SHSU, UH To Sign Agreement For Joint Program

Randy Garner, associate dean of the College of Criminal Justice

The signing will take place at a ceremony at 4:30 p.m. in the Frankel Rare Books Room, on the second floor of the Bates Law Building at the UH Law Center.

Sam Houston State criminal justice dean Richard Ward and associate dean Randy Garner will officially sign the agreement that gives SHSU criminal justice Ph.D. students the opportunity to receive credit for the Doctor of Jurisprudence degree offered by the University of Houston.

"The agreement will allow more opportunities for any student who may wish to get both a Ph.D. and a law degree," Garner said. "It is just another example of offering greater flexibility and meeting student needs."

Likewise, under the agreement, law students will be able to receive credit for upper level course work at UH for a Doctor of Philosophy in criminal justice from SHSU.

"I can't speak for the whole university, but I think it's safe to say that everyone's very excited about this collaboration," said Nancy Rapoport, UH Law Center dean. "This is a one-of-a-kind program that plays to the strengths of both institutions."

Not only one-of-a-kind, the program is the only one of its kind in Texas.

"UH Law School will count up to 15 criminal justice graduate credits from SHSU towards a J.D., and SHSU will count up to 15 law graduate credits from UH towards a Ph.D," Garner said in March 2002, when the agreement was awaiting approval from UH.

"The way it is structured, the student must apply to both programs (SHSU & UH) and must declare their intentions during the first year," he said.

In addition to applying and being accepted at both universities, those interested are responsible for taking both the Law School Admissions Texas (LSAT) and the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).

Rapoport said the program will benefit students at both institutions.

"SHSU's Ph.D. candidates will mix with our J.D., and some LL.M. (master of laws) candidates, meaning that the classroom instruction will be enriched by the experience of the Ph.D. candidates," she said. "I'm also expecting some deep friendships to form as a result of the shared classes."

The approval process for the program started in the colleges and moved through the divisions and university-level administrators, which is why the program is just now being signed, Garner said.

"Actually it has been approved in principle for some time," he said. "The delay was more for administrative reasons and, most recently, to accommodate several administrative personnel changes at UH."

SHSU currently offers an independent Ph.D. in criminal justice, but the only law curriculum for students is a pre-law emphasis at the undergraduate level.

With the agreement, the addition of the added coursework will be more appealing to students, who could be more marketable with the coursework, and for the university.

"I think the university is attempting to offer programs and degree options that are being sought by individuals in the field," Garner said. "This suggests that the university is sensitive to the career needs of potential students."

For more information on the application process, contact Doris Powell, SHSU criminal justice admissions coordinator, at 936.294.3170.

SHSU Media Contact: Jennifer Gauntt
August 7, 2003
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