Eastern Florida Online Programs Named Among Best in U.S.

Online criminal justice degree programs at Eastern Florida State College are among the best in the nation, providing students the accessibility and flexibility they need to learn and graduate.

Those are the findings in a new study by BestOnlineColleges.org, which ranks online programs nationwide to help parents and students make the best decision when choosing an institution of higher education.

The study praised Eastern Florida, still named Brevard Community College at the time of the report, for offering students “interactive coursework on exciting criminal justice programs while still being flexible in the manner in which they are delivered.”

“For those seeking an easily accessible method for acquiring their Associate’s Degree in criminal justice, (Eastern Florida) is worth looking into,” the study stated.

Some 30 other schools were also cited in the criminal justice category, including the University of Alabama, University of Minnesota, University of Houston and DePaul University.

“The findings show Eastern Florida’s strong commitment to online learning and giving students the options they need to continue their education,” said college president, Dr. Jim Richey.

“Our ranking with some of the nation’s largest universities is a credit to our faculty and staff in making online programs a priority and giving students the same personalized instruction they get in a classroom.

“Many students work full-time and are parents, and online courses are the best way for them to pursue their degrees and help balance their busy lives. We’ll continue to place a major emphasis in online learning in the years ahead.”

Eastern Florida’s criminal justice programs are part of its Public Safety Institute, which is located on the Melbourne campus and offers about 20 programs in law enforcement, criminal justice, emergency medical services and fire science.

The Institute is home to the Law Enforcement Academy, Brevard Police Testing and Selection Center, Corrections Academy, Fire Science Academy and Emergency Medical Services Academy.

The programs lead to Associate Degrees and professional certifications. They will take another step forward next year when the college starts offering a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Safety Management, pending approval from the Florida Department of Education.

Eastern Florida was among three other Florida College System schools recognized in the study for their online programs in the 2012-13 academic year.

Gulf Coast State College was cited for its online nutrition programs, Pensacola State College for its online Biology Degree program and Tallahassee Community College for its online Graphic Design program.

EFSC changed its named from Brevard Community College on July 1, 2013 to reflect the addition of two business-related Bachelor's Degree programs.