Master of Science in Fire Safety Engineering

There is a strong European tendency to move from prescriptive towards performance-based fire safety designs. This goes hand in hand with a strong need for advanced knowledge in the multidisciplinary field of Fire Safety Engineering (FSE). Students who take on our Master’s programme will be well-prepared for professional activities within this evolving field of FSE.

EUR-ACE® Master (EURopean ACcredited Engineering Master)

The EUR-ACE label was accredited to this programme by the Commission des titres d’ingénieur (CTI), under the auspices of the European Network for Accreditation of Engineering Education (ENAEE).

EUR-ACE® is a framework and accreditation system that provides a set of standards that identifies high-quality engineering degree programmes in Europe and abroad.

www.enaee.eu

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Master's Programme

2 year 120 credits

Faculty of Engineering and Architecture

English

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About the programme

Programme summary

Find out more

Off to a good start

After graduation

Study programme content subject to change

First year

(version 9 )

1 General Courses

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Explosions and Industrial Fire Safety	1	sem 1	en	Filip Verplaetsen	6

Fire Dynamics	1	sem 1	en	Tarek Beji	6

Data-Driven Management of Fire Incidents	1	sem 1	en	Steven Verstockt	3

Thermodynamics, Heat and Mass Transfer	1	sem 1	en	Georgios Maragkos	6

Material Behaviour at Ambient and Elevated Temperatures	1	sem 1	en	Bart Merci	3

Interaction between People and Fire	1	sem 2	en	Edwin Galea	6

Risk Management	1	sem 2	en	Ruben Van Coile	6

Compartmentation Strategies	1	sem 2	en	David Maeso Asua	3

Structural Fire Engineering	1	sem 2	en	Thomas Thienpont	6

Fluid Mechanics Applications in Fire	1	sem 2	en	Tom De Mulder	6

CFD for Fire Safety Engineering	1	sem 2	en	Tarek Beji	3

2 Elective Courses

Subscribe to no less than 6 and no more than 9 credit units from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

All students take Design for Structural Fire Resistance (E051512), either in year 1 or in year 2.
Students without the prerequisite structural/civil engineering background:
- Subscribe to Analysis of Structures (E051511) in year 1
- Subscribe to Design for Structural Fire Resistance (E051512) in year 2
- May choose Applications of Advanced Structural Fire Engineering (E051620) as an extra elective in year 2.
Students with the necessary initial competences:
- Sbuscribe to Design for Structural Fire Resistance (E051512) in year 1
- Subscribe to Applications of Advanced Structural Fire Engineering (E051620) in year 2

2.1 Elective Course Design

Subscribe to 3 credit units from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

Course	Ref	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Design for Structural Fire Resistance			sem 1	en	Emmanuel Annerel	3

2.2 Elective Course Structures

Subscribe to no less than 3 and no more than 6 credit units from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

Course	Ref	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Analysis of Structures		1	sem 1	en	Andrea Franchini	3

3 Elective Courses

Subscribe to no less than 6 and no more than 9 credit units from no less than 1 and no more than 3 modules from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

3.1 Elective Courses Fire Safety Engineering

Subscribe to no more than 9 credit units from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

Course	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Introduction to Entrepreneurship	sem 1	en	Petra Andries	3

Fluid Machines	sem 1	en		6

Modelling of Turbulence and Combustion	sem 1	en	Alexander Snegirev	3

FSE Based Firefighting	sem 1	en	Karel Lambert	3

Fire Research Seminar	sem 1	en	Bart Merci	3

Research Internship	year	en	Patrick Segers	6

Research Internship	year	en	Patrick Segers	3

3.2 Elective Social Courses

Subscribe to no less than 6 credit units from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

Students may apply for another elective social course, given a clear motivation and after approval by the faculty (exceptionally, as a rule a course from the list below is followed).

