• Oral and Written Communication
• Organization
• Leadership
• Computer Literacy
• Problem Solving/Decision Making
• Interpersonal Skills and Relations
• Multi-Cultural Sensitivity.

The Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate is a student who has already completed (or is close to completing) their general education requirements, is working in an applied correctional or juvenile justice setting, and is interested in studying with faculty who have specialized backgrounds in corrections and/or juvenile justice.

You should pursue this degree if you ..

• are a line officer, youth worker or mid-career professional who wants to move into positions of greater responsibility;
• are seeking increased management responsibilities in the corrections and juvenile justice fields;
• desire a greater understanding of the issues related to offender populations, promising approaches, evidenced-based practices, principles of effective interventions, ethics, gangs;
• are seeking a degree that addresses a broad set of correctional and juvenile justice responsibilities;
• are seeking a degree that is accredited from one of the six regional accrediting agencies; and/or
• are seeking a degree that is accessible via distance learning.

The BS degree will be delivered utilizing the semester system, with one 8-week course offered in the summer session and two 8-week courses (one at a time) offered in the fall and spring semesters.  It is expected that students will enroll in one course during he summer session and two courses per semester, for a minimum of five (5) courses (or 15 credit hours) each year.  Additional coursework may be necessary depending on the number of credits earned at the time of admission.

Students take only one (1) course at a time so that they can maintain focus on the particular subject. Each course lasts eight (8) weeks. There are two 8 week courses in the fall and spring semesters (i.e., you can complete two 8 week courses during each 16 week semester, or four courses during an academic year). Students take one course during the summer semester and two courses per semester over the fall and spring semesters.

Students can enroll in the program in the summer semester of every year. Students are required to complete an introductory course (COR 100) before taking other courses. COR100 is only offered in the summer semester. The first cohort will be admitted for the summer 2006 session beginning in May 2006.

• Preference will be given to students who have completed at least 36 hours of General Education Requirements.

• Be a full or part-time professional working the fields of corrections or juvenile justice or an individual who provides the undergraduate curriculum committee a satisfactory reason why they cannot attend the traditional program on campus.
• You must reside at least 60 miles from the EKU campus and
• You must have a composite ACT score as follows:
  • 20 or above for full admission status
  • 18 or 19 for conditional admission status
  • 1-page writing sample describing career aspirations and the role of education in such aspirations required.
  • Writing sample reviewed by undergraduate committee.
  • 17 and below-no admission

Online Learning
The learning objectives and most of teaching methods for online courses and on-campus courses are the same. Some of the methods of delivery might be different due to the need to ensure that all learning objectives are met. For example, group assignments might be conducted in a way that takes into account the lack of opportunity group members have to meet face to face. Generally, students can expect to write more, by virtue of the increased emphasis on the use of discussion boards. In a traditional on-campus classroom, there tends to be greater expectations around the verbal expression of ideas.

Students register and take classes on the Internet using Blackboard rather than attending a traditional class on campus. The courses are taught using a combination of course textbooks, manuals, Internet communications, research articles, and workplace applications.

With no site visits or campus classes to attend, you can complete your studies in the comforts of your own home or workplace at your convenience. Your schedule will dictate when you study, and you will have access to your course work 24 hours a day. However, it is important to note that students involved in the online degree program will need to have a strong desire to devote the necessary amount of time needed to successfully complete the program.

Tuition
There is a one-time, non-refundable EKU admissions application fee of $35.00. Students should not apply to EKU until they have been invited to do so by the Department of Correctional and Juvenile Justice Studies. The tuition cost for the 2006 summer session is $350 per credit hour. Thus, a three-hour course will cost $1,050. Financial aid is available, and in many cases employers will help offset the cost of tuition. 

Will I be working with other students on assignments for the class?
Yes, interacting with other students is one of the hallmarks of quality education. On occasion, an instructor will have you work with other students to complete group assignments. It is a certainty that you will participate in discussion boards with other students on a routine basis. However, you will likely spend the majority of your time working independently.

What is Blackboard?
Blackboard is a learning management system used by many universities to support their online courses. It allows the instructor and student to communicate with one another through different learning environments. Blackboard features include some of the following: discussion forums, online testing, posting of assignments and lectures, student presentations, Internet relay chat, online grade book, and in-class mail, to name a few. Each course will vary as to the features that are used from class to class and instructor to instructor.

Will all courses required for the degree be available online through EKU?
No. The concentration of online courses for the AA and BS in Correctional and Juvenile Justice Studies will be available through EKU. Courses necessary for completing the General Education requirements AND upper division supporting courses must be completed through other colleges or universities. If you have not already completed your general education requirements, we recommend that you do so through a Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) school using Kentucky Virtual University . EKU and KCTCS have an agreement, which facilitates the seamless transfer of courses to EKU when those courses have been completed at a KCTCS school.