Student Pursues Online Degrees in Criminal Justice
Mary Lou Chernik earned two associates degrees while she was in the United State Air Force, but could never afford to go back to school to finish her bachelor's degree. Now, at the age of 50, Chernik is completing her master's degree in criminal justice from Colorado Technical University -- a career-focused school that offers online degrees through its virtual campus. At the completion of her program, she will begin applying for positions as an online criminal justice professor.
Location, location, location
One of the hurdles to Chernik finishing her degree was her location. Living in a remote part of Colorado, there were no nearby universities and relocating was out of the question. "I knew if I was going to finish my degree it was going to have to be online, because I am not moving to go to a brick-and-mortar campus," she said. "I would either have to go up to Colorado Springs or down to New Mexico State University. Neither of those options was accessible because we were running two businesses out of our home and I was working as a field deputy for the Office of the Medical Examiner."
"It was either go [to school] online, or forget about it."
A bachelor's degree track becomes a master's program
Initially, Chernik's decision to earn her bachelor's degree was purely for personal satisfaction, since the education wouldn't increase her job prospects in her local area. "When I was getting [started] in the program, I was asked to do a presentation to the Criminal Justice Club on the difference between a medical examiner and a coroner and what it is that I do as a field deputy," Chernik said. "I was scared to death and then found that I kind of enjoyed it and started talking to some of the instructors. I found out that if I went on to my Master's degree, I can teach online."
Other job opportunities in the Criminal Justice field open up to Chernik as well, including jobs as an emergency manager or a District Court Clerk, she said.
When CTU began offering a Masters Advantage Program, Chernik said that she jumped on the opportunity. "It took away two of the Bachelor level courses and replaced them with Master's level courses at the Bachelor level price," she said. "It was well worth it and so I moved on into the Master's program and I am about to finish that up."
Accelerated master's courses are project-based
The master's degree program that Chernik enrolled in at CTU is an accelerated program, with each course lasting only five and half weeks. "It is pretty intense," she said. "There are two writing assignments due about every week. There is a group project due in almost every single class, but it is a lot of research and writing."
"There is no test taking in this one at all," she said. "It is all project based which, for me, is the best way to learn."
The online program at CTU includes an online chat and a weekly two-hour lecture where students view PowerPoint slides, listen to the lesson and ask questions or comment on the course material. Instructors are also available for an hour of online office hours each week where students can instant message their instructors with questions or problems related to the class. "A lot of them post their phone numbers if they are available for phone calls," Chernik said.
Live chats are also archived, so students can go back and review the material before turning in an assignment. "You can call [the lesson] back up and you can review it, listen to it all over again or listen to just parts of it because you can fast forward in the archive."
Self-motivation and time management support success
One of the most important qualities that Chernik attributes to her success as an online student is her self-motivation and time management skills. "You cannot just hope that you will have time to do your homework. You have to make time," she said.
According to Chernik, she manages her time and course deadlines by writing down due dates from the task list and syllabus at the beginning of each term. "I get out my handy, dandy little calendar and I write down which assignments are due -- and on which day -- and hang that up right next to my call schedule for my field deputy [job]. I have notes all over that say the chats this term are Sundays and Tuesdays -- last term they were Wednesdays and Saturdays. I just post them up there and work around it."
Virtual Campus offers easy navigation, wide range of services
Colorado Technical University uses a virtual learning environment called Virtual Campus that offers a greater amount of online interaction and student engagement than many other online learning institutions. Students login to a secure server and have access to a wide range of virtual services including a library, registrar's office, career services and admissions. Students also have access to a variety of clubs -- some of which relate to their studies and others, such as the parenting club and book club, which are just for fun and socialization. They even have guest speakers, she said.
There is also an academics tab where Chernik can access her course curriculum, grades, instructor information and Deans' and Chancellors' lists. "In the classroom tab...you can get into your classes, submit assignments, view the discussion board and get into your small group area," she said. "For the group projects, the instructor will assign small groups and the only people that can get into the small group area are those who are assigned to it."
Chernik considered herself relatively computer savvy before enrolling in the program at CTU because she had used computers in the Air Force and had been using them consistently for the past 30 years. "I know enough about computers to know when to ask for help when I get stuck," she said. "There is technical support that is outstanding at CTU. It does not have to be about navigating the campus. It can be another computer problem that you have with Microsoft Office or something like that. They are right there to help you."
Learning gets social
The social engagement in CTU's virtual learning environment has helped Chernik connect with her classmates and make friends with other online learners. "My friends list is 30 or 35 [students long] -- and that is just on the school website through the virtual common. There are a couple of folks that did not go onto the Master's [program] that I went through the Bachelor's program with who I still keep in touch with."
These students are located throughout the world, with one classmate attending CTU all the way from Nigeria. "I've had a couple of other classmates that have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and have been completing their schooling while [overseas]."
"Outstanding" instructors
As she finishes her program of study, Chernik admits that the Forensic Criminology class has been one of her favorites. "I can tell you there were only a couple of classes I did not much care for," she said. "Most of them were completely outstanding. I have never had this many outstanding instructors."
Chernik said that while she took classes through community colleges and state universities in the past, all of those professors went to school to be professors. "Most of the professors at CTU have worked in the field and then moved into teaching. A lot of them are still working in the field and teaching on the side," she said.
Her Forensic Criminology instructor, for example, is a detective with a police department and another instructor is a retired Chief of Police. "It's not all academic. There is practical experience behind it," she said.
Keep learning, and see where it leads
Chernik is thrilled with her decision to go back to school and the program she chose at CTU. And while she highly recommends that everyone further their education, she doesn't necessary recommend the programs at CTU. "Not everyone has the time for the accelerated courses," she said.
"Whether you take one class or sign up for a degree program...just keep learning," she said. "You never know where it might lead. I never in my life thought about going into teaching. I never thought I had the personality, the patience or anything. Now I cannot wait to be done so that I can start applying for online teaching positions. It is a career move that I never anticipated."
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