Response Degree, the student must complete the following:
Fire Science Core Curriculum
minimum of 18 semester hours*
Fire Science Electives
minimum of 27 semester hours*
General Education Requirements
minimum of 15 semester hours*
Portfolio Development (GS 1021)
1 semester hour
Total
minimum of 61 semester hours**
* - Please refer to the Degree Plan included in the Student Degree Information Package. ** - A minimum of fifteen semester hours of education must be earned through SAU Tech. Semester hours awarded through the Portfolio Development and Review Process DO count towards this residence requirement.
INTERNET COURSES SAU Tech is helping to pioneer the Internet Course concept within Arkansas. Students will be able to take General Education courses and some discipline unique courses over the Internet. This will make SAU Tech courses more accessible for part-time and full-time students across the state. All of the General Education courses were already on-line as of Fall 1998.
Contact SAU Tech for more information. Courses taken over the Internet DO count towards SAU Tech's 15 semester hour residency requirement.
DEGREE PATH
Enrollment in the Degree Program
Faculty Advisor
Degree Plan
Tuition and Fees
Scholarships
VA Benefits
Enrollment in Appropriate Courses
Course Attendance and Completion
Portfolio Development and Review Credit
Request for Graduation
Graduation
Transcripts
ENROLLMENT IN THE DEGREE PROGRAM When an individual is interested in admission into SAU Tech=s Fire and Emergency Response Degree Program, the individual should contact the Arkansas Fire Academy or one of the AFA=s Regional Instructor/Coordinators. These personnel will assist by sending the individual an enrollment package complete with program information. They will also assist the individual with completing all required SAU Tech paperwork.
To be fully admitted into the Fire and Emergency Response degree program, the student must submit the following to the Admissions Office of SAU Tech:
Application for Admission.
Copy of the student's immunization record.
An official copy of the student=s high school transcript or GED scores.
SAT, ACT ASSET, or COMPASS Scores (to be used for placement in General Education courses according to state guidelines).
Official college transcript(s), if applicable.
A Transcript Request (Release of Information) form will be included in the Student Degree Program Information Package. Students may make as many copies of the Transcript Request (Release of Information) form as they need.
FACULTY ADVISOR Once the student is admitted to the Fire and Emergency Response Degree program, the student will be assigned a faculty advisor through the Arkansas Fire Academy. This individual will assist the student in reviewing their existing educational level in comparison to the degree plan and with determining which courses the student should take. The faculty advisor also assists the student in the development of the educational portfolio and assists with the portfolio review process. It is important for the student to maintain contact with the faculty advisor, especially as the student nears graduation.
DEGREE PLAN Once a student is admitted into the degree program, the faculty advisor will review the studentýs transcripts (college and Arkansas Fire Academy) to help determine the studentýs academic standing. The faculty advisor will complete a Degree Plan with the student and explain the plan to the student. The Degree Plan will be updated by the appropriate faculty advisor as the student progresses through the degree program. Once the student signs and dates the Degree Plan it becomes the contract for degree completion between the student and SAU Tech.
Those students who were already enrolled in the AAS in Fire and Emergency Response Degree Program prior to August 1998 may complete their degree under the old Degree Plan, if they feel it is more advantageous to do so. Those who wish to change to the new degree plan may do so.
TUITION AND FEES Tuition is set at $45.00 per semester hour. Tuition must be paid at the time of course enrollment unless a third party is going to be paying the tuition, in which case the third party can be billed. SAU Tech has waived its $12.00 per semester hour fee for Fire and Emergency Response Degree Program courses. There is a one-time Student Transcript fee of $15.00 (included in the SAU Tech Scholarship for students attending the Firefighter Standards course). This one-time fee covers the cost of ordering SAU Tech transcripts. Payment may be made by cash, check, or money order.
NOTE - Checks must have the check-writerýs social security number and telephone number written on the check.
VETERANS AFFAIRS BENEFITS Veterans may receive financial assistance through the VA for General Education courses they are taking through SAU Tech. Because the Fire and Emergency Response courses are offered on an off-schedule basis and the fact that the VA requires advance notice of course information to provide benefits, we are unable to apply VA benefits to Fire and Emergency Response courses at this time.
ENROLLMENT IN THE APPROPRIATE COURSES Instructors and AFA faculty advisors will assist students in determining which courses the student needs to complete the degree program. They will also assist the student in identifying those courses offered during a given semester and will help with enrolling the student in the appropriate courses required to complete the degree.
