Iola, Kansas — Allen Community College graduates can finish a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in as few as 12 months under a new agreement between Newman University and the Kansas Association of Community Colleges, the statewide association representing the 19 community colleges and three technical colleges in Kansas.
Allen Community College is one of the member colleges participating in the pathway, which was signed Aug. 31. It’s built for two groups: Allen Community College graduates who want a bachelor’s degree ensuring no credits are lost in transfer while completing their degree with substantial scholarships, and working public-safety professionals in Southeast Kansas who already have an established criminal justice career but do not have a bachelor’s degree and could use financial assistance to complete their degree.
Here’s how it works. Newman’s Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice takes 120 credit hours. A student who transfers with an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree from Allen Community College can transfer up to 60 of those hours with them into their bachelor’s degree. Newman then awards up to 30 hours of credit for prior learning. That leaves roughly 30 hours to finish at Newman, which a full-time student can complete in two consecutive semesters plus a summer or intervening term…