HUTCHINSON, Kan. – Hutchinson 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.
HutchCC is one of the member colleges participating in the pathway. It’s built for two groups: HutchCC graduates who want a bachelor’s degree and working public-safety professionals 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.
A student who transfers with an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree from HutchCC can transfer up to 60 of those hours with them into the 120 hours required for the bachelor’s degree. Newman could then award 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.
The prior learning credit is what makes the timeline work for people already in the field. Newman will evaluate law enforcement basic training through the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center and Kansas CPOST certifications, military training and occupations on a Joint Services Transcript, employer and industry training, current professional certifications, and standardized exams such as CLEP and DSST.
“Hutchinson Community College is committed to creating pathways that help our graduates and working professionals continue their education while building on the knowledge and experience they already have,” said Dr. Tricia Paramore, president of Hutchinson Community College. “This partnership with Newman University recognizes the value of that experience and makes completing a bachelor’s degree more accessible for those pursuing careers in criminal justice.”
Every HutchCC graduate admitted to the pathway receives a $20,000 Newman scholarship toward the degree. Newman also matches, dollar for dollar, any federal Pell Grant or State of Kansas financial aid the student applies to the program.
To learn more, contact Sheldon Stewart at [email protected].
