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St. Cloud State University

St. Cloud State University

Center for Continuing Studies: We Bring Students to the University by Taking the University to Students

Online and Distance Learning

Pathways for Incarcerated Students

  • A 1987 study done by the Bureau of Prisons found that the more education an inmate received, the lower the rate of recidivism. Holders of college degrees were the least likely to reenter prison. (The Common Review, 2005)
  • According to a study done by the Open Society Institute, fewer than 8 percent of former inmates who attended college classes in prison returned to prison after three years, compared to the almost 30% that did not participate in a college program. (The New York Times, 2001)
  • According to the National Institute of Justice Report that prison education is far more effective at reducing recidivism than boot campus, shock incarceration, or vocational training. (Karpowitz and Kenner)
  • According to a study done by the Department of Education in 2001, found that for every dollar you spend on education, you save two dollars by avoiding the cost of re-incarceration. (The New York Times, 2001)

St. Cloud State University’s Pathways for Incarcerated Students program offers students the opportunity to earn a degree or to simply take courses for personal growth and development.

St. Cloud State University (SCSU) was established in 1869 and is the most highly accredited university in Minnesota. For over 40 years, SCSU’s Center for Continuing Studies has offered access to the university’s high quality academic courses through correspondence study.

Today, St. Cloud State University offers incarcerated students access to these same academic courses through the Pathways program. Students can choose to pursue an Associate in Arts or Associate in Elective Studies degree entirely by correspondence study. Courses are facilitated by experienced faculty who share the Center’s vision of providing access to students who cannot attend class on campus.

Students who are admitted to the University through Pathways for Incarcerated Students become part of St. Cloud State University’s long-standing tradition of excellence and opportunity.

Contact Information

For more information on the Pathways program (including current tuition and fees) through the SCSU’s Center for Continuing Studies, write to:

Pathways for Incarcerated Students Program
Center for Continuing Studies
St. Cloud State University
720 4 th Avenue South
St. Cloud MN 56301
320-308-3081

Or email any questions to: ccs@stcloudstate.edu