Course	Ref	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Industry Internship Engineering and Architecture		year	nl,en	Patrick Segers	6

Integrated Portfolio		year	nl,en	Hiep Luong	6

Integrated Portfolio		year	nl,en	Hiep Luong	3

Safety of Electrical and Mechanical Installations		sem 2	nl	Jos Knockaert	3

Sustainable Energy and Rational Use of Energy		sem 2	en	Jeroen Beeckman	4

Sustainable Use of Materials: Metals		sem 1	nl	Kim Verbeken	3

Sustainable Use of Materials: Plastics and Derived Materials		sem 2	nl	Lode Daelemans	3

Technology and Environment		sem 1	en	Luc Martens	3

Water and Air Quality Management		sem 2	en	Joris Thybaut	4

Biosystems		sem 1	nl	Pascal Verdonck	3

Ethics, Engineering and Society		sem 2	nl	Seppe Segers	3

History and Philosophy of Sciences		sem 2	nl	Maarten Van Dyck	3

The Information Society and ICT		sem 2	nl	Erik Mannens	3

Introduction to Psychology		sem 1	nl	Wim Notebaert	3

Coaching and Diversity	UKV	year	nl	Elisabeth De Schauwer	3

Context and Nuance. A Critical Reflection on Current Topics	UKV	sem 1	nl	July De Wilde	6

Basic Entrepreneurship	UKV	sem 1	nl	Yannick Dillen	3

Introduction to Corporate Law		sem 1	nl	Diederik Bruloot	3

Dare to Venture		sem 2	en	Johan Verrue	4

Dare to Start		sem 2	en	Wouter Haerick	3

Principles of Law and Construction Law		sem 1	nl	Jelle Laverge	3

Engineering Economy		sem 1	en	Sofie Verbrugge	6

Introduction to Entrepreneurship		sem 1	en	Petra Andries	3

Powerful Learning Environments		sem 1	nl	Bram De Wever	6

The Teacher within Class, School and Society		sem 2	nl	Melissa Tuytens	6

The Student: Development and Motivation		sem 1	nl	Wim Beyers	6

Macroeconomics		sem 1	nl	Freddy Heylen	6

Introduction Industrial Psychology		sem 1	nl	Bart Wille	5

Business Skills		sem 2	en	Mieke Audenaert	4

Academic English	UKV	sem 2 sem 1	en en	Geert Jacobs	3

Communication		sem 1	nl	Leen Pollefliet	3

Basics of Health and Safety at Work for Engineers		sem 1	nl		3

3.3 Elective Courses Ghent University

Subscribe to no more than 6 credit units from the programmes of Ghent University, including the Ghent University Elective Courses. Subject to approval by the faculty.

Second year

(version 9 )

1 General Courses

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Active Fire Protection I: Detection and Suppression	2	sem 1	en	Christian Gryspeert	6

Active Fire Protection II: Smoke and Heat Control	2	sem 1	en	Bart Merci	6

Fire Safety and Legislation	2	sem 1	en	Jan De Saedeleer	3

Passive Fire Protection	2	sem 1	en	Emmanuel Annerel	3

Performance-Based Design	2	sem 1	en	Patrick van Hees	6

Fire Safety Strategy Project	2	sem 2	en	David Maeso Asua	3

2 Elective Courses

Subscribe to no less than 6 and no more than 9 credit units from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

All students take Design for Structural Fire Resistance (E051512), either in year 1 or in year 2.
Students without the prerequisite structural/civil engineering background:
- Subscribe to Analysis of Structures (E051511) in year 1
- Subscribe to Design for Structural Fire Resistance (E051512) in year 2
- May choose Applications of Advanced Structural Fire Engineering (E051620) as an extra elective in year 2.
Students with the necessary initial competences:
- Sbuscribe to Design for Structural Fire Resistance (E051512) in year 1
- Subscribe to Applications of Advanced Structural Fire Engineering (E051620) in year 2

2.1 Elective Course Design

Subscribe to 3 credit units from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

Course	Ref	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Design for Structural Fire Resistance			sem 1	en	Emmanuel Annerel	3

2.2 Elective Course Structures

Subscribe to no less than 3 and no more than 6 credit units from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

Course	Ref	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Applications of Advanced Structural Fire Engineering		2	sem 1	en	Ruben Van Coile	3

