Life sometimes gets in the way of your higher education. Priorities shift. Relationships happen. Children come into the picture. Unexpected setbacks occur. Your job keeps you busy. You simply may not have had the option or interest to attend college or graduate school.
There are many reasons why you may have delayed furthering your education, and all of them are valid. But none of them need stop you from resuming your educational journey. Now that you have a few more years of life experience under your belt, there are distinct advantages to returning to school in this modern educational landscape, as you’ll see below.
If you’re still reading this, you probably fit into one of these categories:
No matter which of these categories best describes you, there are compelling reasons why you should get a college credential:
If you’re feeling apprehensive about going back to school, understand that you’re not alone. Many others feel the same way you do right now. There are also many people available to guide you through the process right here at The University of Texas Permian Basin. In fact, the answers to some of the most common questions we receive from prospective students are much more straightforward than you might think:
Where do I begin?
The first step is to apply to your chosen program. For help with program selection, the enrollment process, program requirements, and more, reach out to our academic advisors.
Will my old college credits transfer?
You might have some credits left over from an earlier college program. Use our handy transfer credit calculator to see if they will transfer to your new UT Permian Basin program.
Will I need to provide my SAT scores?
SAT scores are not required. However, submitting SAT scores is recommended since they can qualify students for certain scholarships. If you have any questions, contact an admissions representative for answers applicable to your specific situation.
How do I request transcripts?
Contact any high school(s) and college(s) you may have previously attended and request to have your official transcripts sent to UT Permian Basin. In many cases, you can make transcript requests online.
Some of our current students waited 20 years or more before going back to school for a degree. If you’re going back to college after a long absence, you may be pleasantly surprised by what’s changed! Online learning is now a widely accepted way to earn a degree. Employers don’t mind and often don’t even know that a college credential was earned online. The online learning format offers many distinct benefits that aren’t possible in a campus-based program, including greater convenience and cost savings. See for yourself:
UT Permian Basin’s online programs are home to students ranging from recent high school graduates to empty nesters. There’s a place for you here! You may even find having such a diverse group of classmates rewarding.
We encourage you to browse our broad range of in-demand online degree and certificate programs now. You’re bound to find one or more that suits your professional and personal goals or interests.
Questions? Reach out to us today!
With an uncertain economy, annual budget showdowns from Congress, and fluctuating financial priorities continually dogging our nation, it’s reassuring to know that government bodies from the federal level downward are still offering financial assistance to enable current and future educators to pursue their passion. Political and economic winds shift, however, and so may the availability of such funds.
As CNN observed, government payments to areas including education can be impacted in an economic crisis. Reporting on the debt ceiling fight in the federal government, The Hill stated more directly that “students [would] not receive the aid they need, in some cases, to stay in class” if the U.S. had defaulted on its debt.
Of course, the primary reason for continuing your education should always be to learn more, to improve your professional performance, and to pass the benefits of those on to your students. But if greater career mobility is your goal, continuing your graduate journey also provides opportunities to network with other educators and impress current and future employers with your new credentials.
Considering the risks of waiting to continue your education—from fewer funding options to hindered career progress—the best time to earn education credentials is now. Think beyond maintaining your teaching licensure to acquiring new credentials that can lead to more advanced and potentially more rewarding roles in education, such as:
Ready to get started? Here’s what you have to do:
Receive a grant of up to $4,000 per year while completing your education degree. Following graduation, you’ll repay the funds by teaching full time to underprivileged students in a high-need field for four years at an elementary or secondary school or educational service agency (ESA).
Have up to $17,500 taken off your student loan and pay it off more quickly. You will be required to teach for five consecutive years at a school or ESA that serves disadvantaged students.
School districts, cities, and states nationwide offer tuition reimbursement, loan forgiveness, grants, scholarships, and other forms of financial assistance to teachers wishing to further their education. You’ll find options in places from Oregon City, OR to Broken Arrow, OK to Philadelphia, PA—perhaps even in your school district, city, or state! Do research. Ask your supervisor. Speak with your human resources representative. Don’t let those funds—and your potential professional opportunities—go unclaimed.
Perhaps the best way to take advantage of tuition assistance is to earn graduate credentials from an accredited university, and preferably one that offers programs in fields that align with the federal grant and loan requirements for educators discussed above.
