Skip to main content

Competency-Based Education

Built with the field. Designed to fit your life. Learn online at your own pace and build skills you can use right away in a flexible, affordable, format.

What is Competency-Based education?

Competency-Based Education (CBE) is a flexible, self-paced, skills-focused approach that centers on what you can demonstrate, not how long you spend in a course. Instead of attending scheduled class sessions over a traditional semester, CBE courses are built around online assessments tied to clearly defined, career-aligned competencies. You progress by demonstrating mastery of each skill, allowing you to move at a pace that fits your schedule and complete the course once all competencies are achieved.

You can also receive credit toward your degree for qualifying prior education or training. Our CBE program is developed in direct collaboration with criminal justice professionals and agencies, ensuring the competencies reflect real-world responsibilities and expectations, and that the skills you build translate directly to advancement in the field.

SHSU's College of Criminal Justice has the following programs in CBE:

BAAS in Criminal Justice

Competency-Based Education in Criminal Justice

COMPETENCY-BASED VS. TRADITIONAL ONLINE LEARNING

What's the difference?

 Traditional Courses  
  • Follow a set scheduled with fixed start and end dates
  • Move through the course at the same pace as everyone else
  • Complete assignments and exams to earn points toward a final grade
  • Instructor-led with a focus on teaching and grading
  • Tuition varies and is typically higher
 Competency-Based
  • Start at multiple points and move at a pace that works for you
  • Progress by showing what you can do
  • Complete real-world tasks that connect to your career
  • Faculty serve as coaches, providing feedback and support
  • Courses cost $178 per credit hour, about half the average tuition in Texas

Why choose CBE?

  • Affordable
    • Tuition for CBE courses is set at $178 per credit hour
  • Continuous entry points throughout the year
    • Flexible start options lets you get started when the timing is right for you
  • Move at your own pace
    • Move quickly through what you already know or take the time you need to master new material
  • Flexible for working adults
    • Designed to fit around work, family, and other commitments
  • Focused on real-world skills
    • Assessments connect learning to career pathways, preparing you with job-ready skills
  • Work-based mentorships
    • Earn up to 12 credit hours working with your current employer
  • Support every step of the way
    • Faculty feedback and evaluation, academic resources, specialized advising, and 24/7 technical support

Learn practical skills you can apply immediately

Our program closes the gap between field experience and formal education through a collaborative partnership with criminal justice practitioners. By working directly with professionals in the field, it is intentionally designed to reflect real-world expectations and workforce needs:

  • Define field-validated skills across criminal justice settings
  • Bridge classroom and operational knowledge, preparing criminal justice professionals to excel in the field
  • Strengthen workforce pipelines by giving agencies a reliable pathway to develop credentialed, promotion-ready professionals

Ready to apply?

Start your journey toward a bachelor's degree today! Our team is ready to help as you take your next steps.

Get Information & Apply

Contact Us

Patricia Macias-Fisher

Undergraduate Pathways Coordinator

Email

cjpathways@shsu.edu

Phone

936-294-1035