Public Safety Administration

First Responders Are Our First Priority

South Piedmont’s Public Safety Administration program is designed for those who’ve taken an oath to protect and serve our communities.

With an Associate in Applied Science degree in Public Service Administration from South Piedmont, you’ll be prepared to successfully start your career.

If you’re already working in the public safety field, we offer a unique advantage: South Piedmont will award at least 19 credits — almost a third of the credits needed to graduate — for training hours you’ve already completed on the job.

Most of South Piedmont’s Public Safety Administration students are completing their Associate in Applied Science degree in a little over a year with their applied industry credentials, making this an exceptionally fast and affordable degree option.

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The Program Options

2 Years 64 Credit Hours

This degree is designed for those who are working as first responders and want to move into an administrative position. Coursework includes managing, budgeting, and grant writing with a strong emphasis on local and state government and ethics.

Mode

Online

Link to Curriculum Map

Prerequisites

None

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Courses in this program are offered in an eight-week format, allowing you to progress quickly to your degree.

Expert

Courses in this program are taught by expert faculty with relevant credentials and real-world experience.

We partner with two excellent institutions, NC State and Wingate, allowing you to seamlessly transfer into an online bachelor’s degree.

Public Safety Administration is a degree program designed for current and aspiring public safety professionals. The program focuses on leadership, management, communication, policy development, budgeting, and organizational effectiveness within public safety agencies.

Graduates may pursue leadership and administrative roles in:

· Law enforcement agencies

· Fire departments

· Emergency services organizations

· Emergency management agencies

· Correctional institutions

· Public and private sector security organizations

Although no degree guarantees promotion, earning a Public Safety Administration degree can strengthen your qualifications for leadership, supervisory, and administrative positions within public safety organizations.

Yes. The Public Safety Administration program is designed with working professionals in mind. Courses may be offered in flexible formats that allow students to balance educational goals with work and family responsibilities.

Yes. Eligible training, certifications, or professional credentials may qualify for credit through established articulation agreements, transfer credit, or prior learning assessment processes. You should consult an advisor for an individual evaluation.

The time required depends on enrollment status and transfer credits. Full-time students can typically complete the degree in approximately two years, while part-time students may take longer.

Yes. Many students use the associate degree as a foundation for continuing their education at a four-year college or university. If you are interested in transfer opportunities, you should work closely with an academic advisor.

A Degree That Helps You Climb the Ranks

As a student in South Piedmont’s Public Safety Administration Associate in Applied Science degree program, you will learn about public safety administration and education, interagency operations, crisis leadership, government and agency financial management, professional standards, incident management, administrative law, and supervision.

This program will prepare you for employment and advancement at employers such as police departments, emergency management organizations, governmental agencies, correctional facilities, and security organizations.

If you’re already employed in the public safety field, we will work with you to make sure you receive maximum credit for your service, putting a degree within your reach as quickly as possible.

Main Building on South Piedmont's Old Charlotte Highway campus

Photo of South Piedmont Public Safety Administration Student Michael Belk

Get Ahead — Even on Shift

One of the reasons why I like the program is that it’s online. I can do the program while I’m on shift. When we get a call, I can deal with the emergency, but then return and pick up exactly where I left off.
Michael Belk, Public Safety Administration student and a Firefighter/EMT in Union County