LE's unique paths to college degrees

Editor's Note: In another article, Liz discusses a few ideas on how officers could get a handle on student debt. She mentions that a few federal agencies "dangle" the Federal Student Loan Repayment Program to help "recruit great employees."

Some agencies use education perks as a way to attract qualified officers. In Albuquerque, New Mexico, for example, the police department helps officers pay for their education and then rewards them with pay increases once a degree has been earned. In addition to offering a hiring bonus of $5,000, APD has lowered the required number of college credits to 32 in order to attract more applicants. However, the department will waive the college requirement if a candidate meets certain criteria: two years of experience as a military police officer or four years in the National Guard or reserve; two years as a City of Albuquerque Police Service Aide or Prisoner Transport Officer; or five years as a government or private sector employee. And under the Exceptional Candidate category, the 32-credit requirement may be waived if an applicant is at least 24 and has a stable, positive work history and a secure financial status. Exceptional candidates must commit to serve three years with APD and to earn 60 college credits within three years.

APD partners with Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) to award 28 semester credit hours for academy training, so recruits who already have 32 credits earn an associate degree by completing the academy. Those entering without the college credits have three years to complete their degree. If the officer chooses to earn the degree at CNM, the City of Albuquerque will pay for that education. APD rewards higher degrees, too. Officers who hold a bachelor’s degree earn an additional $1,620 annually, while those with a master’s get an extra $1,920 each year.

Many local police departments offer tuition reimbursement as well as salary increases when degrees are attained. The Oklahoma City Police Department (OCPD) is an example. OCPD reimburses officers for their entire tuition costs up to $1,250 per semester and offers an additional $75 per month for those with an associate degree, $150 per month for a bachelor’s degree, and $175 for a graduate degree.

In Atlanta, police officers can take advantage of the Scholarship Reimbursement Program through the Atlanta Police Foundation, which offers reimbursement scholarships of up to $3,000 a year.

In addition to offering non-traditional degree pathways that save students time and money, some colleges put their money where their diplomas are by guaranteeing a minimum income for graduates.

Several private colleges and universities—primarily Christian schools—offer the Loan Repayment Assistance Program to their graduates. If graduates do not earn a minimum salary upon graduation, some or all of the student loans will be reimbursed.

At Adrian College in Spring Arbor, Michigan, which charges about $40,000 a year for tuition and housing, students who do not make in excess of $37,000 per year after graduation are eligible for loan reimbursement, up to a total of $70,000. The idea is to encourage students to follow their dreams after graduation, even if their ideal job doesn’t come with a high salary. Adrian graduates can find employment at the Detroit Police Department, for example, without stressing about loan payments: starting pay is $31,701, with an increase to $33,949 after a year.

New York residents who want to give back to the communities where they grew up by working in law enforcement can also take advantage of the Loan Repayment Assistance Program if they attend Houghton College, which is located in the Genesee Valley. According to the Empire Center for Public Policy, average pay in 2013-2014 for police officers and firefighters in the area of the state capital, Albany, was $27,005, and in Central New York was $29,724.

Some colleges and universities reduce costs by offering novel ways of earning a degree. The University of Phoenix is well known for offering online college courses, which makes attendance simpler for LEOs whose schedules change often and who may not be able to attend traditional colleges. For those who prefer the classroom experience, on-ground education is also offered in many areas of the country. Phoenix offers credit for attendance at an approved academy, and some academy graduates qualify for tuition discounts. Like traditional colleges, Phoenix evaluates credits earned at prior institutions on a case-by-case basis and makes a determination about which classes will transfer. The school’s financial aid department assists students with loan applications and other means of financing an education. Associate and bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice are offered completely online, on-ground, or through a combination of both course delivery types.

Unlike University of Phoenix, Charter Oak State College in New Britain, Conn., is a public institution. Charter Oak is Connecticut’s public online college, which was created in 1973 to address the needs of the adult workforce population. While other colleges sometimes refuse to give credit for courses taken elsewhere, Charter Oak is a transfer college. To be accepted, students must transfer in a minimum of 9 credits, which do not have to be earned through traditional coursework. Credit can come from attendance at a police academy, or it can be in the form CLEP or DANTES tests. Both College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) and Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) are tests of college-level knowledge. DANTES exams can be taken around the globe on military bases, embassies and college campuses, and some are offered free or at a discount for service members.

