Hi.  I have about 90 sememster units, but no degree since I'm missing some general ed classes.  My employer is expecting about 100 people to retire this January due to pension changes.

Needless to say, its a great time for advancement.  I want to get my degree as soon as possible.  Other than University of Phoenix, does anyone know of any online programs that is ideal for law enforcement?  Less expensive than Phoenix would be nice too. 

Thanks and have a great day!! 

YES !

Since you are in Alameda, check out Union Institute & University out of Sacramento. Excellent accreditation, flexible schedule, in-class or online course. You can obtain your undergraduate degree or your post graduate degree. 80%+ of the students enrolled are law enforcement professionals, whether active or retired.

And for clarification, a 'quick' degree program by my definition is an accelerated program, ... and not a purchased-by-mail degree.

I would no longer support or suggest the Phoenix program.

Sarge, I would like to hear your reasoning on the Phoenix program. I am currently enrolled and have completed a year of school. What about it has turned you off?

schultzy04 says ...

Sarge, I would like to hear your reasoning on the Phoenix program. I am currently enrolled and have completed a year of school. What about it has turned you off?

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Schultzy, sad to say but the Phoenix program has fallen out of favor with a good deal of law enforcement professionals I know. In the beginning, they were the rare option of flexibility afforded a working cop. You also paid through the nose. They are a for-profit enterprise that is, essentially, a business.

The one college I mentioned actually values a California training record. They will evaluate your POST transcript and award you college credit. You figure the average LEO may have hundreds, if not thousands, of hours of certified training.

I hold higher education on a slightly more idealistic plane. And a more personal endeavor. Phoenix excellence has been diluted and their influence has diminished. They are a stuggling business.

Now Schultzy, don't let me sway you from your education goals and aspirations. If you are happy with Phoenix and it is providing you what you need and want, then stay your course.

I am just one voice.

 I recently started back to school to get my degree.  I found a local university that has a program where I attend one day a week for about two years.  My life experience will get me the remaining credits along with some that I have collected over the years.  I would recomend checking local colleges and universities for this type of program.  Personnally I don't think I could do online classes.  My sister is working on her masters degree and all of her classes are online.  I just don't think I would have the discipline to do the work online.  Good luck in whatever you decide.

JIMROC says ...

Is there such a thing as a "Quick Degree"?  I guess you need to define a "Quick Degree."

 

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We did, brutha-man. A Quick Degree is a valid undergraduate degree from an accredited college that involves an accelerated program. Today, the term Distance Learning is a part of the academic lexicon. Online classes facilitate the equivalent of being in a brick and mortar classroom where otherwise a student may not be able to attend in-class courses. As mentioned by 'mmmm', it takes personal discipline to complete online classes. It also takes a reliable computer and a certain measure of simple competency as a computer user.

A Quick Degree could also include an older student that has a little college here and a little college there. When you sit down with an evaluator/counselor you might discover you can cobble together a legitmate degree in less time than you originally thought. Attending four years at a college is more rare these days if you are an adult with a fulltime career, family, mortgage, etc. So colleges are accommodating more and more online classes that provide college credit. Even Harvard has online classes.

Experiential Portfolio Credits is a term I heard before, but do be carefull ALOT (not all) of the Schools that give credit for experience have no valid Accreditation.

Yes, I am enrolled at University of Phoenix  and it's online. and I just finished my fifth courses and I think that school is excellent .

All great repsonses so far! Thanks.

To add another to your list, Columbia Southern University. I don't know too much about Phoenix, but CSU is $200 a credit hour, $265 for graduate level classes with books included.