Mercer Reformulates Criminal Justice into Public Safety Degree

Mercer University’s College of Continuing and Professional Studies will launch a reformulated undergraduate major in public safety this fall. The program expands upon the College’s successful major in criminal justice in order to better serve current and future public safety officials. The new public safety program will launch this fall at four of the College’s locations: Atlanta, Macon, Henry County and Douglas County.

The changes to the degree mirror the changing landscape of public safety, which has shifted from distinctive emergency services such as law enforcement, fire and emergency response into a more cohesive and professionalized framework. With new threats demanding an integrated response, this new degree will help train a new breed of cross-trained professionals. Included in the new coursework for this program are courses in homeland security, cyber security, forensics, emergency management, terrorism, leadership and multi-cultural issues.

The degree is designed with public safety officials in mind, with courses online and in the evenings providing maximum flexibility. Students can choose to take most courses in person, online or in a hybrid format.

“In order to best prepare our graduates for new public safety challenges, we revised our current foundation courses to provide a much broader base of knowledge,” said Dr. V. Lynn Tankersley, assistant professor of public safety and one of the degree’s designers. “The response from public safety agencies and professionals has already been tremendous.”

Recognizing the need for continued education in this complex field, the Technical College System of Georgia partnered with Mercer to allow graduates from its associate degree programs in criminal justice to complete a “Plus 2” program at Mercer. Under the new articulation agreement, qualified applicants can earn a Bachelor of Science in Social Science, majoring in public safety, in two years.

Like the criminal justice major it replaces, the public safety major will lead to a Bachelor of Science in Social Science. The degree builds on the College’s expertise in the public safety field. The College offers the Public Safety Leadership Institute, a leadership development program for public safety officials, and the Master of Science in Public Safety Leadership, a degree program for public safety officials looking to advance into leadership positions.

For more information on admission to the program, contact:
Atlanta and Macon - Amanda Bentley, (678) 547-6554 or bentley_ad@mercer.edu
Henry County - Stephen Jenkins, (678) 547-6436 or jenkins_sd@mercer.edu
Douglas County - Tammy Collins, (678) 547-6493 or collins_tj@mercer.edu

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MCG offers nursing doctorate at Macon State College

Nurses who want to advance their leadership and clinical roles can earn a Medical College of Georgia Doctor of Nursing Practice degree at Macon State College.

The University System of Georgia Board of Regents recently approved the doctoral-level degree option as an external program at Macon State. The program will enroll its inaugural class of four students this summer.

"The program is an excellent opportunity for nurses who want a terminal or doctoral degree in nursing with a clinical practice focus as opposed to the research focus that a Ph.D. in nursing provides," says Dr. Marguerite Murphy, director of MCG's Doctor of Nursing Practice program. "DNP-prepared nurses can be instrumental in improving health care outcomes in our ever-changing, complex health care environment."

"The critical need for registered nurses is well known, but the need for leaders in the nursing field also is vital," says Dr. Barbara Frizzell, Macon State’s vice president for academic affairs. "The doctoral program offered by MCG on our campus not only enriches our own academic environment, but establishes a conduit to produce talented leaders and instructors in nursing for central Georgia and beyond."

The doctorate of nursing practice focuses on clinical and management expertise necessary to improve outcomes in health care practice, leadership and education. The program also will help alleviate the national nursing shortage by producing more qualified nursing professors, allowing nursing schools to enroll more students.

"Extending our program to Macon State is really providing critical gains for our nursing profession in central Georgia to improve patient safety and advance quality outcomes for nurses who are working with patients, families, health systems and communities," says Dr. Janie Heath, School of Nursing associate dean for academic affairs.

The curriculum includes 40 graduate semester hours over four semesters, covering trends in effective care, methods of care delivery and concepts in evidence-based care.

Requirements for the program include a master’s degree in nursing or associated program of study related to a specialty area, such as public health, a graduate school admissions test, current professional nurse licensure and appropriate specialty certification.

For more information about the program, visit www.mcg.edu/son/index.htm or call Karen Sturgill, program coordinator, at 706-721-3676. To see current students, faculty, alumni, clinical and academic partners, including Dr. Rebecca Corvey, dean of Macon State's School of Nursing, talk about the program, visit www.mcg.edu/son/video/feature.html?v=20090324corvey and www.mcg.edu/son/video/index.html.

Amy Connell
Medical College of Georgia
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“The Future is Now!” Young Harris College Awarded Four-Year Status

Young Harris College earned approval December 9 from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) to begin offering bachelor’s degrees in the fall of 2009.

The announcement came at the end of the 2008 SACS Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas. “This is a great day in Young Harris College history,” said Jerry Nix, chairman of the Board of Trustees and CFO of Genuine Parts Company. “It is a testimony to the strength of the faculty, staff and students of the college.”

SACS approved Young Harris’ plans to offer bachelor’s degrees in biology, business and public policy, English and music. These degrees represent a major in each of the college’s four academic divisions.

“We are pleased to offer our students the opportunity to stay at Young Harris and earn their bachelor’s degree,” said Young Harris President Cathy Cox. “And this is only the beginning. Our Strategic Plan calls for adding majors on a regular basis over the next few years.”

Young Harris is in an unprecedented building program to support the anticipated growth of the college. A new 200-bed residence hall is under construction and will be completed in time for the fall 2009 session. The Board of Trustees has approved several additional buildings. These include a recreation center, a campus center (that will include a student center, dining hall and library) and an administration building. Additional buildings will follow in the next decade as part of a comprehensive master plan for the beautiful mountain campus.

The college is also adding faculty at a record pace. A dozen new faculty members were hired for the 2008-2009 school year and a dozen more are slated to be brought on board for 2009-2010.

Young Harris College provides an outstanding opportunity for students in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. For students in those areas, Young Harris is a close, convenient choice for college. Now, the opportunity to earn a four-year degree makes Young Harris an even more attractive option.

Sophomore Meg Patterson, a biology major, plans to stay and earn her bachelor’s degree at Young Harris. “The science department is really strong here. The one-on-one interaction with the faculty is very important to me and I know I can get that here at Young Harris.”

“It is important to note,” President Cox added, “that as we grow and add degrees, our vision is to maintain the traditions and unique environment that make Young Harris so distinctive. We currently enroll 650 students. Our goal is to eventually grow the college to a total student body between 1,200 and 1,500. It is important that our students continue to benefit from small classes and personal interaction with our distinguished faculty.”

Many current Young Harris students have already indicated they will return next fall to complete their degrees. As the number of four-year majors grows, more students will choose to stay at, or transfer to, Young Harris College.

“Young Harris College provides one of the best opportunities in private higher education in Georgia,” stated President Cox. “We look forward to welcoming our first junior class next fall.”

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