SARASOTA, Fla. (May 29, 2018) – Starting this fall, USF Sarasota-Manatee criminology students can earn their master’s degree with one additional year of study.
The campus’ new “BA+MA” program will allow students pursuing their bachelor’s degree an opportunity to earn a master’s in criminal justice in only one year, saving both time and tuition costs. BA+MA does not replace the campus’ existing criminal justice master’s program. Instead, it serves as an accelerated program available to undergraduate students during their junior and senior years. Only top students may apply. As an added convenience, all of the program’s graduate-level classes will be online to allow students the option to study after work or on weekends in whatever setting they prefer. Accelerated master’s programs are not unusual as more universities and colleges explore online education and other technologies, but this is the first BA+MA program within the USF System to involve criminology. “Having a master’s degree has become extremely important when it comes to applying for high-paying jobs,” says USFSM instructor Dr. Murat Haner. “In the BA+MA program, students can take courses toward a master’s degree in their junior and senior years and get dual course credit toward both their undergraduate and master’s degrees.” BA+MA is open to any undergraduate USF criminology student – in Tampa, St. Petersburg or Sarasota-Manatee – and offers the same education as a regular, two-year master’s degree. The difference is students enrolled in BA+MA substitute graduate-level coursework for undergraduate electives in their junior and senior years. The program is limited to students with at least a 3.3 Grade Point Average (overall studies) and a 3.5 GPA in criminology coursework. The program starts in the fall. “The introduction of this accelerated master’s degree is a win-win,” said Dr. James Unnever, a criminology professor and the program’s coordinator. “The communities we serve will receive a more knowledgeable workforce while the students we serve save time and money – both precious resources.” To learn more, contact Dr. Unnever at unnever@sar.usf.edu. ### |
About USF Sarasota-Manatee (USFSM) USF Sarasota-Manatee is a regional campus of the University of South Florida system, offering the prestige of a nationally ranked research university with the convenience of a hometown location, including classes in Manatee and Sarasota counties, Venice and online. USFSM is ideal for those interested in pursuing a baccalaureate or master’s degree, professional certification, or continuing education credit in a small, personal setting with distinguished faculty and a dynamic curriculum of more than 40 academic programs. Website: www.usfsm.edu. |