Fort Valley State University

The University System of Georgia awarded Fort Valley State University an academic franchise to offer an online bachelor’s degree program in criminal justice. The program, which begins January 2009, will be offered on USG’s distance and online learning Web site, www.GeorgiaONmyLINE.org.

“This will be our first fully online program,” said Dr. Daniel Wims, executive vice president and vice president for Academic Affairs at FVSU, “and there will be many others to come. We are happy to be able to serve the state by providing this online degree.”

FVSU will reap other benefits as a franchise holder. For instance, the university will receive marketing support from the USG. In addition to the franchise, the university was awarded a $100,000 loan to manage, develop and market the program. Through GeorgiaONmyLINE, students can apply to the university, gain acceptance into the Criminal Justice program, and enroll in classes—all on the Web site.

According to coordinator of online instruction Dr. Anna Holloway, FVSU’s interim director of graduate studies and extended education, potential students include high school graduates, members of the military serving overseas and their dependents, and students who have received criminal justice associate degrees at institutions like Darton College. FVSU and Darton College will become partners in this endeavor since Darton received a similar designation to offer the associate’s degree in Criminal Justice online.

“Our Criminal Justice faculty and department head Dr. Fred van Hartesveldt have been working hard to provide courses and programs for our law enforcement workers in different parts of the state, and they’ve been working with other institutions,” said Holloway. “We are very happy that all of their hard work has been rewarded with this great new opportunity.”