Notre Dame College is introducing a “Badge-to-Grad” program that grants Ohio police officers up to 30 transfer credits toward a bachelor’s degree for their professional training and experience.
Beginning in fall 2019, eligible Ohio police officers enrolling in the criminal justice degree program at Notre Dame may be awarded 21 criminal justice credits for their Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy (OPOTA) coursework. They may qualify for an additional nine undergraduate credits in ethics, fitness and human relations based on their experience and OPOTA requirements.
Notre Dame offers a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice both online and on-site. The College’s online criminal justice program only accepts police officers and OPOTA completers.
Under the new Badge-to-Grad program at the College, OPOTA training will count for the following Notre Dame courses and credits:
- CJ 131 American Criminal Justice (3)
- CJ 231 Courts and Justice (3)
- CJ 233 Criminal Law (3)
- CJ 333 Role of Police (3)
- CJ 334 Corrections (3)
- CJ 495 Practicum (6)
Up to nine additional credits are reviewed and applied on an individual basis.
Why a Degree is Important for Police
More than half of sworn officers in the United State have at least a two-year college degree, while 30 percent have at least a four-year degree and more than 5 percent have a graduate degree. In addition to the hiring advantage a bachelor’s degree provides police officers in a competitive criminal justice job market, most law enforcement agencies pay higher salaries and provide opportunities for advancement to those who have earned four-year college degrees.
Several employers also offer tuition reimbursement and other financial incentives for officers who enroll and progress in degree-granting programs, according to a national study of nearly 1,000 law enforcement agencies conducted in September 2017 by the California State University Fullerton Center for Public Policy.
Why Notre Dame is Where to Get It
In addition to its bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, Notre Dame offers Master of Arts in national security and intelligence studies and graduate certificates in security policy studies. Both provide special transfer credits and tuition discounts to eligible active and reserve military personnel.
Notre Dame also provides individual advising, tutoring and other support services specifically to nontraditional students on campus and online through its Finn Center for Adult, Graduate and Professional Programs.
For more information on the Badge-to-Grad program and other education and training options, contact Brandy Viol-Huntington, assistant dean of enrollment, at bviol@ndc.edu or 216.373.6481.
May 2019
About Notre Dame College
For almost a century, Notre Dame College has educated a diverse population in the liberal arts for personal, professional and global responsibility. Founded by the Sisters of Notre Dame in 1922, the College has grown strategically to keep pace with the rapidly changing needs of students and the dramatic changes in higher education. But it has never lost sight of its emphasis on teaching students not only how to make a good living but also how to live a good life.
Today, the College offers bachelor’s degrees in 30 disciplines plus a variety of master’s degrees, certification programs and continuing and professional development programs for adult learners on campus and online. Notre Dame College offers NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletic programs for men and women and is located in a picturesque residential neighborhood just 25 minutes from the heart of Cleveland. Hallmarks of the Notre Dame experience include stimulating academics, personalized attention of dedicated faculty and staff, and small class sizes.
Notre Dame College is located at 4545 College Road in South Euclid. For further information contact Brian Johnston, chief communications officer, at 216.373.5252 or bjohnston@ndc.edu.