UT Permian Basin’s CAEP-accredited online College of Education programs have a lot going for them:
Multiple In-Demand Program Options
Master of Arts in Bilingual/ESL*
Master of Arts in Special Education*
Master of Arts in Special Education, Autism Spectrum Disorders track*
Master of Arts in Special Education, Educational Diagnostician track*
Master of Arts in Educational Leadership (ELCC-recognized)
*Meets TEACH Grant and Teacher Loan Forgiveness requirements.
**Certification preparedness programs may be accepted by out-of-state agencies. Contact your state’s department of education to confirm.
Accolades
Streamlined Admission
Flexibility
Don’t wait any longer to take advantage of the financial options available to you as an educator. You might be missing out on career satisfaction you never thought possible. Apply today!
Political sociology is a discipline defined as the study of power and the relationship between societies, states, and political conflict. Although the term itself wasn’t officially coined until the 1930s, the concept of political sociology dates all the way back to the third century BCE. Aristotle sought to describe the state of Greece’s governance through the multiple city-states governed by its citizens and first studied the effects social groups have on governance in his work “Politics.”
While there is significant overlap between political sociology and political science, political science examines the internal workings of a government, while political sociology focuses on the building of nation-states and the power relation in the social structure.
Political sociology became prominent after the horrific events of World War II and the major impacts the war had on society. Sociologists sought to understand how social concepts such as race, ethnicity, and education impacted the political system and vice versa. Specifically, they sought to understand imbalances of power in the hopes of preventing similar events from happening in the future and duplicating structures that have historically worked. The study of political sociology now includes issues such as race, ethnicity, gender, and classism, as well as family dynamics, workplaces, and modern media.
While many thinkers aim to explore the framework of what makes politics and society function together, the works of German sociologists Karl Marx and Max Weber and French sociologist Émile Durkheim stand out as primary sources.
Political scientists and sociologists have long debated democratic transitions as an answer to the imbalance of power in a society. The Lipsett hypothesis argues that the more economically developed a nation is, the more prosperous and politically stable it becomes. Urbanization especially helps spread media and literacy among all social groups.
Historically, democracies were led by a small number of people, usually white males of higher social status. Women and racial minorities, for example, have only comparatively recently gained access to political power, resources, and prestige. Influential democratic movements like the Women’s Suffrage Movement of the 1920s and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s led to voting rights and better opportunities for oppressed social groups in the United States.
Today, agents like the free media give a voice to historically underrepresented communities and lead to greater participation on political issues.
Our appropriately named course Political Sociology (SOCI 4324), part of our online BA in sociology program, examines the concepts of power and society in more depth, focusing on the concepts of class, ideology, elites, and political and state officials. During this course, you’ll learn to apply critical concepts of political sociology to current social issues from a national and global perspective. After completing the course, you’ll be able to comprehend and identify key issues related to social structures and power in society.
Political Sociology is offered as part of our online BA in sociology program but can also benefit students studying to earn a degree in political science, business administration, public policy, or finance. Whether you decide to pursue a career in sociology or another field, this course can help you learn key theories and events to make a difference in any leadership role.
Our BA in sociology program is asynchronous, flexible, and entirely online. Study from the comfort of your home from anywhere in the world. Students interested in exploring social studies and social justice will gain invaluable knowledge in a field that can inform a variety of career options, some of which include:
Become a force for social change. Apply to our online BA in sociology program and join the Falcon family!
Sources:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/social-sciences/political-sociology
https://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/bios/Weber.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_sociology
https://www.sociologygroup.com/political-sociology-meaning-scope-concept-development
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Emile-Durkheim
https://www.history.com/topics/germany/karl-marx
A small candle business with a limited budget once relied solely on word of mouth to attract customers. But with a few well-placed social posts, some glowing customer reviews, and a simple video tutorial, their reach started to grow—and so did their sales.
Stories like this aren’t rare. Small businesses everywhere are learning that with the right strategies, it’s possible to market effectively without overspending. From digital tools to creative content, there are plenty of ways to get noticed without breaking the bank.6 Cost-Effective Marketing Ideas
Below, we explore six cost-effective marketing ideas for businesses, no matter their size:
Some surveys reveal that about 95% of shoppers consult online reviews before making a purchase and nearly 60% are willing to pay a premium for a product that has positive reviews. With that in mind, it’s critical for businesses to provide a good customer experience. If you’re a business owner or marketing professional, encourage satisfied customers to share reviews on your website and highly trafficked review sites. Reviews cost nothing and can have a significant impact on your business.
If you can effectively use SEO tactics to tie your product or service to something that’s trending on the internet, you can attract potential customers at a very low cost. Offering interesting, useful, timely blogs or articles on a regular basis is key.
