Mar 18, 2024  
Undergraduate Catalog | 2017-2018 
    
Undergraduate Catalog | 2017-2018 Previous Edition

Fire Safety Engineering Technology, Fire Protection Concentration, B.S.E.T.


Fire Safety Engineering Technology includes principles of fire behavior and combustion, fire protection, hydraulics, fire prevention, building construction for fire service, industrial hazards, risk management, fire safety problem analysis, active and passive protection systems, command and control, fire protection law, structural fire safety, performance-based design for fire safety, fire hazard analysis, technical drawing and CAD, research investigation, and leadership.  The FSET program has two available concentrations; one in fire safety and another in fire protection.  The Concentration in Fire Safety is designed to prepare students for career opportunities in fire service and administration.  The Concentration in Fire Protection is designed to prepare students for career opportunities such as fire suppression systems engineering and fire behavior forensic and fire investigation.

Additional Admission Requirements


Students for this degree may enter degree programs in the Department of Engineering Technology and Construction Management as freshmen or as transfer students. 

Freshman Admission

Applicants entering as Freshmen must meet the general University admission requirements.

Transfer Admission

Transfer admission into the department occurs in one of two situations:

  1. Transfer applicants not having the Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree or its equivalent must meet general University admission requirements. 
  2. Transfer applicants with an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree must:

a) Hold an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in a field appropriate to the option they plan to enter.  Acceptable AAS degrees include Architectural, Automation, Building Construction, Civil, Construction, Computer, Controls, Design and Drafting, Electrical, Electronics, Environmental, Fire Protection, Fire Science, Industrial, Instrumentation, Manufacturing, Mechanical, Optics, Robotics, Surveying or similar title with curriculum acceptable to the department.  A minimum GPA of 2.2 (out of 4.0) in the AAS degree is required.

b) Have completed satisfactorily the prerequisite background courses for the option they plan to enter (missing background courses may be taken at UNC Charlotte).

Acceptance of a completed AAS degree indicates the acceptance of up to 64 credit hours toward the Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology degree program only.  These hours may not be valid toward other degree programs at UNC Charlotte.

Residence Requirements

A student must earn the last 30 credit hours toward the BSET degree and the last 12 credit hours in the major at UNC Charlotte to satisfy residence requirements.

Experiential Learning Requirements

All students must complete an experiential learning course.  Experiential courses are practice-oriented courses such as cooperative education, internships, senior design projects, or undergraduate research. 

Internships, or 49erships, involve paid or unpaid work in a career-related position for professional experience.  A minimum of 80 work hours and 5 weeks for one semester is required to complete the program.  Fall and Spring 49erships are part-time.  Summer 49erships may be full- or part-time.  Full-time students who are in good University standing, have completed 30 credit hours, and have a 2.0 minimum cumulative GPA are eligible.  Internships do not offer academic credit, but are noted on the student’s transcript; students pay a course registration fee.  Approval for enrollment must be arranged before the student begins a work experience.  Students may begin this program during their Sophomore year; transfer students must complete 12 credit hours at UNC Charlotte before making application for the program.  For more information, contact the College of Engineering Office of Student Development and Success or the University Career Center. 

Remediation of Academic Entrance Requirements for AAS Transfer Students

In addition to University and College of Engineering requirements, an AAS transfer student who is admitted to any BSET program without meeting ALL published admission requirements is expected to remove all admission deficiencies within one year.  Violators are subject to discontinuance and enrollment in senior-level coursework is prohibited until all deficiencies are removed.

Course Requirements

Course requirements correspond to the mode of admission for each student as outlined hereafter. 

  1. Entering Freshmen:  Students admitted as Freshmen complete the appropriate four year curriculum for the program into which they were admitted.
  2. Transfer students not holding an appropriate AAS degree:  Transfer students not holding an appropriate AAS degree must complete the remaining coursework outlined for the respective four year curriculum that they were admitted into after evaluation and application of any transfer credit.
  3. Transfer students holding an appropriate AAS degree:  Transfer students with an appropriate Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree as defined previously under Admission Requirements may begin the program in the Junior year with up to 64 transfer credit hours awarded.  Prerequisites for students holding an AAS degree from a community or technical college are listed below. 

Prerequisite Courses 

Students transferring with an AAS degree must have satisfactorily completed the following subjects in their two-year program:

  • English Composition, Technical Writing, and/or Public Speaking (3 credit hours)
  • Algebra and Trigonometry (3-6 credit hours)
  • Differential and Integral Calculus (6 credit hours)
  • General Physics (with lab) (4 credit hours)
  • Additional Physics or Chemistry (with lab) or Geology (for CIET) (4 credit hours)
  • Humanities or Social Sciences (3 credit hours)
  • Technical Courses in Major Area as listed below (up to 38 credit hours)
    • Drafting/Computer-Aided Drafting
    • Statics
    • Introduction to Fire Protection
    • Fire Prevention and Public Education
    • Fire Detection and Fire Investigation
    • Building Construction
    • Inspections and Codes
    • Sprinklers and Automatic Alarms
    • Firefighting Strategies
    • Hydraulics and Water Distribution
    • Managing Fire Services

Total maximum transfer credit from two-year colleges is 64 credit hours.

Degree Requirements (4-Year Program)


General Education Courses (18-19 credit hours)


For details on required LBST, UWRT, and Social Sciences courses, refer to the General Education Program 

Note:


*Course must be completed with a grade of C or above.

Restricted Elective Courses (5 credit hours)


Select two 3000- or 4000-level course within the Department of Engineering Technology and Construction Management with a minimum of 5 credit hours that are not already required for the major.  Select from the following:
 

  • CMET 3000 level or above
  • ELET 3000 level or above
  • ENER 3000 level or above
  • ETCE 3000 level or above
  • ETFS 3000 level or above
  • ETGR 3000 level or above
  • ETME 3000 level or above

Degree Total = 122 credit hours


Degree Requirements (2+2-Year Program)


AAS Degree (64 credit hours)


AAS transfer students from approved programs receive 64 credit hours for the AAS degree; thus, AAS students need only to complete the upper-division portion of the courses listed below and remediate any entrance deficiencies noted upon matriculation. 

General Education Courses (6 credit hours)


For details on required LBST courses, refer to the General Education Program 

Restricted Elective Course (3 credit hours)


Select one 3000- or 4000-level course within the Department of Engineering Technology and Construction Management with a minimum of 3 credit hours that is not already required for the major.  Select from the following:

  • CMET 3000 level or above
  • ELET 3000 level or above
  • ENER 3000 level or above
  • ETCE 3000 level or above
  • ETFS 3000 level or above
  • ETGR 3000 level or above
  • ETME 3000 level or above

Degree Total = 122 Credit Hours


Suggested Curriculum


For the suggested course sequence toward completing the major, please see the Academic Plan of Study available online at academics.uncc.edu.  Consultation with an advisor is required each semester.