Ottawa University and Rio Salado College, in a partnership established in 1999, have jointly created two practitioner-focused baccalaureate degrees in Police Science and in Law Enforcement Administration. Both programs have been developed to provide a common body of knowledge gathered from practitioners and experts in the field. Law enforcement professionals have played a major role in the design and implementation of both programs, which provides a relevant and practical approach to curriculum delivery.
This program was conceived and designed by police professionals for the working law enforcement practitioner, and is delivered primarily through distance learning. To accomplish this, Rio Salado called upon the national leadership of American law enforcement for guidance as to the program's content and delivery. That perspective has been provided by the National Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training (NCLEET), which is composed of police executives from the largest counties and cities in the US as well as major International Law Enforcement Associations that create public policy in policing.
Bachelor of Arts in Police Science. The Police Science program is offered as the next step for practicing police officers who have received the Associate of Applied Science in Law Enforcement Technology from Rio Salado College. This AAS degree includes credit hours received for completing training at an affiliated police academy endorsed by Rio Salado and the completion of general education credits. The total credit hours earned for the AAS degree is 64 credit hours. Police officers who wish to continue their education in pursuit of the Bachelor of Arts in Police Science are encouraged to complete 16 credit hours of advanced electives offered through Rio Salado College and required to complete the upper division Police Science core courses (44 upper division credit hours). The minimum upper division credits for the Police Science baccalaureate degree is 44 credit hours and the minimum total credit hours for the degree is 124 (it is recognized that these minimums differ from Ottawa's other undergraduate degree programs). The 44 upper division credit hours offered through Ottawa University include the Proseminar and Graduation Review (totaling 8 Credit hours), and 36 credit hours of Ottawa's Police Science Core.
Bachelor of Arts in Law Enforcement Administration. The Law Enforcement Administration program is available for students who are police officers or those students (non-police officers) who wish to pursue a career in law enforcement. Students are not required to have completed the Associate of Applied Science in Law Enforcement from Rio Salado College to be accepted. Ottawa University's general credit transfer policies used in other degree programs apply to Law Enforcement Administration students. The 44 upper division credit hours required in the Police Science program are also required in the Law Enforcement Administration program (both programs have identical upper division requirements). However, more flexibility is allowed in lower division curricula when compared to the Police Science program. All earned credits must adhere to general academic requirements established by Ottawa University for baccalaureate degrees. The minimum upper division credits for the Law Enforcement Administration baccalaureate degree is 44 credit hours and the minimum total credit hours for the degree is 124 (minimums are identical with the Police Science program).
The Curriculum
Liberal Arts Studies Courses 8 Semester Credit Hours
Major Required Courses 36 Semester Credit Hours
Total Minimum Credit Hours Required for Graduation 124 Semester Credit Hours