New AI tools enable you to assemble shareable, professional-looking videos with minimal text using stock photos and music in just minutes with minimal expenditure. You may even be able to create high-quality videos on a cell phone alone. Share these videos on popular social media platforms and your own website.
Coupons are very easy to send and share electronically. Still, there are risks: A discount coupon can become too popular and end up costing you more than you expected. It’s important to limit the number of coupons you distribute and also limit their stated discount amount.
With qualified leads—people with a genuine interest in or need for your product or service—and valid email addresses, an email list can yield many prospective customers at a relatively low cost. It’s crucial to make sure you have a vetted list and the recipients’ opt-in permission. The same applies to SMS or text marketing.
Start by conducting a bit of market research to identify which social media platforms your target audience uses most. Once you’ve narrowed it down to one or two key platforms, create a content plan and start building a following through posts, reels, stories, and engaging visuals. Organic content helps grow brand awareness over time, while paid ads—despite requiring a budget—can be highly targeted and surprisingly affordable.
Whether you’re launching a business or looking to stretch your current marketing budget further, it’s natural to have questions about what actually works. Below are a few commonly asked questions and clear, practical answers to help guide your next steps.
Boost your marketing savvy and career potential with an online marketing program from The University of Texas Permian Basin. All of our AACSB-accredited online business programs are built around a robust curriculum and taught by our accomplished faculty. They’re also a cost-effective choice:
Master the marketing strategies that work for your business goals and budget in these programs:
Online Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing
Explore potential career paths.
Online Undergraduate Certificate in Digital Marketing
View certificate program courses.
When you choose UT Permian Basin for your degree you’ll enjoy great quality from the start—and tremendous potential at the finish. We’ve been recognized for our online programs in criteria including engagement, faculty, services, and support:
See what a marketing bachelor’s degree can do for your career potential:
The first true test of your marketing expertise may be marketing yourself to potential employers. Be ready to show them you have the credentials and corresponding skills! Apply today.
Gen Z and younger millennials haven’t just entered the consumer marketplace. They’re reshaping it. According to a 2024 survey, 20% of U.S. consumers made purchases on a social media platform at least weekly. This means Gen Z and millennials are setting the tone for how future generations will discover and buy from brands. These digital…
Women hold only 11% of CEO positions at Fortune 500 companies, despite making up half of the global population. That gap is real, and it’s still closing too slowly. The women on this list didn’t wait for the playing field to level out. They built something anyway, and in doing so, made the path clearer for everyone who comes after them. …
A Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree is your ticket to the world of business. A BBA provides a comprehensive overview of business, touching on foundational concepts like accounting, finance, marketing, and management. Typically, undergraduate students also choose the major that best aligns with their interests. This specialized focus allows students to explore a subject…
The MBA is the most popular graduate management degree in the world—and for good reason. According to a 2022 report by the Graduate Management Admission Council, 86% of graduates holding a Master of Business Administration were employed by the time of graduation.
Many students pursue this degree to switch industries, catapult their careers, or open doors to a variety of business opportunities, from entrepreneurship to management. However, it can be one of the most expensive graduate degrees to earn, with some students paying up to $200,000 in total.
So, the burning question for you may be: Is it worth the investment?
Like any graduate degree, analyzing the costs and benefits is an important business decision by itself. Let’s break down what an MBA can truly offer and help you make an informed decision.
The first step in determining an MBA’s worth is to analyze the cost. For a full-time, two-year MBA program, expect to pay:
Given the significant financial commitment, it’s important to weigh your options carefully. At The University of Texas Permian Basin, our students come first, and we’ve made every effort to keep programs affordable while offering a top-notch education.
UTPB is ranked one of the top business schools in the nation and is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Our accelerated MBA program costs less than $15,000 and can be completed in just a year. Classes are entirely online and asynchronous, meaning you can complete your courses from anywhere in the world with no extra living expenses or the hassle of a set schedule.
Your next question may be: What about student loans? On average, MBA students owe between $28,000 and $100,000 after graduation. With the increasing demand for MBA programs, securing financial aid can sometimes be a competitive process.have its challenges..
At UT Permian Basin, our online programs don’t require you to be on campus and don’t charge out-of-state tuition rates, meaning you won’t have to make that move or even leave your house. Most students who attend our online MBA program take out a median of $16,779 in loans to complete their studies: far less than the national average. (Visit our respective financial aid and scholarships pages to learn more.)
