Nonresidential Criminal Justice Graduate Degree Programs

• NCJ Number: 72756
• Journal: Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 8 Issue: 3 Dated: (1980) Pages: 163-174
• Author(s): R Adams
• Date Published: 1980
• Length: 12 pages
• Grant Number(s): 78-01-J01-2188
• Sponsoring Agency: North Carolina Governor's Crime Cmssn
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Presented at the October, 1978 annual meeting of the Southern Association of Criminal Justice Educators

Annotation

The significance, nature, and extent of nonresidential criminal justice graduate degree programs are discussed in this article.

Abstract

The development of such programs began at the end of the last century when the free use of elective courses became established. Extension degrees and degrees specifically designed for adults followed, and innovations appeared in response to the needs of World War II veterans. A survey of the agencies overseeing higher education in the fifty States and the District of Columbia elicited responses from 43 agencies on the number of out-of-State institutions offering graduate degrees in criminal justice in their States, the number of such programs offered by their own State's institutions, and on State policies for these programs. In some instances, distinctions were not clearly drqwn between types or even numbers of programs, and in others, matters concerning such programs were in a state of change, rendering precise information on the number of programs impossible. Furthermore, few States had well developed policy statements or regulations governing nonresidential degree programs. A case study of one program is presented. Institutional structure, curriculum, admissions policy, textbooks, scheduling and duration of classes, physical facilities, learning resources, and faculty are described. The State's governing board rejected the prgram for licensure, and the reasons for the rejection are discussed. The article concludes that innovative educational methods and structures are desirable, but that some nonresidential programs have been inadequate academically. The danger exists that such programs may undermine criminal justice education and defraud the students. Criminal justice scholars are encouraged to require vigorous standards for these programs. Related literature is reviewed. Survey data are not provided. Footnotes and 30 references are included.