Expansion Grant Awarded to A&M-Commerce for New Texas Affordable Baccalaureate Program in Criminal Justice

On March 2, 2017, in Austin the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board awarded Texas A&M University-Commerce with one of four expansion grants for new Texas Affordable Baccalaureate (TAB) programs. The total award exceeded $650,000. A&M-Commerce shares this funding with Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Tarleton State University, and South Texas College (which partners with Austin Community College).

The A&M-Commerce grant will help develop a competency-based online Bachelor of Science hybrid degree in criminal justice, meaning the focus will be on adult learners with prior criminal justice employment experience. It will be designed to assist the nontraditional student by providing a more affordable path toward degree completion, through a self-paced online learning platform.

“This unique portal extends higher education to citizens of Texas heretofore unable to finish a course of study. We are delighted to receive funds from the Coordinating Board to develop a second line of study, criminal justice,” said Texas A&M University-Commerce President Ray Keck.

“At the Texas A&M University System, we are always looking for new ways to lower costs and increase options for our students,” said A&M System Chancellor John Sharp. “This initiative is a natural fit for us. I am so proud that three of our universities are on the leading edge of it, and I am grateful to the Coordinating Board and the funders for making it possible.”

Fundraising efforts for the grants were supported by The College for All Texans Foundation and made possible by AT&T Aspire, Greater Texas Foundation, Kresge Foundation, and the Meadows Foundation.