MBA graduates make about twice as much as other graduate degree holders. According to a 2022 GMAC Report, full-time MBA students see their median salary increase 50% from pre-MBA to post-graduation—from $80,000 to $120,000 a year.
The sector you choose to work in also plays a role in your overall salary potential. If you pursue a career in consulting, you may make around $147,200 yearly, while government employees make around $87,700 yearly.
According to 2023 Lightcast data, financial analysts are in highest demand in the business sector, followed by operations managers and product managers. Business development managers and marketing managers are also among the top-10 in-demand positions.
To give you a better idea of annual salary potential in these roles, here is a list of some top occupations for an MBA graduate:
As you can see, earning an MBA has considerable, long-term payoff. What if you can do all of this without risking your financial resources and work-life balance—from the comfort of your home?
UTPB offers the flexibility and convenience of online learning with the prestige of a top-ranked business school. According to 2023 data from SeekUT, students who graduate from our MBA program enjoy a starting median salary of around $77,000, which exponentially increases about 20% for every two years of employment.
Many prospective MBA students want to grow their skills in areas of interest in which they lack experience. For example, if you have a strong grasp on finances but need marketing skills to climb the corporate ladder, you may want to hone your skills in the weaker area. Our online MBA allows you to choose specializations in Accounting, Finance, and Marketing or add an Energy Certificate to your degree.
Ready to make an invaluable, life-changing investment? Join our successful students at UTPB’s College of Business. We accept applications year-round, so whenever you’re ready, apply here!
Sources:
https://seekut.utsystem.edu
https://lightcast.io
https://educationdata.org
https://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools/articles/what-an-mba-degree-is-and-what-you-need-to-know
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/mba.asp
https://www.mba.com/explore-programs/choose-and-compare-programs/what-is-an-mba
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/education/mba-cost
https://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools/applying/slideshows/10-best-public-b-schools-for-a-full-time-mba
https://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools/articles/how-an-mba-can-lead-to-career-change
Want to be a more effective leader? Understanding your management style is the first step. From hands-off to motivational, every leader brings a unique approach to guiding their team. In this article, we’ll break down 7 common management styles, how they work, and when to use them—especially in today’s workforce, where collaboration, flexibility, and purpose…
Women hold only 11% of CEO positions at Fortune 500 companies, despite making up half of the global population. That gap is real, and it’s still closing too slowly. The women on this list didn’t wait for the playing field to level out. They built something anyway, and in doing so, made the path clearer for everyone who comes after them. …
Meetings. Emails. Last-minute requests. Some days, it feels impossible to knock anything off the to-do list. If this sounds like you, you might be in need of some time management tips and tricks. Time management is a skill like any other, and it can be honed with practice and patience. We’re here to show you…
If you’ve been considering a bachelor’s degree in communication but are wondering how it can benefit you, we have a lot to tell you! Below we outline skills and career pathways closely connected to a communication degree and explain how you can earn yours while continuing to meet your professional and personal obligations.
One of the top reasons you may want to choose a communication bachelor’s degree is that it offers broadly applicable and highly transferrable skills: written and verbal communication, critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, and research. These are chief among the skills today’s employers value most, according to sources including the federal government and Forbes.
Soft skills, sometimes called durable skills, have become especially critical now that more people are working remotely, though they’re valuable to every professional regardless of their work environment. Yet these skills are also scarce among job candidates. Adding a communication degree and its corresponding expertise to your resume can give you a competitive advantage at hiring time.
Communication degree graduates can go on to enjoy a variety of rewarding careers. Let’s take a look at communication-related professions that require at least a bachelor’s degree and their commensurate salaries. Though we’ve divided this into eight job categories, you’ll see that each of these pathways forks into multiple potential career paths:
1. Advertising, Promotions, or Marketing Manager
4. Editor
5. Public Relations Specialist
6. Public Relations or Fundraising Manager
7. News Analyst, Reporter, or Journalist
You’ve seen some of the benefits of earning a communication degree. Now let’s look at some of the benefits you’ll experience from the very first day of classes if you choose UT Permian Basin. Our 100% online Bachelor of Arts in Communication degree program equips you with an essential foundation of multidisciplinary courses, followed by core communication courses and the opportunity to pursue one of several specialty tracks that may align with your interests and career goals:
No matter which track you choose, you’ll be guided by the same distinguished faculty who teach on campus while you experience the advantages of our online format. Complete your studies from anywhere in the world, at your own pace, with the flexibility to give other important areas of your life the attention they need. No campus visits are required.
