Master's in Fire Protection Engineering

Master of Science
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Make the World a Safer Place from Fire

The demand for fire protection engineers has never been greater. From the raging fires in the Amazon Rainforest to the destruction at Notre Dame Cathedral, the impact of fires can be catastrophic. As climate change accelerates, wildfires are becoming more frequent, intense, and costly. How can you make a difference?

Fire protection engineers make the world a safer place by working to better understand fires, how they spread, and how to prevent them. At WPI, our MS in Fire Protection Engineering will prepare you to enter this in-demand, lucrative field.

  • Gain hands-on experience in one of the largest, most advanced fire protection labs in the U.S.
  • Build critical thinking skills needed to become a leader in fire protection research, policy, education, and beyond
  • Earn your degree your way—full-time or part-time and on campus or online (online students still have access to our state-of-the-art labs)
  • Get the most out of your WPI experience with one-on-one academic and career mentorship and applied learning opportunities
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IN THE NEWS

WPI: Conducting Critical Wildfire Research

The catastrophic wildfires in the Los Angeles area in January of 2025 demonstrated the dangers of wind-driven fires in inhabited areas. WPI’s research, which involves faculty and ongoing experiments conducted by students in state-of-the-art facilities, was featured by several media outlets including The Associated Press, The Boston Globe, WBUR's The Common, WCVB, NBC 10 Boston, NECN, The New York Times, and Spectrum News 1.

This program is also available online

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MS Fire Protection Engineering Curriculum

Our curriculum is grounded in the fundamentals of engineering, science, and mathematics, and enhanced with the fire safety aspects of human behavior, business, management, and public policy. You will gain hands-on experience with innovative, state-of-the-art fire protection and safety engineering technology.

You’ll work closely with a faculty advisor to tailor a program that matches your interests and professional goals and can study topics including fire suppression, risk management, industrial fire protection, and explosion protection.

Thesis and non-thesis options are available, and both part- and full-time students may participate in our internship program that matches students with sponsors around the globe.

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Fire Protection Research

WPI’s Fire Protection Engineering Department (FPE) has an internationally recognized research focus, creating frontline fire scenarios to better understand such areas as fire dynamics, building properties, and human response to fire-related emergencies.

MS students have many opportunities to work alongside faculty researchers who are immersed in finding and applying new ways to predict fire behavior and inform regulatory policy. Our students conduct fire protection research on topics including building design and evaluation, in situ burning for oil spills, and forensic analysis of fire damage.

WPI’s FPE program is one of only three in the nation. Your research will benefit from the unparalleled expertise among our faculty and industry partners.

Explore Our Research
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Celebrating 45 Years of Fire Protection Engineering Excellence

Over the past 45 years, WPI’s FPE program has grown into a thriving graduate program with a robust research agenda and strong industry partnerships. With more than 1,000 alumni across the globe, WPI's influence is far-reaching, educating leaders in industry and agencies.

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State-of-the-Art Fire Science Facilities

At WPI you will have access to fire protection engineering facilities unmatched in both academia and industry. FPE graduate students conduct both course-based and independent research in our state-of- the-art Fire Science Laboratory, Combustion Laboratory, Fire Modeling Laboratory, and Wet Lab.

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WEBINARS

Graduate Studies Series.

Team members from Graduate & Professional Studies host quick and convenient webinars designed to highlight popular topics when starting grad school. Take a deep dive into specific areas of interest such as how to secure funding, how to ace your application, an overview of student services, and more!

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Faculty Profiles

Nicholas Dembsey
Nicholas Dembsey
Professor, Fire Protection Engineering

My research focuses on the building performance applications of fire dynamics, fire characteristics of materials and fire models.  I am working in the following areas: closing the fire performance gap in buildings; fire safety of green buildings; development of new techniques and guidance documents for practicing engineers to measure fire properties of materials; the optimization of building assemblies for fire performance, ease of manufacturing and cost effectiveness.

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Have questions?

WPI's dedicated graduate student support team can help.

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Getting Involved Beyond Your MS Fire Protection Engineering Degree

Graduate students are an integral part of WPI’s active and engaged campus, from student government to performing arts. Fire protection engineering (FPE) students may also join the WPI Student Chapter of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers, which organizes seminars, speakers, and field trips on FPE topics.

REFRESHER COURSES
Take a refresher course to build your confidence and prepare to tackle this program’s challenges.
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Fire Protection Engineering Careers

A rewarding and lucrative career is virtually guaranteed for fire protection engineering graduates, as the global demand for highly skilled fire protection engineers continues to grow. Our students are highly sought after and find work within the fire protection industry and in the sectors of consulting, government, and research, education, and testing. Graduates obtain fire protection engineering jobs in a variety of work environments across the world.

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