myCSUSM
Application Deadlines
Applications to the Bachelor of Science in Wildfire Science and the Wildland Urban Interface program are reviewed on a rolling basis; apply at any time! However, priority is given to applications that are received by these deadlines:
- Fall 2025: April 2, 2025
Admission Requirements
To qualify for the Bachelor of Science in Wildfire Science and the Wildland Urban Interface program, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Transfer Unit Requirement
- You must complete 60 transferable semester college units (or 90 quarter units) to be eligible for admission, including the prerequisite courses listed below.
- Minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA in all transferable units attempted
- 2.5 GPA for students who have already completed a bachelors
- Prerequisite Courses
Admission to the program requires successful completion of the following prerequisite courses:
Golden Four General Requirements
- Oral Communication (A1)
- Written Communication (A2)
- Critical Thinking (A3)
- Mathematics (B4)
Lower Division General Education Requirements
Students are encouraged to have the following courses completed prior to admission but it is NOT required to be considered for admission:
- Physical Science (B1)
- Life Science (B2)
- Laboratory (B3)
- Arts (C1)
- Humanities (C2)
- Arts and/or Humanities (C3)
- Interdisciplinary Social Sciences (D7)
- Discipline-specific or Second Interdisciplinary Social Sciences (D)
- Lifelong Learning and Information Literacy (E)
- Successful completion of the U.S. History, Constitution and American Ideals requirement
- Residency Requirement
Connect with a Specialist
Set up an appointment with your enrollment specialist to learn how you can take advantage of the BS in Wildfire Science program.
Sujeith Ordonez, M.A.
Senior Outreach & Recruitment Specialist
CSUSM Extended Learning
(760) 750-8454
Funding Options
The wildfire science degree program is eligible for financial aid.
Visit the funding page or call 760-750-4850 to learn more about your funding options. Active-duty military, veterans and dependents should visit the military services page or call 760-750-8705.
Federal VA educational benefits can be used for this program (not eligible for Cal Vet fee waiver).
FUNDING OPTIONS
Visit the funding page or call 760-750-4850 to learn more about your funding options. Active-duty military, veterans and dependents should visit the military services page or call 760-750-8705.
Federal VA educational benefits can be used for this program (not eligible for Cal Vet fee waiver).
FUNDING OPTIONS
Program Costs
Finish the online BS in Wildfire Science and the Wildland Urban Interface in just five semesters, with guaranteed class availability to keep your educational journey on track. The program consists of 60 units, priced at $475 per unit, with tuition discounts available for active-duty military personnel.
Invest In Your Future: A Breakdown of Your Educational Journey's Cost
| Semester | Units | Subtotal* |
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester 1 | 12 | $5,700 |
| Spring Semester 1 | 12 | $5,700 |
| Summer Semester | 12 | $5,700 |
| Fall Semester 2 | 12 | $5,700 |
| Spring Semester 2 | 12 | $5,700 |
| Total | 60 | $28,500 |
*Not all university semester fees are included in this table—see the comprehensive breakdown of Extended Learning fees. Semester tuition subtotals are based on a sample program sequence. All quoted tuition rates are based on previous academic years and are subject to change without notice.
Edison International Scholarship
Edison International provides generous scholarships to select wildfire science students—in fact, the organization has provided more than $120K in funding the past four years. If you are interested in being an Edison Wildfire Science Scholar please visit the CSUSM Scholarships for more information.
Courses
This program has a set schedule of courses that you are expected to follow as part of your cohort. You can view all course descriptions on the BS Wildfire Science and the Wildland Urban Interface course catalog page.
Year One
| Course | Units |
|---|---|
| FIRE 101: Wildland Urban Interface | 3 |
| FIRE 105: Fire Science | 3 |
| FIRE 210: Emerging Technologies and Topics | 3 |
| FIRE 352: Emergency Management, Operations and Administration | 3 |
| Course | Units |
|---|---|
| FIRE 353: Firefighter Health and Safety | 3 |
| FIRE 354: Firefighter Stress, Behavioral, and Mental Health | 3 |
| FIRE 355: Land Use Planning and Community Resiliency | 3 |
| KINE 306: Exercise Fitness and Health | 3 |
Schedule is subject to change without advance notice.
| Course | Units |
|---|---|
| FIRE 351: Wildfire Law and Economics | 3 |
| BIOL 339: Conservation Biology | 3 |
| CHEM 390-2: Chemistry of Wildfires | 3 |
| PHIL 340: Ethics and the Environment | 3 |
Year Two
| Course | Units |
|---|---|
| ANTH 379: Environmental Health and Justice | 3 |
| BIOL 391: Fire Ecology | 3 |
| BIOL 392: Natural Resource Management | 3 |
| BIOL 216: Biostatistics for Wildfire Science | 3 |
| Course | Units |
|---|---|
| KINE 316: Stress Management | 3 |
| FIRE 489: Research Methods and Design | 3 |
| FIRE 402: Fire Behavior, Fuels, and Resource Management | 3 |
| FIRE 499: Senior Experience in Wildfire Science | 3 |