3 Elective Courses

Subscribe to no less than 6 and no more than 9 credit units from no less than 1 and no more than 3 modules from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

3.1 Elective Courses Fire Safety Engineering

Subscribe to no more than 9 credit units from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

Course	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Introduction to Entrepreneurship	sem 1	en	Petra Andries	3

Fluid Machines	sem 1	en		6

Modelling of Turbulence and Combustion	sem 1	en	Alexander Snegirev	3

FSE Based Firefighting	sem 1	en	Karel Lambert	3

Fire Research Seminar	sem 1	en	Bart Merci	3

Research Internship	year	en	Patrick Segers	6

Research Internship	year	en	Patrick Segers	3

3.2 Elective Social Courses

Subscribe to no less than 6 credit units from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

Students may apply for another elective social course, given a clear motivation and after approval by the faculty (exceptionally, as a rule a course from the list below is followed).

Course	Ref	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Industry Internship Engineering and Architecture		year	nl,en	Patrick Segers	6

Integrated Portfolio		year	nl,en	Hiep Luong	6

Integrated Portfolio		year	nl,en	Hiep Luong	3

Safety of Electrical and Mechanical Installations		sem 2	nl	Jos Knockaert	3

Sustainable Energy and Rational Use of Energy		sem 2	en	Jeroen Beeckman	4

Sustainable Use of Materials: Metals		sem 1	nl	Kim Verbeken	3

Sustainable Use of Materials: Plastics and Derived Materials		sem 2	nl	Lode Daelemans	3

Technology and Environment		sem 1	en	Luc Martens	3

Water and Air Quality Management		sem 2	en	Joris Thybaut	4

Biosystems		sem 1	nl	Pascal Verdonck	3

Ethics, Engineering and Society		sem 2	nl	Seppe Segers	3

History and Philosophy of Sciences		sem 2	nl	Maarten Van Dyck	3

The Information Society and ICT		sem 2	nl	Erik Mannens	3

Introduction to Psychology		sem 1	nl	Wim Notebaert	3

Coaching and Diversity	UKV	year	nl	Elisabeth De Schauwer	3

Context and Nuance. A Critical Reflection on Current Topics	UKV	sem 1	nl	July De Wilde	6

Basic Entrepreneurship	UKV	sem 1	nl	Yannick Dillen	3

Introduction to Corporate Law		sem 1	nl	Diederik Bruloot	3

Dare to Venture		sem 2	en	Johan Verrue	4

Dare to Start		sem 2	en	Wouter Haerick	3

Principles of Law and Construction Law		sem 1	nl	Jelle Laverge	3

Engineering Economy		sem 1	en	Sofie Verbrugge	6

Introduction to Entrepreneurship		sem 1	en	Petra Andries	3

Powerful Learning Environments		sem 1	nl	Bram De Wever	6

The Teacher within Class, School and Society		sem 2	nl	Melissa Tuytens	6

The Student: Development and Motivation		sem 1	nl	Wim Beyers	6

Macroeconomics		sem 1	nl	Freddy Heylen	6

Introduction Industrial Psychology		sem 1	nl	Bart Wille	5

Business Skills		sem 2	en	Mieke Audenaert	4

Academic English	UKV	sem 2 sem 1	en en	Geert Jacobs	3

Communication		sem 1	nl	Leen Pollefliet	3

Basics of Health and Safety at Work for Engineers		sem 1	nl		3

3.3 Elective Courses Ghent University

Subscribe to no more than 6 credit units from the programmes of Ghent University, including the Ghent University Elective Courses. Subject to approval by the faculty.

