Mountain State University

Mountain State University founded in 1933, is an independent, not-for-profit university offering traditional classroom-based education as well as independent and distance learning programs. Located in the heart of downtown Beckley, West Virginia, 50 miles south of the capital of Charleston. Beckley, a city of 20,000, is the population center of southern West Virginia.

Why MSU?
Your college search is over! Mountain State University has what you need to succeed. With a 23 to 1 student-teacher ratio and an enrollment of over 6000 students, you will get individual attention while expanding your cultural horizons.

Academic Programs
Choose from more than 75 degrees in health care, business, or arts and sciences, all with a focus on careers. Whether you are a traditional student or a working adult, you'll find undergraduate and graduate classes that fit your schedule and degree programs that meet your needs. With on-campus classes, independent study, and on-line courses, you can choose a learning method that suits you.

Learning Resources
MSU has everything you'll need for research and study, right here on campus! The Robert C. Byrd Learning Resource Center library has more than 90,000 volumes and extensive on-line holdings. Large, multimedia classrooms, two 30-station computer laboratories, and audio/video facilities are available for student use. The newly created Technology Zone includes state-of-the-art telecommunication links, technology equipment, high-speed access and software, and a 3-D immersion module.

Recreation and Athletics
MSU offers students a variety of special on-campus events and celebrations throughout the year. Plus, as a student at MSU, you'll receive a complimentary membership to the local YMCA, which offers workout facilities, swimming, basketball, and racquetball within walking distance of campus. Abundant recreation opportunities can be found nearby, including whitewater rafting, skiing and snowboarding, mountain biking, rock climbing, and camping. If team sports are your thing, then cheer on the MSU Cougars as they compete in NAIA men's basketball and soccer, as well as women's softball, volleyball and soccer.

Affordability
Your education is a worthwhile investment, but it should be affordable. Mountain State University maintains the lowest tuition of the state's private colleges and universities. Most of our students attend MSU with financial aid, which is available to all who qualify. As the largest, most affordable private university in beautiful West Virginia, we invite you to come see for yourself that we are the University for YOU!

Mission Statement
"Mountain State University believes in the value of lifelong learning and the power of knowledge to transform lives. We continually strive for innovative undergraduate and graduate programs that lead to opportunities for personal and professional success in a rapidly changing and technologically sophisticated world."

Why choose Criminal Justice?
Does your idea of success combine professional opportunity with the chance to make the world a better place? If you’re concerned with justice and social issues, and want to make a difference, a career in criminal justice may be your path. Mountain State University offers online criminal justice programs for maximum convenience; earn an associate or bachelor’s degree from the convenience of your home or office.

Criminal Justice is a changing and dynamic profession, its growth spurred by new technologies, increased need for law enforcement personnel, and a continuing focus on homeland security. Whether you’re a seasoned professional looking to advance in your career, or someone new to the field, an MSU criminal justice degree, earned online or in classroom-based study, offers you the opportunity to pursue any field of study relating to police, courts, corrections, or homeland security.

What can I study at MSU?
MSU offers both online and classroom-based bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with three concentrations:

• Homeland Security: The focus is on combating terrorism through investigation, detection, location, and apprehension of foreign and domestic terrorists. In this concentration, you will train for law enforcement response to incidents, disasters, and crisis management.

• Police Science: This concentration focuses on employing a scientific approach to the management of crime scenes and administratively managing law enforcement agencies. If you are a potential leader in the field of criminal justice, this concentration is best suited for you.

• Corrections Management: If you see yourself as a future leader in community corrections agencies, prisons, or jails, this concentration allows you to focus on a management and interdisciplinary approach to corrections.

MSU also offers an associate degree in criminal justice in both online and classroom-based formats.

Why choose MSU?
Gain both academic and field experience. To supplement the academic classes, MSU offers practicum exercises, internships, and job placement activities with local law enforcement agencies, correctional agencies, and the new homeland securities agencies here in West Virginia. This combination gives our students a competitive edge in the criminal justice field that requires both a college education and relevant field experience for the top jobs.

Homeland Security Emphasis. All of the bachelor’s degree concentrations include courses and training in homeland security, and MSU is the only university in West Virginia that offers a Criminal Justice concentration in Homeland Security.

Flexible Learning Delivery. Classes in the criminal justice program are offered on-campus, in cohort settings, and through independent study. You can also receive credit for past academic courses and prior learning experience.

