Master's Degree Options

[dm.hans32]

Hello again all, and thanks to everyone who gave me advice earlier this year! I'm on track to complete my BLS-CJ, History, Poli Sci degree from UMPI this session. So here I am, back for round two- looking for a master's degree.

I've completed 55 Sophia/Coursera credits since January and 21 UMPI credits (3 classes left to complete this term). I figured I should keep the momentum going and keep using my GI Bill.

Your Location: North Dakota, USA
Your Age: 33
What kind of degree do you want?: Master's Degree OR an accelerated dual Bachelor/Master. I'd like to avoid hardcore business topics (I haven't found them particularly interesting). I was thinking Criminal Justice (not the most transferable degree outside my current career) or a STEM field (beneficial inside/outside my current career)

I have considered Walden's CBE Tempo Master's in Criminal Justice (not the biggest fan of for-profit schools). I have also considered WGU, possibly the BSIT-MSIT accelerated degree to gain some knowledge and skill that is outside my wheelhouse. 

Current Regional Accredited Credits:

A mess of Gen Eds and CJ courses from several schools, equal to 60 or so credits (none that would be transferable to a Masters)

However, from UMPI I have:
Vietnam Wars
Arab-Israel Conflicts
History of Infectious Disease
Intl Relations & Modern Conflicts (in progress)
CJ Ethics
Research Methods
Criminology
Police & Policing
Modern Political Thought (in progress)
Constitutional Law (will be starting that this week hopefully)

Current ACE, CLEP, or NCCRS Credits:

Sophia: 
Intro to Ethics
Art History 1
Project Manage
College Algebra
Intro to IT
Visual Comms
Business Comms
Environ Sci
Microbiology
Workplace Writing 2
U.S. History I
U.S. History II
Intro to Soc
Spanish 1
Human Biology
Human Biology Lab

Coursera
Google PM Professional Cert


Any certifications or military experience?
Army 68W Healthcare Specialist 
ND Peace Officer License
ND POST Board Instructor
NREMT EMT-Basic

Budget: Flexible. I have approximately 15 months of Post-9/11 GI Bill (60%) left.

Commitments: I work full-time in Law Enforcement, subject to call-outs and long days. However, I've been very successful in managing my time.

Dedicated time to study: I can study a few hours per day when I work. I can do several hours on days off.

Timeline: Finishing the courses required for the degree as quickly as possible. Ideally within the next year or so, however I can slow it up to about 15 months.

Tuition assistance/reimbursement: GI Bill

Thanks again!

[TINASAM]

Georgia Southern University has a Master in Criminal Justice online, it's an RA program, and I pay under $1000 a course without any help with tuition so the GI Bill and others will bring that down. One of the cheapest around for an RA school. https://www.georgiasouthern.edu/cogs/adm...iminology/

[bjcheung77]

Here's one sticky thread that may provide you a shortlist to select from, then you can drop it down to your choices... https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...der-1-Year

[spohara]

This forum is very geared toward inexpensive schools, which you don't need. Post-9/11 GI Bill gives you a full ride for your entire masters program. What you should be looking for is the best school you can find that is either public or yellow ribbon, that offers a masters program in the timeline you're looking for. It seems your time management is pretty good, but a masters program is not going to be like undergrad, so I recommend checking what the pace is like in a program before overstretching yourself. If you have over a 3.0, just write a really good statement of purpose and make sure you have a good writing sample and you can get into whatever school you want (not 100% true, but almost, they'll like your background).

[bjcheung77]

That's one way to go, and there are many pathways, you can go for the public/state institutions I mentioned earlier in a link above, you can review those and see if any strike you as options. Another option is to write down ones that may not be on the list and create a short-list of your top choices, and a couple as back up options. Decide on the degree major or a similar subject, if you really need that programmatic or secondary accreditation, cost, time, etc you would want to spend on this Masters... I recommend the public/state institutions first, if none matches, then look for ones from non-profit/private options, or for-profit ones that we recommend, such as ACE.edu if you want to go into teaching...

[Duneranger]

This forum is very geared toward inexpensive schools, which you don't need.  Post-9/11 GI Bill gives you a full ride for your entire masters program.  What you should be looking for is the best school you can find that is either public or yellow ribbon, that offers a masters program in the timeline you're looking for.  It seems your time management is pretty good, but a masters program is not going to be like undergrad, so I recommend checking what the pace is like in a program before overstretching yourself.  If you have over a 3.0, just write a really good statement of purpose and make sure you have a good writing sample and you can get into whatever school you want (not 100% true, but almost, they'll like your background).

Of note, yellow ribbon only applies to those with a100% GI bill rating.

[andfik]

I indicated previously in the link above, and see if any appeal to you as choices. Making a short list of your top picks and noting the ones that might not be on the list is an additional alternative.

[bjcheung77]

I indicated previously in the link above, and see if any appeal to you as choices. Making a short list of your top picks and noting the ones that might not be on the list is an additional alternative.

Removed hidden link

[dm.hans32]

This forum is very geared toward inexpensive schools, which you don't need.  Post-9/11 GI Bill gives you a full ride for your entire masters program.  What you should be looking for is the best school you can find that is either public or yellow ribbon, that offers a masters program in the timeline you're looking for.  It seems your time management is pretty good, but a masters program is not going to be like undergrad, so I recommend checking what the pace is like in a program before overstretching yourself.  If you have over a 3.0, just write a really good statement of purpose and make sure you have a good writing sample and you can get into whatever school you want (not 100% true, but almost, they'll like your background).

I have 60% GI Bill coverage, which means I am on the hook for the remaining 40% of tuition. Yellow Ribbon does not kick in unless you have 100% GI Bill. So, I do need to consider the financial side of grad school.

Thank you for the advice. Another big issue is that my cumulative GPA is not great from my prior issues with undergrad. I have been successful at UMPI as I've learned a few things in the decade since I last tried school, however I do not want to burn through ridiculous amounts of credits just to get a degree. Thanks again for your feedback, once I have a better plan I will update.