Public Safety Administration

The Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) degree program in Public Safety Administration is intended to support the Tacoma and Pierce County communities by educating leaders for an evolving industry. Public safety, long viewed as the sole province of law enforcement and fire service, is an industry undergoing profound change. The reasons guiding businesses, public organizations, cities, counties, and state governments to reconsider their public safety systems are complex, but they can be reduced to two primary causes. First, existing public safety systems have failed to protect communities effectively and equitably. Secondly, the range of threats is steadily increasing, and now includes relatively new issues such as cybercrimes, pandemics, failures of community infrastructure, and major disasters brought on by climate change.

Admission Requirements

  • Associates degree in a public safety related field or an Associate's degree with relevant work experience
  • GPA of 2.0 or higher
  • Personal Statement
  • Transcription from previous institutions
  • 25 credits of generally transferable general education coursework*

*Students who have fulfilled their general education coursework for their associates degree with non-transferable courses may take additional general education courses to meet degree requirements during their junior year. Students may be provisionally admitted into the program if they are within 25 credits from completing an associates degree."

Generally transferrable general education coursework include:

NOTE: Students may take the above courses at Bates Tech, or transfer courses in from another college.

Courses may not need to match exactly in each academic/general education category listed above. Consult with a career advisor.

Program Learning Outcomes
  • Students will differentiate among leadership styles, evaluate and develop their own leadership skills, and effectively apply those skills in responding to situations commonly encountered in the public safety industry.
  • Students will recognize the roles and cultures of organizations engaged in maintaining public safety, interpret law and policy, manage personnel in accordance with contract, and follow public financing systems and their accompanying ethical obligations.
  • Develop detailed knowledge of the communities to be served, analyze differing needs across segments of a given community, plan and implement responses that effectively support these communities, and actively build relationships with community members.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the inequities in the public safety system and use their knowledge of social justice principles to rectify systemic biases. Evaluate plans and generate responses based on perspectives brought by diverse community members.
  • Students will be skilled in both oral and written communication techniques. They will write accurate and concise reports, demonstrate strong interpersonal skills, and apply strategies that de-escalate challenging situations and lead to resolution.
  • Implement response plans to solving immediate problems in challenging emergency response situations while clearly recording required data points, develop and analyze data sets, and identify both short-term and strategic, long-term solutions.
  • Use standard information technology and emerging technological tools common to public safety efforts, including building design, environmental health and safety, information technology systems, drone technology, and digital and video recording systems.
CIP Code
43.0202

Degrees