Another difference is that transcripts from other schools do not expire, so no matter how long ago a class was taken, it can be used to fulfill degree requirements. The college also has a unique residency requirement: only six credits have to be completed while enrolled, which means that students who are within two classes of finishing a degree could complete it in one term at Charter Oak.

Course credit can come through other means, including a portfolio process which offers credit for knowledge that a student already has. Training given by a student’s agency, DHS, or anyplace else is eligible for credit. Charter Oak will assign credit as long as the learning outcome corresponds to a college course from any other college in the country. So a student who has acquired knowledge in constitutional law or interpersonal communications, for example, from an academy will "challenge" existing courses in those subject areas from another accredited college. Of course, any credits that can be earned without paying for a class represents a significant savings.

Charter Oak also offers online courses itself, including those leading to an associate or bachelor’s degree in Public Safety Administration. The PSA program is restricted to public safety practitioners and retirees, and students have the opportunity to learn from each other’s real-world experience via class discussion boards. General studies degrees are offered, which can make sense for students who arrive with a fistful of transcripts from different universities. At the bachelor’s level, concentrations in criminal justice and PSA are offered, along with a dedicated bachelor’s in cybersecurity. Charter Oak is also gearing up to offer a master’s degree in Organizational Effectiveness and Leadership.

Charter Oak courses are accelerated, lasting eight weeks. PSA courses are held over five weeks. All courses are asynchronous, giving students flexibility in their school schedule. Degrees are conferred three times a year, which can be helpful if a degree is needed by a certain deadline in order to receive a promotion.

Charter Oak will accept letters of credit from any municipality that pays for a student’s education, sending the bill directly to the responsible agency. Students are eligible for PELL grants and Stafford Loans, in addition to scholarships. The Mark Carr Scholarship is offered to PSA majors only on the basis of merit. The Sgt. George R. Dingwall Scholarship, which was established in memory of the Charter Oak graduate, who lost his life in the line of duty as a law enforcement officer in Middletown, Conn., is open only to those employed in the field of public safety.

Another public college that offers online degrees with credit for prior learning is Empire State University, part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system. ESC will award up to 93 transfer credits for college-level learning attained prior to enrollment. A bachelor’s degree requires the completion of 124 credits, with at least 31 earned at ESC. Students have the opportunity to enroll five times during the year. For over 40 years, ESC has awarded college credit through Prior Learning Assessment (PLA). Credit can be granted for knowledge of forensic science, emergency management, and organizational dynamics, among other subjects. The college also awards credit for CLEP and DANTES. The college has a partnership with the International Union of Police Associations to help its members take advantage of college credit awarded for prior learning, professional licenses, and police academy training. A degree can be earned completely online, at a New York location, or both. Graduate degrees are also offered at ESC, and some of the graduate programs accept credit through the PLA process. ESC is a state school. While federal financial aid is an option, several scholarships like the Morton Bahr Online Learning Scholarship are also available.

Of course, there is no price that can be placed on flexibility. It may be worth paying more in tuition to have the convenience of taking online classes, especially if a degree would not be attainable completely through traditional classroom education.

Tribal colleges

The best-kept secret in affordable American education comes from the First Americans: Indian tribal colleges. About three dozen of these colleges exist on or near Indian reservations, and they offer an education that is priced to be accessible. Non-Indians can attend these colleges, which are all accredited. Most tribal colleges are two-year schools, but a few offer bachelor’s degrees and online education. Federal grants and loans are available, along with scholarships that are individual to each school.

Bay Mills Community College in Brimley, Mich., is a tribal college offering an A.A. degree with an emphasis on the corrections field. Courses have a price tag of $95 per credit, which is waived for students who are members of any federally recognized Indian tribe.

At Turtle Mountain Community College in Belcourt, N.D., students can earn an associate degree in criminal justice at a cost of $83 per credit hour. The college recognizes that most students will need to earn a bachelor’s degree for a career in law enforcement, so the CJ program is flexible and can be modified in order to meet the specific requirements of the transfer university.

One of the largest tribal colleges is Dine College (pronounced dee-NAY), with six locations in Arizona and New Mexico—all on the Navajo Nation. While criminal justice degrees are not offered, students can earn an associate degree in liberal arts, social and behavioral sciences or social work, which they can transfer to a four-year college. Tuition is meager $55 per credit hour or $660 per semester for a full course load.

United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck, N.D., offers an online as well as on-ground associate degree in criminal justice, and a bachelor’s in CJ with minors in criminal investigations; corrections, probation and parole; or community services. The cost of attendance ranges from $115 to $200 per credit hour.