Questions regarding getting masters, my degree, etc.

Okay guys some real quick questions and I would like to thank you all in advance for your input.

1.) I enrolled in the Kaplan University College for Professional Studies Criminal Justice BS of CJ degree program. I expect to have it completed by Jan. of 2006. During this time College for Professional Studies has been rolled into Kaplan University's School of Criminal Justice and is no longer accepting students as of 2003 for the College for Professional Studies, only Kaplan U. The College for Professional Studies was DETC accredited and Kaplan is regionally accredited so my question is...since there is no longer a College for Professional Studies and the Criminal Justice degree is now regionally accredited...is my degree considered regionally accredited or DETC?

2.) I plan on enrolling for a Masters degree very soon, within the next 8 months. I have my mind made up that I will only consider a regionally accredited school, such as U of Phoenix, TESC or Capella...however, I would eventually like to become a part time or adjunct instructor for a community college, online college or something of the like a little down the road. I want to teach Criminal Justice topics and I work full time as a Law Enforcement Officer now. So I assumed that I would need a CJ Masters degree, BUT, I also see a Masters for post secondary education, which will get me to my goal of becoming a criminal justice instructor at the college level better?

Thanks again.

 

Hi - In regards to your first question, since you are a current student I would expect that your school could give you a more definitive answer than anyone on this forum. Have you asked them? As for your second question, I don't know the answer and I don't know if anyone can give you a definitive answer without knowing a lot more about you, your background, your credentials and your specific goals. My best piece of advice is to suggest that you go to the university websites of the schools at which you would most like to teach. Then look at the credentials of their current faculty. Then do your best to replicate those credentials. Good luck.
Jack

 

In order to teach Criminal Justice at the college level, a Master's in CJ is always preferable to an Education degree.

Check out my list of RA Criminal Justice degrees below, there is a section for Master's programs with many different options.

 

1. Your degree will be RA ... possibly DETC as well, unless they plan on dumping DETC now that they are RA.

2. The master's in education would be good for those aspiring to become high school teachers and education professors. You need a master's in criminal justice. See the clickable links on Bruce's signature line.

 

Thanks guys.

I get confusing answers from the school. They are certified by DETC until 2007 and they will not seek further certification. I am told "I'm not sure" and "I think it will be DETC" while others say that if the school goes regional, all former grads are pretty much grandfathered in.

 

1. Since your degree program became RA as of 2003 and remains DETC until 2007, any 2003-2007 vintage graduates have degrees that are both DETC and RA.

2. Technically, when a school becomes accredited, old degrees issued in pre-accreditation days do not go through some mystical process of "becoming accredited." Josh Walston, a co-author with John Bear of a DL guide to religious schools, describes it thusly: an old car still keeps its original model year, even after many new model years have come out; so the old degree is accredited or not based on the situation at the time the individual graduated with said degree. However, where the rubber meets the road, when someone (e.g., a prospective employer or a graduate school admissions committee member) checks up on the accreditation of a given school, they will usually check whether the school is accredited now and make their judgement based upon that.

 

Thanks Ted.

Can't get any more clear than that.