The degree programs in Criminal Justice at Shorter are designed to open many opportunities for jobs on the federal, state, county and city levels and will give graduates a well-rounded, comprehensive study of the three areas of Criminal Justice – police, courts, and corrections – as well as supporting agencies.
“While you do not have to have a four-year degree to be a police officer except at the federal level, many agencies are looking to promote individuals who do have four-year degrees,” said Dr. Beverley Spitler, professor of Criminal Justice at Shorter and head of the degree program. “Some certification agencies are also giving preference to candidates who have or are pursuing a degree.”
Shorter has offered a major in Criminal Justice through its traditional program since 2011 and will continue that program. The addition of the online degree programs is designed to make the major more accessible for adults returning to school.
“Placing our Criminal Justice degree online provides an additional option to our existing traditional classroom format and helps to meet the growing demand for such a program,” said Dr. Donald L. Martin, Jr., executive vice president and provost at Shorter. “Our highly qualified faculty have expertise and experience in a variety of areas within the field of Criminal Justice and view their work as a calling, not just a profession. We are pleased to be able to offer this particular program online so that working adults can pursue a degree in a format conducive to their personal schedules.”
Individuals already working in the areas of police, courts, or corrections may qualify for academic credit based on professional experience. Peace officers who are certified by a state or Department of Corrections will receive 14 to 16 hours credit. “Coursework is closely related to the peace officers’ professional experience – allowing them to take the lessons learned back to their agency and improve their service,” Dr. Spitler added.
The online programs in Criminal Justice are also ideal for active and former military personnel. Shorter offers a convenient, military-friendly education for military personnel who have spent or who are actively spending their lives serving and protecting our country. Shorter’s Online Programs also honor our troops by providing special benefits to each branch of the military, reservists, veterans, military spouses, and Department of Defense employees. Military personnel, veterans, and military spouses are given a discount on their tuition. An Online Financial Aid Advisor is available to process military and veteran benefits as well as answer any questions regarding possible benefits students are eligible to receive.
Shorter’s Criminal Justice faculty consists of scholar-practitioners who teach from both an academic perspective and personal experience in the field. “The Criminal Justice Program at Shorter University strongly believes in Micah 6:8, which says ‘And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God,” Dr. Spitler said. “As Christians we have obligations to orphans, widows and the oppressed, but also to the incarcerated.”
Courses in the Criminal Justice program include Introduction to Criminal Justice, Theories in Criminal Justice, Correctional Systems, Police Systems, Judicial Systems, Internship, Conflict Resolution and Mediation, Research Methods in Criminal Justice, and Ethics in Criminal Justice. Criminal Justice majors also must complete 9 hours of electives, choosing from such topics as Procedural Law, International Criminal Justice and Human Rights, Principles and Practices of Restorative Justice, Abnormal Psychology, Juvenile Delinquency, International Terrorism, and Human Trafficking.
For additional information on the Associate of Science with a concentration in Criminal Justice or the Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, contact Dr. Spitler at bspitler@shorter.edu or visit online.shorter.edu.
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