Overview

Safety and security, rescue engineering

Earthquakes, floods, fires, bridge collapses, and chemical accidents: in our world there are always disasters. In such cases, experts are needed to keep a cool head, to manage the crisis and to take appropriate defensive measures.

The study field at a glance

Safety and Security study programs train experts to control things that are out of control. Security experts are needed everywhere: in the fire department and police, in security management in companies of various industries as well as in government and government. There they develop security concepts and schedules and, in the event of a disaster, ensure that they are adhered to. Because the field of activity is so wide, security professionals need specific knowledge in many areas. There are overlaps with the legal, economic and social sciences, but also with engineering subjects, chemistry, physics and psychology.

The Rescue Engineering is an interdisciplinary discipline that combines engineering subjects with social science, economics and subject-specific disciplines.

Offered courses

The courses offered in the field of "Security and Security" include generalist programs, but also offer opportunities to specialize, for example in the field of IT security. The Federal College of Public Administration offers two diploma courses on the subject, which conclude with the diploma: "Federal Constitutional Protection" and "Federal Intelligence Service". The program is usually both research-oriented and application-oriented and includes internships. Possible study titles are "Hazard Control", "Quality, Environment, Safety and Hygiene", "Risk and Safety Management", "Security and Safety Engineering" or safety systems.

Courses in rescue engineering currently only offer the Technische Hochschule Köln (Bachelor and Master) and the University of Applied Sciences Hamburg (Bachelor).

Contents of the course

During their studies, the students of "Safety and Security" deal with various disciplines. Depending on their orientation, they acquire basic knowledge, etc. from the fields of occupational safety, fire and environmental protection, chemistry, electrical engineering, basics of communication, conflict and crime in the social process, marketing and management, physics, law and business administration, self- and conflict management, environmental protection, computer science, process engineering and psychology. In addition, they can set their own priorities. These include, for example, flood or radiation protection, extinguishing technology and public relations.

Students of rescue engineering first acquire scientific and technical foundations. In addition, they learn how to recognize dangers, risks and their correlations, to assess them, to prevent them and to fight them. Among other things, they deal with requirements planning in rescue and fire protection, with chemistry, business administration, human biology, engineering mathematics, risk analysis, emergency medicine, physics and technical mechanics.

Admission criteria & course application

For a study of safety and security or rescue engineering, it can sometimes take several weeks to complete internships or aptitude tests. The degree programs are usually restricted. The application is made via the university.

Possible careers after graduation

Graduates of both subjects can work among others

  • with professional fire brigades,
  • in the industry,
  • with fire, disaster and environmental protection authorities of the federal government, the states or municipalities,
  • at the police station, 
  • as an expert in insurance, construction or banking,
  • in the development or manufacture of fire protection and safety equipment.