4 Master's Dissertation

Course	Ref	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Master's Dissertation		2	year	en		24

Full programme

(version 9 )

Print

1 General Courses 81

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Explosions and Industrial Fire Safety	1	sem 1	en	Filip Verplaetsen	6

Fire Dynamics	1	sem 1	en	Tarek Beji	6

Data-Driven Management of Fire Incidents	1	sem 1	en	Steven Verstockt	3

Thermodynamics, Heat and Mass Transfer	1	sem 1	en	Georgios Maragkos	6

Material Behaviour at Ambient and Elevated Temperatures	1	sem 1	en	Bart Merci	3

Interaction between People and Fire	1	sem 2	en	Edwin Galea	6

Risk Management	1	sem 2	en	Ruben Van Coile	6

Compartmentation Strategies	1	sem 2	en	David Maeso Asua	3

Structural Fire Engineering	1	sem 2	en	Thomas Thienpont	6

Fluid Mechanics Applications in Fire	1	sem 2	en	Tom De Mulder	6

CFD for Fire Safety Engineering	1	sem 2	en	Tarek Beji	3

Active Fire Protection I: Detection and Suppression	2	sem 1	en	Christian Gryspeert	6

Active Fire Protection II: Smoke and Heat Control	2	sem 1	en	Bart Merci	6

Fire Safety and Legislation	2	sem 1	en	Jan De Saedeleer	3

Passive Fire Protection	2	sem 1	en	Emmanuel Annerel	3

Performance-Based Design	2	sem 1	en	Patrick van Hees	6

Fire Safety Strategy Project	2	sem 2	en	David Maeso Asua	3

2 Elective Courses

Subscribe to no less than 6 and no more than 9 credit units from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

All students take Design for Structural Fire Resistance (E051512), either in year 1 or in year 2.
Students without the prerequisite structural/civil engineering background:
- Subscribe to Analysis of Structures (E051511) in year 1
- Subscribe to Design for Structural Fire Resistance (E051512) in year 2
- May choose Applications of Advanced Structural Fire Engineering (E051620) as an extra elective in year 2.
Students with the necessary initial competences:
- Sbuscribe to Design for Structural Fire Resistance (E051512) in year 1
- Subscribe to Applications of Advanced Structural Fire Engineering (E051620) in year 2

2.1 Elective Course Design

Subscribe to 3 credit units from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

Course	Ref	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Design for Structural Fire Resistance			sem 1	en	Emmanuel Annerel	3

2.2 Elective Course Structures

Subscribe to no less than 3 and no more than 6 credit units from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Analysis of Structures	1	sem 1	en	Andrea Franchini	3

Applications of Advanced Structural Fire Engineering	2	sem 1	en	Ruben Van Coile	3

3 Elective Courses

Subscribe to no less than 6 and no more than 9 credit units from no less than 1 and no more than 3 modules from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

3.1 Elective Courses Fire Safety Engineering

Subscribe to no more than 9 credit units from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

Course	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Introduction to Entrepreneurship	sem 1	en	Petra Andries	3

Fluid Machines	sem 1	en		6

Modelling of Turbulence and Combustion	sem 1	en	Alexander Snegirev	3

FSE Based Firefighting	sem 1	en	Karel Lambert	3

Fire Research Seminar	sem 1	en	Bart Merci	3

Research Internship	year	en	Patrick Segers	6

Research Internship	year	en	Patrick Segers	3

3.2 Elective Social Courses

Subscribe to no less than 6 credit units from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

Students may apply for another elective social course, given a clear motivation and after approval by the faculty (exceptionally, as a rule a course from the list below is followed).

Course	Ref	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Industry Internship Engineering and Architecture		year	nl,en	Patrick Segers	6

Integrated Portfolio		year	nl,en	Hiep Luong	6

Integrated Portfolio		year	nl,en	Hiep Luong	3

Safety of Electrical and Mechanical Installations		sem 2	nl	Jos Knockaert	3

Sustainable Energy and Rational Use of Energy		sem 2	en	Jeroen Beeckman	4

Sustainable Use of Materials: Metals		sem 1	nl	Kim Verbeken	3

Sustainable Use of Materials: Plastics and Derived Materials		sem 2	nl	Lode Daelemans	3

