Fire and Emergency Safety of Buildings and Structures

Faculty of Architecture
Department of Construction of Buildings and Structures
Professional Area: Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodes

Speciality: Fire and Emergency Safety of Buildings and Structures

Level of qualification – Educational and Qualification Master’s Degree

Title of qualification awarded - Fire Safety Engineer

Programme duration: 3 semesters
ECTS credits allocated: 93
Field of study (ISCED-F): 1032 Protection of persons and property (861)

• Specific admissions requirements: Holders of higher education diploma from Bulgaria or abroad can study in the master’s degree programme. For educational and qualification degree not lower than bachelor of the same higher education specialty and with GPA of not less than good. The candidates are considered admitted to the specialty after they pass an interview.

• Specific arrangements for recognition of prior studies –
• Information is obtained from the ECTS coordinator of the Department of Construction of Buildings and Structures - Assoc. Prof. Eng. Galina Todorova, PhD; office A – 115, e-mail: g.d.todorova@gmail.com
• the procedure for recognition of credits is based on submission of:
- Diploma of prior studies;
- International diplomas and foreign language certificates (English - Cambridge FCE, TOEFEL; German - Zertifikat Deutsch, Sprahdiplom, Zweite Stufe; Russian - TRKI; French - DELF; Spanish - DELE);
- International diplomas and computer skills certificates equivalent to ECDL (The European Computer Driving Licence).
• the award of credits is according to the syllabus of the specialty and on the basis of the diplomas and certificates.

• Requirements and rules for qualification* - to obtain a master’s degree, the students have to be awarded 93 credits, of which 72 credits from compulsory courses, 3 credits from electives, 4,5 credits from optional courses and 15 credits from diploma thesis defence.

Profile of the specialty: The training in the Master's degree programme in Fire and Emergency Safety of Buildings and Structures for the educational and qualification master’s degree and professional qualification fire safety engineer complies with the Ordinance on State Requirements for Higher Education in educational and qualification master’s degree,
specialties of the regulated profession of "engineer in investment design". The aim of the course is to prepare specialists with in-depth knowledge of specialized courses in the field of fire safety, the design and operation of fire-fighting and fire alarm systems. The current learning material enables to acquire integrated knowledge. Attention is paid to the design, operation and reliability of fire protection systems. The placements and internships included in the training that take place in Bulgarian and foreign companies, enterprises and laboratories are a prerequisite for the high level of the practical training of the students.

• Key learning outcomes – graduates of Fire and Emergency Safety of Buildings and Structures will be equipped with knowledge and skills in:

implementation of current construction and technical regulations to ensure safety in buildings, sites and structures;
fire and emergency-rescue tactics;
design of fire alarm and fire fighting equipment.

Structural diagram of the courses with credits*:

No	ECTS code		Courses		Lectures and Seminars		Out-of-class Workload		Credits
1	2		3		4		5		6
1	MAT1170		Applied mathematics		30		60		3
2	INF 1099		Modern design methods		20		40		2
3	PHY 3014		Mechanics of demolition		50		100		5
4	PHY 3001		Combustion and blast physics		30		60		3
5	ECO 3008		Fire and emergency safety economics		20		40		2
6	TEC 3007		Radiation protection		30		60		3
7	MAS 3002		Fire extinguishing substances		45		90		4,5
8	TEC3085		Investigation and analysis of fires and accidents		20		40		2
9	TEC3086		Fire and emergency safety of buildings and structures		45		90		4,5
*Total for semester 1*					290		580		29
10		TEC3087	Fire and emergency safety of industrial sites		30		60		3
11		TEC3088	Complex systems for automatic fire and emergency safety		45		90		4,5
12		TEC3089	Management systems in complex fires and major industrial accidents		30		60		3
13		TEC3090	Design and operation of fire alarm systems		45		90		4,5
14			Design and operation of fire alarm systems – course assignment		15		30		1,5
15			Design and operation of fire alarm systems – placement		30		60		3
16		TEC3091	Tactics of fire and rescue works in complex and major accidents		30		60		3
17		TEC3092	Design and operation of fire extinguishing systems		45		90		4,5
18			Design and operation of fire extinguishing systems – course assignment		15		30		1,5
19			Design and operation of fire extinguishing systems – placement		30		60		3
*Total for semester 2*					315		630		31,5
Total for year 1					605		1210		60,5
20		TEC 3005	Operation of firefighting and rescue equipment		30		60		3
21			Operation of firefighting and rescue equipment – course assignment		15		30		1,5
22			Operation of firefighting and rescue equipment – placement		30		60		3
23			Pre-graduation internship				120		4
24			Elective course		30		60		3
25			Optional course		30		60		3
			Diploma thesis				450		15
*Total for semester 3*					105		840		32,5
Total for the course of study				750		1950		93
Elective courses
1		TEC3006	Electricity Supply and Electrical Equipment of Anti-fire systems in buildings and structures	30		60		3
		TEC3002	Safety in operation of fire-fighting equipment and automation	30		60		3
Optional courses
1		TEC3003	Automation of anti-explosion protection	30		60		3
		MAN3434	Quality management	30		60		3

* At Varna Free University Chernorizets Hrabar”, one credit corresponds to 30 hours student workload, which includes 10 hours of lectures and seminars and 20 hours out-of-class workload.

Mode of study: full time/ part time

• Rules for semester exams, assessment and grades: - the syllabus of the specialty includes courses from different fields of study, fulfilling the requirement of interdisciplinarity and wide-profile training. This also determines heterogeneous requirements in the final assessment of the students' knowledge. A detailed description of the methods and assessment criteria for each discipline as well as the possibility to inform about the reasons for the assessment are described in detail in the respective curriculum.

Optional or compulsory mobility windows: none

Internship: pre-graduation internship

Apprenticeship programmes: during the placements and the pre-graduation internship

Professional profiles of the graduates:
The graduates have career prospects as designers of fire safety of buildings and structures, such as engineers in company fire and rescue services, in the units of Civil Protection State Agency, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Interior, the National Service for Fire Safety and Population Protection, etc.

Access to further studies: Each student, who has obtained educational and qualification master’s degree has the necessary training to continue his/her education at a higher level of qualification – PhD degree in the doctoral programme in Technique of Occupational Safety and Fire-Fighting Equipment.

Programme director: Prof. Eng. Stefan Terziev, PhD

Admission Day: Monday – Friday, Office A 244, from 10.00 to 12.00.
Phone: + 359 52 359 587
Administrative Secretary: Eng. Desislava Deribeva
tel .: + 359 52 359 591
e-mail: as@vfu.bg