America’s first responders and law enforcement personnel are remarkable people who give their all for the rest of us every single day. Averett University salutes these men and women and supports them in a variety of ways. For those who want to pursue a degree, we accept transfer credits from academies certified by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, based on American Council of Education (ACE) guidelines.
ACE allows us to award up to 36 academic credits for completing the Virginia State Police Academy and up to 27 academic credits from Virginia regional academies. The exact number of credits we award depends on how many hours each academy requires for students to complete the Basic Law Enforcement Program or Basic Jailor Program. As examples, students who completed any of the following academies, can transfer 27 credits for Basic Law Enforcement and 5 for Basic Jailor:
- Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy
- Central Shenandoah Regional Criminal Justice Academy
- Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Training Academy
- Prince William County Police Department Criminal Justice Academy
- Piedmont Regional Criminal Justice Training Academy
- Central Virginia Criminal Justice Academy
Dr. James Hodgson, Criminal Justice Program director and a professor at Averett University, says offering transfer credits is a great way to help first responders advance their careers and increase their positive impact on the community. “We’re honored to provide opportunities for these professionals to pursue their educational and career goals, whether they stay in a related field or pursue something entirely new. Averett’s online or on-campus programs make it possible for working adults like them to get a master’s, bachelor’s or associate’s degree in business, education, nursing, leadership or sociology and criminal justice.”
Another way Averett supports first responders is to periodically offer $1,000 scholarships created specifically for this elite group. Dr. Hodgson and his team also formed Criminal Justice Advisory Boards around the state to get feedback from local, state and federal law enforcement agencies on how Averett’s criminal justice curriculum and programming can better meet students’ educational needs.
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