Technology and Environment		sem 1	en	Luc Martens	3

Water and Air Quality Management		sem 2	en	Joris Thybaut	4

Biosystems		sem 1	nl	Pascal Verdonck	3

Ethics, Engineering and Society		sem 2	nl	Seppe Segers	3

History and Philosophy of Sciences		sem 2	nl	Maarten Van Dyck	3

The Information Society and ICT		sem 2	nl	Erik Mannens	3

Introduction to Psychology		sem 1	nl	Wim Notebaert	3

Coaching and Diversity	UKV	year	nl	Elisabeth De Schauwer	3

Context and Nuance. A Critical Reflection on Current Topics	UKV	sem 1	nl	July De Wilde	6

Basic Entrepreneurship	UKV	sem 1	nl	Yannick Dillen	3

Introduction to Corporate Law		sem 1	nl	Diederik Bruloot	3

Dare to Venture		sem 2	en	Johan Verrue	4

Dare to Start		sem 2	en	Wouter Haerick	3

Principles of Law and Construction Law		sem 1	nl	Jelle Laverge	3

Engineering Economy		sem 1	en	Sofie Verbrugge	6

Introduction to Entrepreneurship		sem 1	en	Petra Andries	3

Powerful Learning Environments		sem 1	nl	Bram De Wever	6

The Teacher within Class, School and Society		sem 2	nl	Melissa Tuytens	6

The Student: Development and Motivation		sem 1	nl	Wim Beyers	6

Macroeconomics		sem 1	nl	Freddy Heylen	6

Introduction Industrial Psychology		sem 1	nl	Bart Wille	5

Business Skills		sem 2	en	Mieke Audenaert	4

Academic English	UKV	sem 2 sem 1	en en	Geert Jacobs	3

Communication		sem 1	nl	Leen Pollefliet	3

Basics of Health and Safety at Work for Engineers		sem 1	nl		3

3.3 Elective Courses Ghent University

Subscribe to no more than 6 credit units from the programmes of Ghent University, including the Ghent University Elective Courses. Subject to approval by the faculty.

4 Master's Dissertation 24

Course	Ref	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Master's Dissertation		2	year	en		24

Learning outcomes

Competence field 1: Competency in one or more scientific disciplines

Possess advanced, theoretically profound, knowledge of the own engineering discipline and the ability to apply this knowledge in a creative and critical way to new, complex problems.
Be able to design innovative products or processes using appropriate or autonomously developed and validated models and techniques, using recent digital technologies.
Demonstrate integrative and system-oriented problem-solving thinking under uncertain and conflicting conditions, with attention for the correct level of abstraction.
Be able to formulate a research question from a complex scientific problem, after in-depth study of relevant and state-of-the-art scientific literature.
Be able to critically interpret and communicate one's own results in English to both experts and laypersons and defend decisions made.
Be able to position oneself in, and function within an international team, with an understanding of effective leadership and an awareness of cultural sensitivity.
Demonstrate a lifelong learning attitude to keep up with the advancements and developments in scientific research in one’s own discipline and continue to develop one's competencies.
Act according to the principles of research integrity, professional deontology and ethics.
Demonstrate sustainability thinking, entrepreneurial skills, and pay attention to the role of science, technology and innovation in addressing societal issues from various perspectives, and in an international context.
Critically reflect on one's own thinking and actions, and act according to the limitations of one's competencies in a conscientious and responsible manner.
Master and apply knowledge of physics, chemistry, thermodynamics, heat and mass transfer to critically analyse the development of fires in the built environment or explosions.
Master and apply knowledge of element methods and dynamics of structures to critically analyse the behaviour of structures in case of fire.
Master and apply the advanced knowledge of fire or explosion dynamics, smoke dynamics, risk assessment, fire safety legislation and regulations, human behaviour, active and passive fire protection measures, and integrate this to develop a fire safety strategy or performance based fire safety design in the built environment (which can include wildland – urban interface) or for industry fire protection.
Perform valid computer simulations of the development of fires in the built environment or explosions, and of the behaviour of structures in case of fire.
Perform and critically analyse fire risk assessment and management in an autonomous and flexible manner, based on limited, incomplete, contradictory or redundant data.
Act in an ethical, professional and social way when developing and presenting a performance based fire safety design.