Daily Pioneer News

PLATTEVILLE-A mother of young children doesn't have a lot of free time. So, when Kristine Thomas decided to pursue a master's degree in criminal justice, she needed to find a unique program that was both rigorous and flexible. She knew from past experience that an on-campus master's degree program, like the one she tried a few years ago, couldn't meet her needs.

"I had a very young son and a husband on active duty working long hours," she recalled. "So, I would have to arrange for a babysitter every class day, drive one hour to campus each way, get home about 10:30 or 11 at night, take the babysitter home, it was very tedious. For the time and energy I was spending, I was simply not getting enough out of it."

When her husband's next assignment moved them to Fort Bragg, N.C., Thomas decided to try a graduate program again. She knew she wanted to earn the degree in criminal justice, since it complemented her undergraduate studies and prior work experience as a police officer with the Columbus, Ga. Police Department. When she couldn't find a program within a reasonable driving distance, she began to explore other options. She sought out the advice of someone at Methodist College in nearby Fayetteville. Since the campus had an undergraduate program in criminal justice, she figured out they might have some ideas for master's students. As it turned out, the chair of the department knew about the University of Wisconsin-Platteville's online criminal justice program and knew coordinator Cheryl Banachowski-Fuller. Thomas immediately contacted Dr. Fuller and eventually decided to enroll in the program in the summer of 2001, even though she had never taken a single online course.

"I was unsure about the online learning environment in the beginning," she said. "I'm a very social creature and I like a lot of human contact. I wasn't sure how an online program would "feel" to me. What I discovered was that it fit perfectly with my lifestyle. I was staying home with my son, and I needed to be able to do the coursework when I could and not worry about babysitters and set schedules."

What was even more surprising was the amount of contact she had with her advisor, professors and classmates. Thomas recalls, almost immediately, she and a number of other students began emailing each other. "I found that there was a lot more interaction than I ever thought there would be," she said. "I developed a great rapport with the professor of that first class and with the other students. In fact three of us became very good friends and have visited each other. We started the program together and graduated together. It turned out be a fabulous experience."

And, Thomas learned a lot about herself in the process. "I discovered that I have a lot more discipline than I ever thought I did," she added.

Totaling 30 credits offered entirely online, the master of science in criminal justice program is a comprehensive, highly interactive solution for professionals who want a graduate degree or are looking for skills to advance to higher-level positions in their profession. Students are able to tailor the program to fit their knowledge and skills and meet their individual career goals. This concept has served students well all over the United States.

In fact, Thomas said she actually learned more from the online program than she did from traditional face-to-face programs she did in the past. "You have to have a better understanding of the material, and you have to be able to articulate that understanding through writing. It forces you to improve your writing skills."

Thomas admitted the workload for the courses seemed a bit daunting at first. "The best advice I can offer is to stay organized," she said. "As long as you plan ahead for the week, you'll be fine. Set aside a couple of hours each day for doing your research and readings. As long as you stay on top of it, you'll be fine." Take her word for it-Thomas gave birth to her second child during finals week one semester and was still able to finish.

"You have to work hard and it's challenging," Thomas said. "But the program is designed so you can succeed and learn a lot in the process. You have to, and can, rise to the occasion."

Thomas offers this simple piece of advice to others who may be thinking about trying an online program for the first time-Go for it! "More and more people like me are going back to school-people with families and full-time jobs and all the time commitments that go with that. Online programs make it more feasible to complete a degree for professional and personal reasons. It opens so many new doors."

Thomas said earning the master's degree from UW-Platteville has made a huge difference in her life; it made her goal of wanting to teach criminal justice to undergraduate students a reality. Thomas is now an adjunct faculty member at Methodist College in the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice Studies-working for the very same person who recommended UWP's program to her in the first place. "I got the job because of the reputation of the UWP program-the rigor of the program," she added. "I had the contract signed even before I finished."

Those interested in learning more about distance education at UWP can visit the website (http://www.uwplatt.edu/disted) for a complete list of degree programs and available courses. Persons can also call 608-342-1468 or toll-free 800-363-5460 to request an informational packet about UWP distance education.