COURSE ATTENDANCE AND COMPLETION It is the studentýs responsibility to attend scheduled classes and to be prepared for each class session. Instructors are required to document student absenteeism and absences will be reported to the university. Students must receive a passing grade to complete a course. After a course is completed the instructor will notify SAU Tech of each studentýs grade and SAU Tech shall, in turn, notify the students of their grades by mail.
PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENT AND REVIEW CREDIT It is the policy of SAU Tech to recognize training received through the Arkansas Fire Academy, National Fire Academy and other state and federal agencies and convert those training hours to college semester hours of credit. Through the Portfolio Development and Review process, students who have received documented training through the AFA or other legitimate certifying agencies and who are fully admitted into the degree program can convert that training to college level credit. These college semester hours will be applied against the appropriate Program Core Curriculum or Program Electives course(s). The SAU Tech / Arkansas Fire Academy Course Conversion Chart included in the Student Degree Program Information Package shows how courses can convert from AFA training to SAU Tech college courses.
For example, a student who has completed NFA Leadership I, II, and III through the Arkansas Fire Academy can receive three semester hours of credit through the Portfolio Development and Review Process. Please remember that the maximum number of semester hours a student may earn through the Portfolio Development and Review Process is 30 semester hours.
Students wishing to convert AFA training hours to SAU Tech semester hours must enroll in GS 1021, Portfolio Development. This course will be presented early in each semester to allow students adequate time to complete their portfolios during that semester. Portfolio Development prepares the student to gather the necessary educational documentation and prepare the portfolio itself. This portfolio shall consist of an experiential resume and an educational resume documenting training received through the AFA or other accredited agencies and for which SAU Tech courses credit is to be awarded. Supporting AFA transcripts (available from the AFA) and copies of AFA training certificates as well as those from other training agencies must accompany the portfolio. The portfolio is reviewed by the studentýs AFA advisor using a 16 (contact hour)-to-1 (semester hour) formula. Credit is then awarded appropriately. The portfolio must be completed and turned into the studentýs faculty advisor within the semester the Portfolio Development course is taken. A written assessment of the results of the portfolio review will be mailed to the student once the review has been completed. A detailed written assessment of applicable converted training hours to semester hours of college credit will be forwarded to the registrar for posting to the studentýs official transcript record.
It is advised that personnel with 500+ training hours through the Arkansas Fire Academy or other agencies enroll in Portfolio Development early in their degree seeking process. This will identify which courses they can receive college level credit for and identify which other courses they would need to take to complete their degree. Those personnel with less than 500 training hours through the AFA, may wish to wait and build up additional training hours through the AFA in order to gather the maximum benefit of the Portfolio Development and Review Process.
Again, semester hour credits awarded through the Portfolio Development and Review Process DO NOT become official college credit until:
the student is fully admitted to the Fire and Emergency Response Degree Program,
the student is enrolled in GS 1021 ý Portfolio Development,
the student completes and submits the portfolio to the program coordinator,
the portfolio has been reviewed,
the Letter of Awarded Credit is signed by the SAU Tech Vice Chancellor of Instruction, and
the awarded semester hour credits are posted to the studentýs SAU Tech official Transcript.
APPLICATION FOR GRADUATION Students must apply for graduation with the Enrollment Management Center by December 1st for the May commencement program. Students who complete their graduation requirements in August or December will participate in the annual spring commencement ceremony.
Graduation fees are non-refundable and must be paid by the established deadline. Students who do not apply for graduation or pay graduation fees will be assessed a late fee due to the placement of a special order.
GRADUATION The May commencement ceremony is held at Southern Arkansas University Techýs Main Campus in East Camden, Arkansas. All students are required to walk in the commencement ceremony, unless they receive prior approval from the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs.
TRANSCRIPTS Official SAU Tech transcripts can be ordered through the SAU Tech Registrar Office at:
SAU Tech Registrar Office SAU Tech P.O. Box 3499 East Camden, AR 71711
Requests may be made in person or by written request sent by mail or faxed to 870-574-4520. Requests must contain the name of the student (maiden name, if applicable), social security number, dates of attendance at SAU Tech, and the name and address of the person or institution to which the transcript is to be sent. Written requests must have the signature the person requesting the transcript.
