Why Take a Certificate Program?

A question often asked is ‘Why take a Certificate Program over a Degree Program?” There are many reasons why it is a good choice to make.

• Students are not subjected to the same admission requirements as in a Degree Program. For the Certificate in Police Leadership Program, you only need to be working in the field of law enforcement in order to register. There is no formal application process. You just simply need to send in your registration form to get started as soon as possible!
• You need far less courses to finish a Certificate Program than a Degree Program. Finishing a Degree part-time can take many years. You can finish your first Certificate in Police Leadership within 1.5 years, and each subsequent certificate will only take one year, if you take a course each term. It could only take you 3.5 years to finish an Advanced Police Leadership certificate. Finishing a degree can take much longer than this when studying part-time, depending on credits already accumulated and degree being pursued.
• Courses in the Certificate in Police Leadership Program are written from the perspective of practitioners in the field. Students feel as if the courses have been written for them and their specific careers. With many university courses, students struggle to make the connections with their world and to find applicability in the material. With our courses, the connections are made for you. Students who are not involved in law enforcement are not able to do the courses in this program. We assume a certain level of experience, and students without this experience and background are unable to relate to the material or answer the questions.
• IF you do wish to pursue a degree after finishing the Certificate Program, you will receive advanced standing in various university programs, such as Athabasca University’s Bachelor of Professional Studies in Criminal Justice or Lakeland College’s Bachelor of Applied Business: Emergency Services.
• Most police service promotional processes look favorably upon post secondary credentials. It does not always necessarily have to be a degree. Our Certificate Program is recognized nationally and hundreds of officers have attributed their success in promotional routines to the education that they have received from us. If your police organization does require that you be working towards a degree, Police Leadership courses can be transferred to the degree programs mentioned above. Many students prefer starting off with the career applicability of the Certificate Program, then later having the flexibility to transfer those credits into a degree program as they progress through their career.