Program Overview

University Programs

The University of Virginia offers various degree and certificate programs across different fields, including business, government, healthcare, public safety, and technology.

Business Programs

• Bachelor's Degree Completion
• Accounting - Graduate
• Certified Financial Planning
• Human Resources
• Leadership
• Procurement & Contracts Management
• Project Management
• Higher Ed Program for Executive Level Assistants
• Research Administration
• SHRM Learning & Prep
• Cybersecurity Management
• Customized Learning for Organizations

Government Programs

• Bachelor's Degree Completion
• Procurement & Contracts Management
• Project Management
• Leadership
• Public Administration

Healthcare Programs

• Health Sciences Management Certificate
• Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Medical Program

Public Safety Programs

• Master of Public Safety Program
• National Criminal Justice Command College
• Center for Public Safety and Justice

Technology Programs

• Bachelor's Degree Completion
• Cloud Computing
• Cybersecurity Management
• Cybersecurity Analysis
• Information Technology
• Project Management

Virginia Prison Education Program

Overview

The Virginia Prison Education Program brings high-quality education and the chance to complete a bachelor's degree to individuals incarcerated in the Virginia Prison system.

Education and Incarceration in the U.S.

• 2 million incarcerated individuals in the U.S.
• 6% are offered access to college courses
• Education is transformational, and for incarcerated individuals, it offers greater post-release employment opportunities, higher earning potential, upward mobility, and lower rates of returning to prison.

Education's Impact on Recidivism

• 43% lower recidivism with some college
• 85% lower recidivism with an associate degree
• 95% lower recidivism with a bachelor's degree

Program Details

The Virginia Prison Education Program is made possible by a $350,700 grant from Ascendium Education Group. The program allows incarcerated individuals at the Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women who have completed their associate degree through Piedmont Virginia Community College and meet the competitive admissions requirements for the University of Virginia and the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies program to continue their education and complete a bachelor's degree.

Mission and Vision

The Virginia Prison Education Program speaks to the heart of the UVA School of Continuing and Professional Studies' mission as well as that of the greater University. By expanding access to affordable and achievable education, the program helps develop the "full potential of talented students from all walks of life."

Impact

Education transcends that which divides us. Through UVA's Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies degree with a concentration in liberal arts, students broaden their world view while improving life skills like critical thinking, communication, problem-solving, teamwork, time management, and confidence.

How the Program Works

The University of Virginia's School of Continuing and Professional Studies has delivered the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies degree since 1999, with over 1,000 working adults having successfully completed the program. The degree offers a broad education across history, literature, and writing, with the opportunity for Virginia Prison Education Program students to concentrate in liberal arts.

Partners

• Ascendium Education Group: a 501(c)(3) non-profit committed to helping learners from low-income backgrounds achieve their academic and career goals.
• Piedmont Virginia Community College: delivers a pathway to an associate degree in the Virginia Prison System.
• Virginia Department of Corrections: an institutional partner, authorizing and supporting the college to operate an accredited degree program within its facilities.
• Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women: collaborates as a partner institution, allowing UVA's Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies degree program to be offered on site.
• The Virginia Consensus for Higher Education in Prison: engages stakeholders from various sectors in a process of consensus-building and strategic planning to expand access to college degree programs for incarcerated individuals in Virginia prisons.
• The Virginia Higher Education for Incarcerated Students Consortium: a strategic statewide multi-agency initiative that aligns key stakeholders and resources through cross-sector collaboration to build an equitable, cohesive, and scalable system for delivering postsecondary education to incarcerated learners in Virginia.