UWP's Online Criminal Justice Training

Pioneers in Distance Education since 1978

In 2003, UW-Platteville celebrated its 25^th anniversary of offering accredited degrees at a distance. A quarter of a century later, non-traditional students have fueled a national paradigm shift in education and earning a degree at a distance has become a respected academic option.

UWP continues to take the lead in alternative education, with nearly 1/3 of the university's teaching faculty and academic staff involved with some facet of distance education. The Distance Learning Center continues to broaden its scope and to pioneer new programs, including innovative website features, a virtual graduation, a virtual advisor and an online student orientation.

Credit For Life

In the past, the training of police officers focused primarily on the physical aspects of the job. As the profession has evolved, however, more emphasis has been placed on crisis resolution, community policing and crime prevention. Officers wishing to advance in their field are now required to have leadership and communication skills before they may be considered for promotion.

In response to these changes in the criminal justice profession, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville partnered with the Wisconsin Department of Justice to provide an online First-Line Supervisory Training certificate course geared towards criminal justice professionals. This innovative non-credit program was developed with funding provided by the Department of Justice and focuses on the role and function of the first-line supervisor in criminal justice agencies.

The new course has been a success, in part because the online format has appealed to many working police officers who serve in isolated communities or who have unpredictable schedules. With asynchronous online courses, the officers are able to log into their virtual classroom and complete their assignments at their convenience.

In addition to the flexible schedule, officers enrolled in the online courses benefit from networking with other professionals in the virtual classroom. This aspect of the program was particularly useful for Lt. Jeffrey Zachow of the Summit, WI, Police Department who notes: "Answers to discussion questions from other classmates have a real world applicability to our careers. I found the in-depth commentary by the other professionals enrolled to be very insightful."

Following the success of its initial program, UWP has launched a new noncredit course, Leadership in Police Organizations. The course was developed for mid-level supervisors in the criminal justice field and explores theories of leadership, human motivation, employee satisfaction, and peak performance as they relate to the achievement of organizational goals. Representatives from the Wisconsin Department of Justice worked with UWP faculty to ensure that the program is relevant to the law enforcement profession.

Program and Price Information

For more information, check the course links at the top of this page, or contact the Distance Learning Center at UW-Platteville: Phone toll-free at 800.362.5460 or email disted@uwplatt.edu.