General Questions (18)
How do I arrange to take Physics or Chemistry off campus (since Forensic Science uses it as a weed out course and generally kills us with these courses)?
You need to get an ePermit to take a class at another campus.
To do this go to the CUNY Portal – sign in, and follow the directions after pushing the ePermit button. Make sure to register for an account if you don’t have one already.
Does John Jay offer EMT training?
No, but we will give you credit for it if you have taken it elsewhere.
Where can I get a copy of the current years checklist?
The current years checklists a list of courses you need to graduate with a fire science major according to this years course catalog.
How can I find out what classes and credits have transferred from my previous school?
You should receive a course evaluation sheet as well as a John Jay Transcript from the Admissions Office (Rm 4205, North Hall; (212) 237-8865). This will tell you what classes you have received credit for. You can also check your records through eSims, which is an electronic information system. This is a great tool for keeping track of what classes you have taken, and what remaining requirements you need to fulfill in order to graduate from John Jay.
Why was I placed in/required to take a class I have already taken in my previous school?
The class at your previous school may not have been the equivalent to the required course at John Jay College. If you feel that perhaps there was an oversight in this matter, take a copy of the course description from your previous school to the Office of Admissions for consideration (Rm 4205 North Hall; (212)237-8865).
What are the requirements for graduation?
You must fulfill all General Education Requirements, the requirements of your major, and electives credits (often called blanket credits). You can find the General Education Requirements by reading John Jay College’s undergraduate Bulletin for the year you started or the year you intend to graduate (your choice which one you use).
Is there an exam I can take to be exempt from a certain course?
The College Level Examination Program (CLEP) is for students who wish to challenge a course by exam. These exams are offered off-campus for a nominal fee. Check with the Testing Office for locations of the CLEP exam.
Can I concurrently take classes at other schools for credit at John Jay?
Yes. The Registrar’s Office can issue a student an e-permit. This allows a student to take courses at another CUNY senior college. These courses will automatically be transferred to the home college for credit. A student can apply for the permit online prior to registration dates. Check with the Office of the Registrar (Rm 4113 North Hall; (212) 237-8986) prior to registration to ensure that the course has a transfer/substitution course at the home college. http://johnjay.jjay.cuny.edu/registrar/registrar/permit.htm
For courses at colleges other than another CUNY senior college, a permit must also be obtained prior to matriculation through the Office of the Registrar. Transcripts must be obtained from this school in order to receive the credits.
What courses do I need in the major to graduate with a fire degree?
Well that depends – what year did you start at John Jay? That is the year of the course bulletin that you need to use to figure out what courses you should take to graduate. The bulletins are located here, or were the last time we checked.
How do I declare a Major?
Go to JSTOP, fill out the form and submit it.
Can I use the course catalog requirements from the year I graduate instead?
Absolutely. In fact, you may want to, as the requirements change over the years and it may be to your advantage. We have a special checklist of the latest requirements for the BA in Fire and EMS degree here and the BS in Fire Science degree here. They only reflect the major requirements, not gen-ed or blanket credit requirements.
How do I declare a minor in fire science, and what are the requirements?
It is assumed you can get a form at JSTOP. Once you have the form you can take these courses and you will be a fire science minor!
Degreeworks says … ?
Degreeworks is broken and has been for some time. It has not been updated to reflect the current requirements for graduation (at least as far as the fire programs are concerned). If you meet the course catalog requirements for the year you started or the year you graduate you get to graduate regardless of what Degreeworks might say (or not say).
Can I get credit for work I’ve done at my fire academy?
Generally only ACE or Ponsi (now NCEES) credits are acceptable. You should be able to send a transcript from your academy to the registrars office to get blanket credit for courses if your academy had proper accredidation by one of these organizations. For example, the Nassau County Fire Academy lists their courses here. Note that there is a difference between contact hours (the number of hours you spent in class) and the number of credit hours you will receive for a course.
What about college credit for FEMA courses?
We generally don’t accept credit for FEMA courses. FEMA does not give grades and is not recognized by ACE or NCEES (yet). Their material is mostly at a be college level, but their methods for evaluating students don’t meet our standards for college credit yet. We understand this will change soon, but until it does, that is our policy.
What if I paid a college to give me college credits for FEMA courses?
Doesn’t matter. We generally don’t accept credit for FEMA courses. FEMA does not give grades and generally doesn’t fail anyone. Their material may be college level, but their methods for evaluating students don’t meet our standards for college credit. Even if you were given credit for these courses on transfer, if we notice them on your transcript before you graduate, we will make them disappear. In short, don’t waste your money to have FEMA credits “upgraded”.
Fire Science (BS) Questions (2)
How do I arrange to take Physics or Chemistry off campus (since Forensic Science uses it as a weed out course and generally kills us with these courses)?
You need to get an ePermit to take a class at another campus.
To do this go to the CUNY Portal – sign in, and follow the directions after pushing the ePermit button. Make sure to register for an account if you don’t have one already.
Where can I get a copy of the current years checklist?
The current years checklists a list of courses you need to graduate with a fire science major according to this years course catalog.
Fire and EMS (BA) Questions (2)
Does John Jay offer EMT training?
No, but we will give you credit for it if you have taken it elsewhere.
Where can I get a copy of the current years checklist?
The current years checklists a list of courses you need to graduate with a fire science major according to this years course catalog.
FIre Science Minor (1)
How do I declare a minor in fire science, and what are the requirements?
It is assumed you can get a form at JSTOP. Once you have the form you can take these courses and you will be a fire science minor!
