The Sam Houston State University College of Criminal Justice
(SHSU-COCJ) and South Texas College (STC) announced the launch of a new program
that provides students in the Rio Grande Valley area of Texas an opportunity to
earn their college degree while remaining close to home.
The partnership was announced during a grand opening ceremony Aug. 26 at the STC campus in McAllen, Texas. As part of the program, select SHSU CJ courses will be taught in a dedicated classroom on the STC campus.
“We’re meeting RGV area students where they are by offering
face-to-face courses on the STC campus,” said David Stender, senior director of
strategy and innovation for SHSU-COCJ. “We also offer online courses in a five-week
or 15-week format and provide opportunities for local or virtual internships.”
The program launch comes after STC and SHSU signed a memorandum of understanding for a credit transfer agreement in November. The MOU provides a more streamlined pathway for students who complete the first two years of classes at STC to transfer and enroll in SHSU’s criminal justice program upon graduation as part of an already-in-place transfer agreement.
With this new classroom space available, students accepted
into the program will now have the option to take their SHSU Criminal Justice
classes at the STC campus, meaning they can earn a bachelor’s degree from SHSU
while remaining in McAllen.
“If students want to relocate to Huntsville, that is an option. However, a student can earn a criminal justice, homeland security or victim studies degree without ever leaving the region,” Stender said. “Ultimately, this arrangement makes for a model that is beneficial for students who are determined to continue their educational pursuits while encountering minimal hurdles along the way.”
For more information about SHSU CJ courses available at the
STC campus, visit this
website.
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This article was originally published by Today@Sam on Sam Houston State University's website.