Active Student Organizations. Two student organizations, Alpha Phi Sigma Honor Society and American Criminal Justice Association - Lamba Alpha Epsilon chapter offer our students the opportunity to add to their Criminal Justice studies. Practical experience can be gained through tours of prisons or jails, courses in using firearms and self-defense, and viewing law enforcement demonstrations.

Career Opportunities
Criminal justice graduates will qualify for a variety of jobs:

• Local police officer
• Sheriff’s deputy
• Correctional officer
• Private security officer
• Probation/parole officer
• West Virginia State Police
• Federal agent positions (with bachelor’s degree)
• Homeland security specialist

MSU’s new concentration in its criminal justice programs reflect the need for more law enforcement professionals in all areas of local, state, and national government. The Occupational Outlook Handbook, published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, projects this area to grow faster than average, which means approximately a 21 to 35 percent increase in jobs between 2002 and 2012.

Since all bachelor’s degree programs feature elements of Homeland Security, graduates will be able to target more competitive areas within the federal government, such as the FBI, U.S Marshals, DEA, BATF, and U.S. Customs for career opportunities.

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What Is Organizational Leadership?
The Organizational Leadership program at MSU is designed to focus on leadership, the kind of leadership useful in any professional setting. The learning objectives of the program embody fundamental leadership concepts, applicable in an office of one to a company of thousands, whether they are profit, not-for-profit, service, retail, or manufacturing. You will grow professionally with credentials that will help you push beyond your current professional limits.

Offered through the School of Leadership Studies, the Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership is an adult-focused degree completion program designed to:

• Introduce you to the methods and skills that maximize human capital in any organization.

• Develop your individual and interpersonal skills for achieving successful organizational goals and personal growth.

• Enhance your problem solving skills that result in positive organizational change.

• Foster life long learning and continuous growth.

• Encourage immediate application of learning to your organization.

To qualify for the program applicants must:

• Have a minimum of 40 semester hours of college credit eligible for transfer to the University with a minimum transferable grade point average of 2.0.

• Be at least 25 years old with at least two years of work experience.

*Prospective students who do not yet have sufficient college credit to qualify for admission may be able to earn credit through Spectrum, the University's integrated general education program; independent study; prior learning credit; or transfer credit. Otherwise students may enter if approved by the Program Director.

Where and When are Classes Offered?
Mountain State University's Organizational Leadership program is one of many we offer to help working adults further their education without having to take time away from their job or family. You can participate in the face-to-face classroom environment or you can participate in an on-line learning environment.

• Our cohort in seat classroom method requires attendance one session a week at one of our convenient locations throughout West Virginia, and our branch campuses in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Florida.

• Our cohort online method requires web chats and other virtual experiences with your classmates and/or individually. Available worldwide.

What Will I Be Doing?
Through numerous activities including weekly guided discussions, team projects and role playing, you will be in class with a number of your peers. Successful completion of this program will require you to participate in case studies, action research, and participate in experiential activities. Learning outcomes will be the same regardless of whether you take our course in a classroom setting or online.

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What Is Strategic Leadership?
The Strategic Leadership program at MSU will help you attain the skills and knowledge to work more effectively with people, organizational systems, and complex information-critical factors in you and your company's success. The program's objectives embody development of a leadership skill set, strategies for problem solving, solutions to facilitate and manage change applicable in an office of one to a company of thousands, whether they are profit, not-for-profit, service, retail, or manufacturing. You will grow professionally with credentials that will help you push beyond your current professional limits.

Offered through the School of Graduate Studies, the Masters of Science in Strategic Leadership is an adult-focused graduate program designed to:

• Promote dexterity in creative problem solving.

• Encourage principles of sound quality management.

• Facilitate techniques for effective use of teams.

• Inspire strategic thinking that helps an organizations maintain a competitive advantage.

• Infuse the advantage of an organizational analysis and its use in managing change.

To qualify for the program or courses applicants must possess:

• Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university

Where and When are Classes Offered?
Mountain State University's Strategic Leadership program is one of many we offer to help working adults further their education without having to take time away from their job or family. You can participate in the face-to-face classroom environment or you can participate in an on-line learning environment.

• Our program cohort in seat classroom method requires attendance one session a week at one of our convenient locations throughout West Virginia, and our branch campuses in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Florida, as well as virtual team meetings.

• Our courses online require web chats and other virtual experiences with your classmates and through individual course assignments. Available worldwide.

What Will I Be Doing?
Through numerous activities including weekly guided discussions, team projects and role playing, you will be in class with a number of your peers. Successful completion of this program will require you to participate in case studies, action research, and participate in experiential activities. Learning outcomes will be the same regardless of whether you take our course in a classroom setting or online.

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