There's a degree program in Livingston for first responders

HOWELL — Cleary University’s enrollment growth over the past three years can be partially attributed to a degree pathway for police officers, fire department personnel and other public safety professionals already working a full-time job, officials say.

The university’s Public Safety Professionals Program, which offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business, is already being widely used by officers with the Detroit Police Department and the Michigan State Police.

The program allows anyone in the public safety industry to earn their degree in one or two years by packaging past training and courses they've taken as part of their job requirements as credits already earned.

The opportunity for public safety professionals to earn BBA and MBA degrees benefit them not just in their current jobs, but after retirement from public service. Both sworn officers and civilians, such as dispatchers and administrative personnel, are eligible.

“Many of these public safety officers retire earlier (than in other professions), allowing them to pursue a second career,” said Cleary University President Alan Drimmer. “This accelerated degree pathway allows them to honor the experiences they’ve already had, giving them additional options.”

There are immediate benefits for their current jobs, too. Most public safety departments don’t offer promotions and raises for taking required training courses, but do offer such benefits when personnel finish a degree program.

Drimmer compares the program to the G.I. Bill, which gives members of the military the opportunity to earn a degree upon completion of a set number of years of service. While tuition for the BBA and MBA pathways aren’t free, public safety professionals can often get a 50% reduction in tuition costs. The maximum cost of the BBA program for Michigan residents is $10,000 while the maximum cost of the MBA program for residents is $12,500.

Most students take the majority or all of their classes online, although a hybrid model is also available, with some classes able to be completed in as little as six weeks.

Capt. Andrew Johnson with the Howell Fire Department is a recent graduate of the program. Years after earning his associate’s degree, Johnson was able to finish his bachelor’s degree in one year while working full-time and spending as much time with his family as possible.

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Better yet, Cleary instructors work closely with students’ schedules, which, for Johnson, can include emergency runs and other calls as they happen.

“I had to be convinced (to enroll in the program) given how busy my schedule was, but it was a great program,” Johnson said. “I have nothing but good things to say about it.”

cleary.edu/public-safety.

— M. Alan Scott is a freelance writer for The Livingston Daily. Contact the newsroom at newsroom@livingstondaily.com.