Would you like to earn your associate degree while working toward your bachelor’s degree?

You may be eligible to receive your associate degree in Criminal Justice while working towards your Bachelor in Criminal Justice degree. With today’s uncertain economy, it may be in your best interests to earn an associate degree now as you progress to a bachelor’s degree.

There are two important reasons for making a decision like this. First, if you encounter unforeseen circumstances preventing you from completing your bachelor’s degree, you will already possess an associate degree. This makes you eligible for many entry-level positions in criminal justice, including entry into NMU’s police academy. It is to your benefit to list on job applications that you have an “associate degree” rather than just listing “earned college credits.” Second, when you complete your bachelor’s degree, your transcript will reflect the associate degree and the bachelor’s degree, communicating to potential employers that you are someone who continues to strive for excellence. Having two degrees on your transcript is certainly a plus, and may make you a more attractive candidate for employment.

The process for declaring an associate degree is quite easy. Utilizing your academic transcript, insert the courses you completed on the two-year associate in Criminal Justice advising sheet, to be sure what requirements you have met and what still needs to be completed. You can then schedule an appointment with your adviser to determine what courses you should complete first in order to earn your associate degree while still working toward your bachelor’s degree.

Once you established the semester in which you will earn your associate degree, you need to change your degree program over to associate and register for graduation. In addition, you need to pay the $25 graduation-processing fee, which will be included on your e-bill. This change over should be done the previous semester in which you will graduate, but not later than the fourth day of the semester you graduate.  Then, during the middle of the semester in which you graduate with your associate degree, you will receive a letter from the Registrar’s Office asking if you want to continue your education.  It is critical at this time that you make sure you change over to a bachelor’s degree.  This will ensure a smooth transition and allow you to pre-register for courses for the next semester for your bachelor’s degree.

Reviewing the possibilities cost you nothing and this is strictly your decision. However, we do highly recommend that you give this serious thought and we welcome any questions you may have. Please contact your adviser or call the CJ Department at (906) 227-2660 so you can discuss your options in more detail.