AIC’s Criminal Justice Master’s Program Receives Quinn Bill Approval
SPRINGFIELD — American International College (AIC) announced that its master of science in criminal justice program has been approved under the Guidelines for Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Academic Programs by the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education (BHE). This approval qualifies the fully online degree for the Police Career Incentive Pay Program, also known as the Quinn Bill.
The Massachusetts Legislature enacted the Quinn Bill to encourage police officers to earn degrees in law enforcement and criminal justice by providing educational incentives for full-time officers in participating cities and towns through salary increases.
This approval means that AIC’s master of science in criminal justice program meets or exceeds all quality standards established by the guidelines, making its graduates eligible for incentive pay increases.
“The curriculum helps students develop the necessary problem-solving skills to address contemporary and evolving problems in the field with innovative, ethical, and evidence-based solutions,” said Susanne Swanker, dean of the AIC School of Business, Arts, and Sciences.
AddedRegina Sanderson, assistant professor and coordinator of Graduate Criminal Justice, “we are thrilled that, by approving our program for the Quinn Bill, the state recognizes the hard work of our faculty in developing a comprehensive and rigorous curriculum that meets the needs of those in the field.”
By participating in the Quinn Bill, students who are full-time police officers in Massachusetts can receive significant salary increases upon graduation, providing a tangible return on their educational investment. This incentive not only encourages professional development, but also enhances the quality of law-enforcement services by ensuring officers are well-educated in the latest theories and practices in criminal justice.
The master of science in criminal justice program at AIC is designed to prepare graduates for the complex challenges of 21st-century law enforcement and other criminal-justice occupations. The program emphasizes rigorous academic inquiry, advanced research, and comprehensive coursework, equipping students with the knowledge, critical-thinking skills, ethical foundations, and practical insights necessary to navigate the complex landscape of criminal justice.
The curriculum includes six core courses and a selection of elective courses to satisfy the credit requirements for two tracks. The 30-credit, mid-career track is tailored for professionals with a bachelor’s degree and at least four years of experience in the field, while the 36-credit track is for those with a bachelor’s degree but less than four years of experience. Students can choose from four specializations: social justice and public policy, executive leadership, victim studies, or homeland security and intelligence studies. Each specialization can also serve as a stand-alone certificate.
