Can you add a Concentration after you've already graduated?

[Daithi]

I graduated with a BALS degree from TESC (yeah it was a college when I graduated) back 2014. They didn't have the Concentration option back then. In any event, I'm kind of semi-retired and looking to do something different in life. So, I'd like to add a concentration by taking several more classes. Does anyone know if this is possible?

[sanantone]

No, but you can complete an undergraduate certificate.

[bjcheung77]

Which concentration are you looking at getting? Depending on what you're looking for - You may be better off going to UMPI for an entire degree with the number of required credits. Or going for another CBE similar to UMPI, but at the Masters level instead, such as Walden...

[Daithi]

I'm looking for something in Criminal Justice. I'm too old (mid 50s) to become a cop or anything like that, but I'm looking to do something I'd enjoy for the last 15 years or so of my working career. Entry level criminal justice jobs actually appeal to me at this point. I'm looking for something like insurance investigation, probation, PI, who knows.

I'm ex-Army (30 years ago), in good shape, and I've worked as a software developer for 30 years (so not an idiot). I think I just need something on the resume that shows I have an interest in the field to be taken seriously.

[rachel83az]

Almost certainly cheaper than TESU at this point would be to get a BA in Criminal Justice from UMPI. You've already got one degree, so your gen eds (GEC) requirements should be waived. That'd give you just the 51 CJ credits remaining. https://online.umpi.edu/programs/ba-crim...stice.aspx

You could whittle that down by taking Criminal Justice 104: Introduction to Criminology, Psychology 104: Social Psychology, Criminal Justice 107: Criminal Law, Criminal Justice 101: Intro to Criminal Justice, Criminal Justice 306: Research Methods in Criminal Justice, Criminal Justice 305: The Juvenile Justice System from Study.com

If you don't already have Intro to Sociology, you'd need to take that either from SDC or from Sophia. This should give you 30 credits remaining, allowing you to finish the degree in 2 to 4 terms ($2800-$5600). UMPI requires a minimum of 30 credits and most of your UL credits to be taken from UMPI itself. Only one of those (CJ 305) is UL at UMPI, so you'd be good in that regard as well.

[sanantone]

I'm looking for something in Criminal Justice. I'm too old (mid 50s) to become a cop or anything like that, but I'm looking to do something I'd enjoy for the last 15 years or so of my working career. Entry level criminal justice jobs actually appeal to me at this point. I'm looking for something like insurance investigation, probation, PI, who knows.

I'm ex-Army (30 years ago), in good shape, and I've worked as a software developer for 30 years (so not an idiot). I think I just need something on the resume that shows I have an interest in the field to be taken seriously.

I used to be a parole officer, and you don't need a criminal justice degree to do that or probation. Most of the people I worked with didn't have a criminal justice degree. Instead, they had degrees in things like psychology, counseling, sociology, and social work, but departments are often so desperate they'll hire people with unrelated degrees. One of the guys hired on with me had some IT-related degree. You're past the age cutoff for federal probation, but if you weren't, you would need experience and a graduate degree to be competitive. I wouldn't earn a second bachelor's degree just to be a PI, but that's just my personal opinion. 

I'd recommend these two options.

1. Complete the 18-credit certificate in criminal justice at TESU. You can transfer in 100% of the credits from ACE or NCCRS-approved sources and pay $1,250 for the residency waiver. 

2. If you don't mind completing another degree, you might as well complete a master's degree, which will make you more competitive. In my opinion, it would be kind of a waste of time to add an undergraduate social science degree on top of an undergraduate liberal arts degree. Walden has a competency-based MS in Criminal Justice. I, personally, wouldn't want Walden on my resume, but the Tempo programs are affordable, and government agencies don't care where your degrees were earned as long as the school was accredited. 

Public Management and Leadership | MS in Criminal Justice | Walden University

[Daithi]

Thanks for all the advice everyone.

I think I'll start with Sanantone's advice, and get the TESU criminal justice certificate. I can always go further if I need to do so. Plus, I think I can be honest but a little creative when wording the listing of my degree (i.e. Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies w/ Criminal Justice Certification -- or something along those lines). If they're both from TESU this makes things a little easier.

[bjcheung77]

Question for you, do you have any TECEPS under your belt or courses already taken at TESU? If you have reached 16 credits worth of TECEPS or courses at TESU, you'll have the residency waiver removed, if that is the case, I would go for an extra BA at TESU. Having said that, you can see what courses are required for the UMPI BACJ as they're competency based, if you just need 10 courses and have no commitments, you can probably finish the 10 in 1 term, or at most 2 terms.

[sanantone]

There are some nuances with the residency requirement. The residency waiver fee applies unless you meet these criteria.

1. 50% of certificate is from TESU sources

2. Only online, e-Pack, and guided study courses count as residency credits for associate's and bachelor's degree students who are non-military. There's a 16-credit requirement. TECEPs and portfolios do not count.

3. Military students can use TECEPs and portfolio assessments in addition to the other options to meet the residency requirement, but they have a 24-credit residency requirement for bachelor's programs and a 12-credit residency requirement for associate's programs.


https://www.tesu.edu/admissions/faqs-cre...-residency

[dfrecore]

Something to keep in mind with the cert: I've heard from credible sources at TESU that you need at least 50% of the cert to be UL courses; Study.com only has 1 UL CJ course, so you're going to have to find 2 more somewhere (AOJ-381 Victimology and Criminal Behavior & AOJ-310 Criminal Law). Not sure where you can find UL courses inexpensively, so I think this is going to cost a lot more than it should.

If that's the case, I think you're better off going to UMPI and getting the CJ degree there. It will be faster and cheaper than the Cert at TESU.