Partnership with BCC will benefit criminal justice majors

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 13:10:00 CST

Wichita State University has entered into an articulation agreement with Butler Community College that would allow students getting their Associate Degree in Homeland Security from Butler to then work toward completing a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice at WSU.

Butler Community College students are eligible once they complete the Associate Degree in Homeland Security.

"This partnership forged by Wichita State University and Butler Community College is designed to provide students with the academic advantages of both institutions through a consistent pathway for earning degrees in homeland security and criminal justice," said Miles Erpelding, professor of criminal justice, Butler Community College.

With this in place, Butler and Wichita State worked to solidify the partnership so that students can complete their associate degree and transition seamlessly into the bachelor's program without leaving the region.

"This creates much less confusion on the student's end," said Michael Birzer, professor and director of Wichita State's School of Community Affairs. "They know exactly what they have to do to graduate with a minimum amount of time."

To be eligible, students must complete:

30 credit hours of homeland security courses taken at Butler.
18 credit hours of criminal justice courses taken at WSU.
Six credit hours of correlate core courses taken at WSU.

Students must also satisfy the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences' and the university's requirements for the Bachelor of Science Degree, including foreign language.

Birzer said agreements such as this are a benefit for WSU.

"Community colleges offer us the opportunity to attract some very bright students to WSU," he said.

WSU's criminal justice program offers a variety of optional online courses for both undergraduate and graduate students. Criminal justice graduate students can complete more than half of the program online, and the goal is to have a fully online option within the next two years.

WSU, U.S. Attorney's Office team up for new classes

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 15:06:30 CST

New classes are being planned for Wichita State University that will introduce students to the real world of federal law enforcement in Kansas. The School of Community Affairs at WSU is partnering with U.S. Attorney Eric Melgren's office to present the 2008 U.S. Attorney's Citizens Academy.

The Citizens Academy will meet from 1:30-4:30 p.m. in six sessions on Mondays: March 31, April 7, April 14, April 21, April 28 and May 5, at WSU.

Classes will be taught by prosecutors, Wichita State professors and investigators from the FBI, the DEA, ATF and other federal agencies.

"Our instructors (are) … the real thing," Melgren said. "They're sensible, shrewd and tough investigators."

During six, three-hour sessions, academy members will cover topics that make headlines every day in Kansas and across the nation, including:

– Terrorism

– Gangs and violence

– Illegal immigration

– Drug trafficking

– White collar crime, identity theft and health care fraud

– Crimes against children, child pornography and sexual predators

Michael Birzer

"The School of Community Affairs at Wichita State University is pleased to co-sponsor the 2nd annual United States Attorney's Citizens Academy," said Michael Birzer, director of the school. "The academy offers citizens an opportunity to broaden their knowledge of the federal criminal justice system and also nurtures a basic sense of citizenship. An added benefit of attending the academy is that it affords participants an opportunity to meet practicing federal criminal justice professionals as well as professors from the School of Community Affairs who study crime and the criminal justice system for a living."

About two dozen people will be selected for the class. Applications are available by calling Jim Cross, public information officer for the U.S. Attorney's Office, at (316) 269-6481 or online at www.usdoj.gov/usao/ks.

There is no cost for the class, but participants must certify that they will be available at the designated times and will attend all classes. All applicants must include a brief statement of why they want to join the Citizens Academy. The deadline for applying is March 10. Successful applicants will be notified the week of March 24.

Applications may be mailed to the attention of Jim Cross at U.S. Attorney's Citizens Academy, 1200 Epic Center, 301 N. Main, Wichita, KS 67202.

Wichita State News: School of Community Affairs

Partnership with BCC will benefit criminal justice majors

WSU, U.S. Attorney's Office team up for new classes