NCJ Number
130722
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 39 Issue: 6 Dated: (June 1991) Pages: 93-96
Date Published
1991
Length
4 pages
Annotation
The bachelor of science degree program with a major in criminal justice for police officers at Thomas A. Edison College in Trenton, NJ is described.
Abstract
Edison State College is unique in three ways: it does not require residency for the degrees offered, it does not have a semester calendar year, and it has no classrooms and does not offer courses of its own. It currently enrolls 7,000 students and has graduated 7,000 students since 1972. The average age of a student is 39 years. Police officers can obtain course credit through CLEP exams, correspondence study, and portfolio assessment. The college degree for police officers requires 120 semester hours of credit for completion. Officers enrolling at the college are assigned advisers who help them compile a degree program plan that meets the basic requirements in English and mathematics. The criminal justice specialization requires 33 credits in criminal justice in areas of human services; theory; application of theory; and evaluation of an officer's job description, performance, and knowledge of policies. This non-traditional degree program provides police officers with the opportunity to complete a college degree while working.