ORLANDO, Fla. – On Wednesday, July 22, 2026, the Florida Board of Education granted approval to Florida Gateway College’s new Bachelor of Science Degree in Public Safety Administration.
A team of FGC representatives made a presentation on the program to the State Board of Education at their meeting in Orlando. The proposal included letters of support from local public safety agencies, including the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and the Lake City Police Department.
In a letter of support for the program, Columbia County Sheriff Wallace Kitchings wrote that “well-educated, well-prepared leaders” are essential to navigating the “complex demands of modern emergency services, law enforcement, homeland security, disaster response, and community preparedness.” He stressed that the new degree would strengthen collaboration among agencies and better prepare public safety professionals for supervisory and management roles.
Lake City Police Chief Gerald Butler noted that “today’s public safety landscape demands professionals who are equipped not only with technical knowledge but also with advanced skills in leadership, critical thinking, crisis management, policy development, and interagency collaboration.” FGC’s new program will prepare students with all of these skills and position them to tackle the challenges facing modern public safety agencies.
Law enforcement, corrections, fire, and emergency services agencies across FGC’s five-county service district continue to face staffing shortages and a wave of upcoming retirements. With FGC’s BS Degree in Public Safety Administration, students and working public safety professionals will be able to remain in the region, earn their bachelor’s degree, and step into the supervisory, administrative, and leadership roles the region needs.
The new four-year degree program is a major step forward for FGC’s growing Public Safety programs and will enable graduates from FGC’s range of associate degree programs ― from fire and EMS to law enforcement and corrections ― to progress into the bachelor’s program and enter rewarding, well-paying careers in a high-demand field.
Students will receive a comprehensive education in public safety administration, covering disciplines such as executive leadership, public administration and policy, public budgeting, emergency planning, community relations, and ethics. Graduates will complete the program with the critical thinking, problem-solving, and leadership skills needed to be the public safety leaders of tomorrow and serve their communities in law enforcement, corrections, fire services, and emergency management.
With the program receiving official approval from the state board, FGC’s BS in Public Safety Administration is on track to begin in Fall of 2026. This brings the total number of bachelor’s degrees offered at FGC to six, including Business Administration, Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Nursing, and Water Resource Management.
For more information on registration and the programs and degrees offered at FGC, visit www.fgc.edu.