Ready to get started? Apply today.
Have questions? Contact us.
You’ve decided to pursue a degree or certificate online from UT Permian Basin. You complete your application, hit “submit,” and cross your fingers. But what happens next? We spoke with two directors from the University’s admissions team to get an answer to that question. Along the way, we learned the differences between the undergraduate and graduate admissions experience, how soon you can expect an admissions decision, and other information every applicant wants to know.
Before we delve into those topics, first consider these key points:
For the story on undergraduate admissions, we turned to Lorinda Tercero, director of undergraduate admissions for the University.
“On the undergraduate side, we can get a transcript from the school, if they’ll send it electronically to us through the Parchment national clearinghouse,” Tercero explained. “Or the school will mail it to us in a sealed envelope. Undergraduate admissions does not accept unofficial copies of transcripts, so students can’t just upload them when applying.”
“When the student applies, they’re going to get an email saying, ‘Thank you for applying. Sign into the applicant portal to see the progress of your application,’” Tercero continued. “From there, they’re going to start getting emails listing materials that we need to complete their file, so those students know what to turn in. As they turn them in, they get checked off. As the file becomes complete, they go into a pending status, and they should see that on the admitted student portal. Then we have freshman counselors and transfer counselors review the application files and make sure they meet the entrance requirements for undergraduate admission.”
Now that the admissions team has reviewed your application, how will you find out whether you’ll be a part of the Falcon Family? Tercero walked us through the process:
“When we make a decision in Slate, [the application and communication platform the admissions team uses], applicants are automatically emailed. It says, ‘There’s been an update to your file. Please log in to see your status.’ If [the applicant] did get admitted, they get the whole confetti experience. They see a digital letter from me, congratulating them. We still send out communications to the students about the next steps once admitted, signing up for orientation, etc. In the admitted student experience, there’s a tab for the next steps. If they’re international, there’s a tab there for them. And then there’s a tab for financial aid. It’s really important that they log in just to see if they missed anything and check their email.”
Eagerly awaiting your email? Tercero outlined the typical timeline from application submission to “admitted” status:
“It really depends on the student. If the student is very proactive and tries to get their transcripts, they can get their file completed within a week, a week and a half, because they have to contact each individual school they attended and have those transcripts sent to us … The ‘yes’ or ‘no’ is very quick. In undergraduate admissions we mail them an admissions packet. They get a certificate and stickers. That will take about two weeks for them to receive.”
Graduate admissions are overseen by Phumara Cox, director of graduate admissions and interim director of graduate studies.
“We require an official transcript,” Cox said, “but let’s say it’s one of our international students: We will still process their unofficial transcript so that there’s no delay as far as the application decision. And once they’ve been admitted, we’ll place a hold on their record for the official transcript, and they will not be able to enroll until we’ve received the official documents.”
“I would say the beginning part is pretty similar to the undergrad side,” Cox explained. “Whenever [the application is] loaded into our system, it’s considered in ‘awaiting materials’ [status] because the file is not complete. Either we’re missing transcripts, or it depends on what program they’re applying to. For example, if it’s … the MBA program, at the very beginning we just need an application and their transcript.”
You’ve officially submitted your application and transcripts. Congratulations! But where are they headed next? Cox explained the process:
“It moves over to our grad first review—basically, our enrollment counselors. They’re going to calculate based off of the last 60 undergrad credit hours, making sure [the applicant] meets the GPA requirements. If it’s regular admission, then they route it to the program coordinator for their review and application decision. For all our grad programs, we have a program coordinator that’s in charge of reviewing applications and also routing [them] to the next reviewer.”
Next, it’s time for grad final review. As Cox told us, “In the grad final review, the enrollment counselor will review the application decision and they will release it and also send out the admission letter. The admission letter is of course sent from Slate, and it basically says, ‘Congratulations! This is your advisor, this is how to contact them, and basically here are the next steps and let’s get you enrolled.’ In the next steps, it outlines how to access your myUTPB portal. It also outlines how to access the grad catalog and how to enroll in courses.”
If you’ve made it this far and your excitement is outweighing your patience, we understand! Fortunately, you won’t have to wait long to hear back on your graduate admissions decision:
“Grad programs require immediate turnaround time,” Cox emphasized. “[Students] want to know the next steps, and the faster the better, honestly. Most of them will be admitted within 24 hours … and they can enroll in classes for that same semester. We’ve had instances where the applicant [was admitted] on the last day to enroll in courses … and then they were able to enroll and honestly start the program that same day.”
