Students looking to add an advanced criminal justice degree to their resume have a new option after officials from Virginia Western Community College signed a partnership agreement with Ferrum College. Under the collaboration, criminal justice students who complete a 2-year administration of justice associate degree can transfer directly to Ferrum's 4-year criminal justice bachelor's program, effective immediately. William Osborne, program coordinator and associate professor of criminal justice at Ferrrum, told the Roanoke Times that the agreement also aligns the programs so that Virginia Western students can take the right classes in preparation of the 4-year degree. "The major benefit is the student will be able to see up front what courses they'll need to finish at Ferrum," Osborne told the news agency. Officials said the move also ties in the need for schools to offer more higher education programs at affordable prices. Ferrum has a similar agreement with Patrick Henry Community College and is currently in the process of developing additional partnerships. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job opportunities for police and detectives are expected to increase by 10% through the end of the decade. |