AIC’s Criminal Justice Master’s Program Receives Quinn Bill Approval

Graduates will be eligible for incentive pay increases from participating police departments.

Springfield, MA — American International College (AIC) proudly announces that its Master of Science in Criminal Justice has been approved under the Guidelines for Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Academic Programs by the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education (BHE). Effective June 2024, this approval qualifies the fully online degree for the Police Career Incentive Pay Program (PCIPP), also known as the Quinn Bill.

The Massachusetts legislature enacted the Quinn Bill to encourage police officers to earn degrees in law enforcement and criminal justice by providing educational incentives for full-time officers in participating cities and towns through salary increases.

Significance of the Approval

This approval means that AIC’s Master of Science in Criminal Justice meets or exceeds all quality standards established by the guidelines, making its graduates eligible for incentive pay increases. Susanne T. Swanker, PhD, dean of the AIC School of Business, Arts, and Sciences, remarked, “The curriculum helps students develop the necessary problem-solving skills to address contemporary and evolving problems in the field with innovative, ethical, and evidence-based solutions.” Regina Sanderson, assistant professor and coordinator of Graduate Criminal Justice adds, “We are thrilled that by approving our program for the Quinn Bill,  the state recognizes the hard work of our faculty in developing a comprehensive and rigorous curriculum that meets the needs of those in the field.”

Benefits to Criminal Justice Students

By participating in the Quinn Bill, students who are full-time police officers in Massachusetts can receive significant salary increases upon graduation, providing a tangible return on their educational investment. This incentive not only encourages professional development but also enhances the quality of law enforcement services by ensuring officers are well-educated in the latest theories and practices in criminal justice.

About the Program

The Master of Science in Criminal Justice program at AIC is designed to prepare graduates for the complex challenges of twenty-first-century law enforcement and other criminal justice occupations. The program emphasizes rigorous academic inquiry, advanced research, and comprehensive coursework, equipping students with the knowledge, critical thinking skills, ethical foundations, and practical insights necessary to navigate the complex landscape of criminal justice.

The curriculum includes six core courses and a selection of elective courses to satisfy the credit requirements for two tracks. The thirty-credit mid-career track is tailored for professionals with a bachelor’s degree and at least four years of experience in the field, while the thirty-six-credit track is for those with a bachelor’s degree but less than four years of experience. Students can choose from four specializations: social justice and public policy, executive leadership, victim studies, and homeland security and intelligence studies. Each specialization can also serve as a stand-alone certificate.

Graduates can apply their skills to many types of law enforcement positions. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects an eight percent growth for protective service occupations between 2020 and 2030. With a master’s degree, graduates can access the most desirable and highest-paying positions in the law enforcement field.

More Information and Enrollment

For more information about the program, please visit AIC’s Criminal Justice Master of Science Program webpage. To enroll, please contact the Office of Admissions at (413) 205-3201 or admissions@aic.edu.