International Master of Science in Fire Safety Engineering
The International Master of Science in Fire Safety Engineering (IMFSE) equips students with the knowledge and skills to design and engineer the built environment in ways that reduce both the likelihood and the consequences of fire. Our four partner universities (Ghent University, University of Edinburgh, Lund University and UPC Barcelona) each play a leading role in fire safety engineering research and education in Europe, ensuring that graduates gain a broad and high-level understanding of the field. This two-year programme offers a unique international experience, with students studying at a different university each semester.
EUR-ACE® Master (EURopean ACcredited Engineering Master)
The EUR-ACE label was accredited to this programme by the Commission des titres d’ingénieur (CTI), under the auspices of the European Network for Accreditation of Engineering Education (ENAEE).
EUR-ACE® is a framework and accreditation system that provides a set of standards that identifies high-quality engineering degree programmes in Europe and abroad.
What will you study?
Fires happen all the time and all over the world. But fire is not a hazard that simply occurs and where we have to accept the consequences. We can engineer the built environment to limit the likelihood of catastrophic fires occurring. The shift from a prescriptive approach towards performance-based fire safety designs creates a growing demand for advanced expertise in the multidisciplinary field of fire safety engineering. Now, climate change and the global transition toward more sustainable ways of living are increasing fire risks, making fire safety engineering more essential than ever.
Fire safety engineering is the application of engineering principles, rules and expert judgement based on a scientific understanding of fire. Fire engineers study fire and its phenomena as well as its effects on the built environment and human behaviour, to identify and quantify the risks. By implementing the principles of performance-based design, they optimize fire protection measures to safeguard life, the environment, property, and cultural heritage.
Fire safety engineering students will learn:
- the nature and characteristics of fire and its spread
- how structures, materials and people behave in the event of a fire
- how to evaluate, quantify and mitigate fire risks
- how to design fire detection, ventilation and suppression systems
- how building design interacts with firefighting and rescue operations
- how to analyse fire incidents and which lessons to draw from them
Programme
Programme structure
The two-year IMFSE programme consists of four terms of thirty credits each. Mandatory student mobility requires students to change their study location after each term, allowing them to benefit from the strengths and expertise of each partner university and possibly, one of our associated partner university.
The first term, covering basic topics in fire safety engineering, is taught at Ghent University or the University of Edinburgh. All students spend their second term at Lund University, with emphasis on enclosure fire dynamics, risk analysis and human behaviour. During the third term, the focus at Ghent University is on fire safety engineering in the built environment, while at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) the focus is on wildfires and industrial fire protection. The fourth term is devoted to the Master dissertation.
The Master dissertation is an essential part of the degree and is aimed at developing and strengthening the student’s research skills. IMFSE students will be able to apply for a topic submitted by one of our partner universities, one of our associated partner universities or by an industry contributor. Students may also submit a topic of their own. The granted topic will determine the location of their fourth and final semester.
After graduation
Career prospects
A degree in Fire Safety Engineering offers excellent career prospects. Graduates are in strong demand and are usually quickly hired in professional roles with competitive salaries.
The masters can find a job as fire safety engineer:
- in fire protection consultancy companies;
- in design bureaus for structural stability and/or technical equipment of buildings;
- in architect bureaus;
- in fire prevention services of larger cities;
- as responsible person for fire prevention in industry;
- in prevention departments of fire brigades;
- in fire protection equipment industry;
- as fire experts in insurance companies;
- as fire experts in governmental agencies;
- in standard testing laboratories;
- in environmental impact assessment consultancies;
- in health and safety organisations;
- in research and education institutes.
Contact
Get in touch
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