By Kathy Quirk
The Helen Bader School of Social Welfare plans to begin offering an online bachelor’s degree program in criminal justice and criminology in the fall 2024 semester.
The new option is a response to the need for alternatives for students who are interested in earning or completing the degree in an online format, according to Alyssa Sheeran, assistant professor and coordinator of the graduate program.
The new program emerged from faculty discussions about changes during and after the pandemic, with many courses successfully moving online, Sheeran said.
Alyssa Sheeran, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology
“Students have really liked these options, so we are trying to keep up with market demands. We will continue to offer our on-campus degree, but we will also have the online option so that students can take either one.”
In recent years, there has been a growing interest in online options, he added. “We moved our master’s degree online and that has been a success. We’ve had good enrollment and good retention. We hope to see something similar with the bachelor’s.”
Flexibility for students
Offering the criminal justice degree online will provide flexibility for students who have professional and family commitments, as well as those who cannot easily travel to campus, she added.
“We will be able to reach a broader geographic region, so that students who do not necessarily live in the area or outside of Wisconsin and who are interested in the program will have the opportunity to complete the degree online from our institution.”
In addition to reaching new students, the online program should be helpful in retaining or attracting students who want to complete a bachelor’s degree, according to Sheeran.
“It is an opportunity to reach out to students who may have started their degree but were unable to finish it due to external circumstances.”
The program is designed to reach police officers, for example, whose departments require them to complete a certain number of credits, he added. “They may be required to complete those 60 credits. This will give them the option to do that.”
Online courses will be available in either asynchronous or synchronous formats. The synchronous format allows students to connect online in a classroom setting and interact with instructors and classmates. The asynchronous format gives students more opportunities to work outside of a classroom setting at their own pace.
There is some additional financial aid available for the online bachelor’s degree. Stan Stojkovic ScholarshipEstablished by criminal justice and criminology professor and former dean Helen Bader, it will focus on assisting those in criminal justice who are completing degrees through the online program.
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