Reinhardt College will begin offering two new degrees in January to help train public safety officers and firefighters.

The Waleska college will offer an associate of science in criminal justice and an associate of science in fire management with online options.

Demand for law enforcement officers and firefighters is expected to rise 11 percent before 2016, according to the college.

Reinhardt officials said the new degrees are in response to the need for these occupations.

The criminal justice program is structured to offer introductory career training for those interested in law enforcement; the legal system; local, state and federal government; and homeland security. It also has opportunities for security management in the private and public sector, postal service and non-profit arenas.

The fire management program will prepare students to excel and advance in the field of firefighting. It will also offer opportunities for advancement to leadership and management positions. The required and elective courses in the fire management program are derived from the model curriculum adopted by the Fire and Emergency Services Higher Education network.

The programs have been designed with busy adults in mind, according to Reinhardt officials. Offering eight-week terms, Reinhardt allows students to enroll full-time or part-time with the online format available.

Reinhardt partners with The Learning House, Inc., a comprehensive online education solutions partner in Louisville, Ky., to offer online courses. The online campus environment includes features such as customized course content, 24/7 technical support and other various academic resources.