Albany State University (ASU) and Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) announced the establishment of a cooperative relationship on Tuesday, February 27, streamlining the pathway for ABAC criminal justice graduates to join ASU’s Master of Science in Criminal Justice degree program. The agreement formally recognizes that ASU and ABAC are active educational partners committed to expanding educational opportunities in Georgia. 

The agreement between ASU and ABAC provides guaranteed admission for qualified ABAC graduates and a waived admissions fee. This partnership will strengthen opportunities across the state and will create pathways for students to pursue a career in leadership positions within criminal justice.

“Student access and success is one of the key pillars of ASU's strategic plan. The partnership with ABAC expands educational access and creates additional career opportunities for its criminal justice graduates. ASU and ABAC share a commitment to providing students the necessary skills to prepare them to compete in a global society,” said ASU President Marion Ross Fedrick. “We look forward to welcoming the ABAC graduates into the ASU community and supporting their growth.”

 “This is an exciting possibility for our students majoring in Criminal Justice to further their education and better position themselves going into the workforce,” said ABAC President Tracy Brundage. “We appreciate the partnership with Albany State and look forward to more opportunities like this for our students in the future.”

To qualify, students must be in good academic standing and meet the admissions requirements to attend ASU. ABAC students must have graduated with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with a minimum GPA of 3.0. Applications admitted on a provisional basis must pass 9 hours of ASU criminal justice courses and maintain a 3.0 GPA. Students will also be required to provide a resume and two recommendations from professionals acquainted with their academic or vocational background.

Both institutions are committed to advising students accordingly. ABAC will assign an academic advisor to coordinate the implementation of the program-to-program agreement.

The ASU criminal justice graduate program is a 30-credit-hour degree delivered both face-to-face and online with concentrations in Law Enforcement, Corrections, Forensic Science, and Public Administration. The Corrections and Law Enforcement concentrations are offered fully online.

“Through this partnership, ASU and ABAC are dedicated to creating a seamless transition for students looking to further their education in the field of criminal justice. We recognize that our institutions share a common goal of providing students with the tools they need to succeed in their chosen careers, and we are excited to work together to achieve this goal,” said ASU Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Rhonda Porter.

“In waiving the application fee and guaranteeing admissions for qualified ABAC students, this agreement will help open the door for students who wish to pursue advanced education in this discipline,” said Dr. Matthew Anderson, Dean of ABAC’s School of Arts and Sciences. “We hope this partnership with Albany State’s excellent Criminal Justice M.S. program helps keep ABAC students here in South Georgia while they pursue their graduate studies. That will enhance the likelihood that they remain in the region following graduation and can utilize their skills to help strengthen our local communities.”

The articulation agreement will officially become effective in the upcoming fall semester.