MCC Offers Fully Online Associate degree with Criminal Justice Focus

For many area working adults who want to earn a college degree, but have little time for commuting to campus, McHenry County College is offering a new, convenient online learning option for an online Associate in Science (AS) degree that is transferrable to a bachelor’s degree at a four-year university. This program has a criminal justice focus, which is designed for the student who wants to pursue a bachelor’s degree in a criminal justice-related discipline.

This 16-month AS degree plan follows a cohort model with specific courses offered during designated terms. This gives students an opportunity to complete the AS degree in an accelerated format. For students who want a less accelerated pace, 21-month and 24-month options are also available. The plan includes criminal justice basic core and general education coursework for the first two years of a four-year program. It can be completed entirely online, except for Introduction to Speech, which requires students to deliver speeches in a classroom setting.

The coursework in this AS degree plan will transfer to online criminal justice programs at the following four-year institutions that are partnering with MCC: Aurora University, College of Missouri (Crystal Lake campus), Indiana Wesleyan University, Roosevelt University, and University of Wisconsin, Platteville.

According to the Dept. of Labor, employment of police and detectives is expected to grow by seven percent through 2020. Online classes in general are growing in popularity because of their convenience. For example, the number of students taking at least one online class at MCC has increased from 1,907 students in the 2007 school year to 2,884 in the 2012 school year, a 51.2 percent increase, according to MCC’s Office of Institutional Research. During the 2012 school year, the College saw an increase of 253 students enrolled in online classes, from 2,631 students to 2,884 students.

“Many people now see a value in distance learning, and it’s becoming more mainstream,” said Ray Lawson, director of Online Learning and Educational Technology. “For people who don’t have time to come to classes on campus, online classes provide them with an opportunity to earn a degree to improve their professional or personal lives,” he said. “We’re providing a targeted associate’s degree for a busy professional who has little time, but who knows what they are looking for and are self-motivated to learn online,” Lawson said.

He said plans are underway to offer online associate degrees in business and liberal studies in the near future. MCC student Sherry Umlah of Marengo works full time and still finds time to attend classes at MCC by taking several classes online. She completes her coursework in digital media at her convenience, which could sometimes be late at night or during her weekday lunch breaks.

“I used to build online courses as my full-time job and I understand their benefits. I really enjoy taking classes online. One of the greatest benefits of online training is the ability to complete the coursework during the time you have available. This could be at 3 a.m. or over your lunch break.” Umlah admits that e-Learning isn’t for everyone, though. “It requires a serious student who is self-disciplined.

Online students have access to the same academic resources such as library resources, advising and registration, that are provided to students who attend traditional, face-to-face classes. Online students may also request tutoring.

For more information, students may visit www.mchenry.edu/cjonline or contact Kristi Broda, online academic advisor, at (815) 479-7576 or kbroda@mchenry.edu.