Newman Articulation Agreement

Graduates of Labette Community College’s Criminal Justice Program now have an incredible opportunity to earn their bachelor’s degree in as little as 12 months through an articulation agreement with Newman University.

Labette Community College is joining the Kansas Association of Community College’s (KACC) system-wide articulation agreement with Newman University’s Criminal Justice Program.

The KACC is a statewide association representing the 19 community colleges and three technical colleges in Kansas. LCC is now one of the member colleges participating in the pathway agreement signed Aug. 31 with Newman.

This agreement is designed to assist two groups:

• LCC graduates who want a bachelor's degree ensuring no credits are lost in transfer,
• And working public-safety professionals in Labette County who already have an established criminal justice career but do not have a bachelor's degree.

The bachelor’s degree in criminal justice is a requirement for a lot of professions to enter into management,” LCC Vice President of Academic Affairs John Gillette said. “For example, there are plenty of people who qualify to be police officers. That’s not the hard part. The hard part is getting your bachelor’s degree to move up, and this enables them to do it.”

Here's how it works. Newman's bachelor of science in criminal justice requires 120 credit hours. A student who transfers with an associate of arts or associate of science degree from LCC can transfer up to 60 of those hours into Newman’s bachelor's degree program. In addition, Gillette said Newman also awards up to 30 hours of credit for prior learning, which can be credited for 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. The prior learning credit is what makes the timeline work for people already in the field.

“With a total of up to 90 credits transferred to Newman, a student would enroll for two terms, 15 (credit hours) and 15, or 12, 12 and 6 in a summer term, and you would finish in one year,” Gillette said. “Or if they can even work full time and piecemeal those credits together over two or  three years and still graduate, I think this is a very good deal. I think this is a very good opportunity for folks.”

"A lot of people in Kansas law enforcement are two or three semesters from a bachelor's degree and don't know it," said Alden Stout, vice president for academic affairs at Newman University. "They've been trained at the academy, they've served in the military, they've earned certifications, and none of it has ever been counted. This agreement counts it. Then, it gets them to the finish line in about a year without asking them to leave the job or the community they serve.”

The acceptance of transfer credits and credit for learning not only speeds up the process of earning a bachelors, but helps defray the $37,000 a year in costs. But Newman doesn’t stop there in helping reduce costs, Gillette said. Every LCC graduate admitted to the pathway receives a $20,000 scholarship toward the degree, automatically reducing the cost to $17,000.

“And here’s the really interesting piece. They will also match dollar for dollar any federal Pell money you bring or any money from the State of Kansas you bring —scholarships, grants, whatever,” Gillette said. “So it could be less than the $17,000 if you qualify.”

Students who hold an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree from LCC are ensured admission to Newman with junior standing. Upper-division coursework is offered in formats built around working schedules, including online and hybrid options, and each student is assigned an academic adviser and a program liaison. Graduates who hold an Associate of Applied Science degree are also eligible, following a degree audit to confirm general education requirements have been met.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to receive a degree in a compressed amount of time, if you are able to commit a year,” Gillette said. “This is really forward thinking.”

About the Criminal Justice Programs

The Criminal Justice Program at LCC prepares future leaders for a variety of fields such as law enforcement, corrections, social services or justice administration. Designed for students seeking supervisory and administrative roles, this program blends criminal justice foundations and principles with leadership, management, and ethics. To learn more visit https://www.labette.edu/criminaljustice/index.html. To speak with an LCC advisor call 1-888-Labette or email enroll@labette.edu.
 
More on Newman’s bachelor’s degree is available atwww.newmanu.edu/academics/criminal-justice