In this episode of 'SEMO Spotlight', we speak with Brian Donavant, chair and professor for the College of Criminal Justice, Social Work & Sociology. We discuss the current criminal justice degree option and what the first 90-credit Bachelor of Science degree means for students at SEMO.
The streamlined program replaces the traditional 120-hour degree, which combined general education, major requirements, and a large block of unstructured elective hours. Donavant explained that those extra elective hours often lengthened time-to-degree, increased tuition costs, and sometimes did not clearly contribute to students’ professional preparation.
A 90-hour curriculum is designed to help students complete their Bachelor’s in roughly three years, aligning degree completion with common hiring age requirements for many entry-level criminal justice positions at 21 years old, with the common age to enter college as a freshman, which is 18.
The hope is that students are more likely to graduate before accepting full-time roles in law enforcement, corrections, probation, or parole. Donavant noted that many students start college with some college credits but fail to finish their degrees; by shortening and clarifying the pathway, the program aims to reduce student debt and improve workforce readiness.
To prevent registration bottlenecks and help students plan their studies, the department has produced a detailed degree map and a two-year course rotation posted online, allowing students and advisors to project course offerings and enrollment needs. Donavant said current classes have room for additional enrollment and that the department has projected future growth with plans in place to scale resources as needed.
The program also supports working professionals and those with prior training: the school grants academic credit for relevant professional training, such as a semester’s worth of credit for the police academy, which can accelerate degree completion.
Additionally, Donavant highlighted an online master’s program that can be completed in about a year; together, the bachelor’s and the streamlined master’s offer a faster route to advanced qualifications and leadership roles later in a criminal justice career.
Overall, Donavant frames the initiative as a practical response to rising student debt and career-entry timing, emphasizing affordability, clear academic planning, and recognition of professional experience to help students and working professionals progress more efficiently through higher education and into the workforce.
