Adult degree completion programs are offered at Calumet College of St. Joseph

Adult degree completion programs are offered at Calumet College of St. Joseph

Calumet College of St. Joseph (CCSJ) is a private institution in Hammond, Indiana. CCSJ has adult degree completion programs geared toward adults that want to further their education. There are two programs that Senior Vice President for Enrollment, Marketing and Athletics, Johnny Craig, mentioned. The first program is a Public Safety Management Degree, which is geared toward law enforcement professionals. Community members working or wanting to work in law enforcement, fire or various emergency service careers can complete their degree through this program. 

The second, more common degree completion program is known as the Business Management Fast Track Degree. This degree is extremely versatile and can be utilized in countless different career paths. 

“This is geared for adults who have had some education - maybe an associate degree or a little bit of college here and there,” Craig said. “Maybe they've been working in the workforce and need that degree to either get that next promotion or prepare for the next job that they have. This is a program that we've been running at CCSJ for over two decades, and we're very proud of it.”

Craig explained the program is structured to be completed in as little as 14 months and offered in a hybrid meeting schedule. The hybrid schedule constitutes both in-person and online class meetings to ensure the face-to-face connection remains, but the classes do not interfere with the busy schedule of the adult worker.

“Networking is a major component of success here,” Craig said. “There are a lot of online options to complete degrees, and that works for some people. For residents here in Northwest Indiana, the opportunity to network and not only learn from your faculty members but from your cohort while balancing the busy schedule is something that we're really striving for.”

The program is able to be completed in such a short period of time due to the number of credits that are already acquired. Credits can be obtained by past college classes, work experience, military training and certifications, and testing into and out of classes. CCSJ will examine the existing credits and aid in putting together a schedule in order to allow their students to get their degrees in as efficient a way as possible.

“The nice thing about the Business Management Fast Track Degree is it's a general degree that can be applied in a variety of different ways,” Craig said. “What we're trying to do is help students think critically, help them think strategically and develop those communication skills that can be applied in a lot of different facets.”

Many students enroll in this program because they are striving for a promotion, want to start their own business or simply want to further understand various aspects of their current career. This hard work and dedication shown by students emphasize the educational strength the community of Northwest Indiana has. 

“I believe tremendously in the value of education. I believe in the prospects and the potential of Northwest Indiana,” Craig said. “I feel it's my position to try to connect people with their goals and give them the opportunity to achieve their goals. Then they can move out and apply it in our community and see the results, grow businesses, grow organizations and give back to nonprofits. All those things make Northwest Indiana strong.”

CCSJ is an institution that combines education with community. The small class sizes of CCSJ allow students to create personal connections with their professors as well as their peers while learning in order to fully immerse themselves in the learning experience.

“The education market can be very saturated, and there are a lot of opportunities for students, and we want to make sure that we're not just here to find students,” Craig said. “We want to find students that we are a good fit for as well. We take that process very seriously. We're hopeful that we can find, identify and support the students that we are the right fit for because, ultimately, that's what's going to help them be more successful.”

If Calumet College of St. Joseph sounds like the right fit for you, you can apply online at CCSJ.edu under the Business Management Fast Track page, or call or email enrollment counselor Keith Alexander directly at 219-473-4210 or kalexander@ccsj.edu.