Cox did caution that other factors may delay the admissions decision: “If there are other supporting documents, then that means there’s going to be additional approvals, right? So, let’s say the application is not considered regular admission, it’s going to be a conditional admission. That means it’s going to go through multiple approval paths: from the program coordinator to the college dean to the grad studies dean. Once it has all of the approvals and all of the justifications and the conditions for that specific student, then it’s going to the grad final review, and we’ll release the decision.”
View UTPB’s admissions requirements here.
You’ve already mastered the ins and outs of UTPB’s admissions process. Ready to get started on your online program? Apply now!
“Effective character education is not adding a program or set of programs to a school. Rather it is a transformation of the culture and life of the school.” – Dr. Marvin Berkowitz, renowned educator and researcher
Is it your professional goal to one day occupy the principal’s office? If so, you’ll need exceptional drive and vision, classroom teaching experience, and at least two key credentials. The National Association of Secondary School Principals reports that 76% of states require a master’s degree to become principal. All states require proof of completion of a certification exam, for which the master’s degree in many cases functions as a preparatory program. Together, these qualifications can equip you with the leadership aptitude you need to excel in the role of principal.
Leadership means many things in the context of school principalship. Effective school leaders:
As principal—the head of the institution—you will be in a unique position to define school culture. A healthy culture can deliver significant and specific benefits to an educational institution and its faculty, students, and even community.
School principals guide all aspects of an institution’s operations, from setting and upholding academic standards to looking after the school’s budget. They ensure that faculty have access to all the resources they need. Capacity building, defined as “a process for strengthening the management and governance of an organization so that it can effectively achieve its objectives and fulfill its mission,” is a core concept with which all principals become intimately familiar.
All these logistical responsibilities figure into the cultural equation, but they’re just the beginning. Human interactions can often yield even more valuable results—sometimes in the form of actionable data. School principals can have a tremendous effect on their school culture by:
The University of Texas Permian Basin’s online Master of Arts in Educational Leadership empowers you with the acumen to become an impactful principal in the K-12 setting. Led by accomplished professors and built around a robust curriculum aligned with Texas SBEC Principal as Instructional Leader certification competencies, our program dives deeply into the many facets of school leadership. If you live outside of Texas, we encourage you to consult your state’s educator certification agency to confirm that our program meets their certification requirements. You can start our MA in educational leadership degree with no GRE and finish in as little as one year.
The University, our College of Education, and our programs are widely acknowledged for their quality. UTPB has been:
We designed our master’s degree in educational leadership program to be practical for busy educators. Our primarily asynchronous online format enables you to complete exams and all other aspects of the degree from practically anywhere in the world at any hour of the day. You won’t find a more accommodating way to maintain your professional and personal responsibilities while earning a credential that can help you have a greater influence over the education experience of tomorrow’s adults.
You’ll shape school culture and countless lives as a principal. UT Permian Basin’s online master’s degree in educational leadership prepares you for that career leap. Apply today!
Sources:
https://www.sec-ed.co.uk/best-practice/defining-character-education/
https://www.edweek.org/leadership/5-ways-principals-can-establish-a-strong-school-climate/2020/10
Welcome back to our exploration of serial killers, featuring an interview with Dr. John Fisher, coordinator and assistant professor in UT Permian Basin’s criminal justice program and author of “Profiling crime: Exploring serial murder and other crime.” (See part 1 here.) Read on to discover what serial killers really want, how they can live undetected among us, which serial murderer Dexter was partly based on, and what’s happening to their numbers.
According to Dr. Fisher, some serial killers risk getting caught because they crave attention, though they don’t necessarily want to be apprehended.
We spent some time with Dr. Fisher discussing serial killer Dennis Rader, aka the BTK Killer, who is a prime example of this. He committed numerous murders between the 1970s and 1990s before laying low for about 13 years. After a local paper ran a story on him, Rader began sending letters and evidence to local media outlets. Within a year he was apprehended, leading us to ask, “Do some serial killers want to be caught?”
Dr. Fisher explained, “They go out of their way not to get caught. And what was weird about BTK was that he did stop. The profile is that serial killers will not stop until they’re dead or they’ve been incarcerated on another charge. BTK broke that profile.”
When Rader sent a floppy disk to a television station, it was his own undoing. Metadata on that disk revealed the document was created on a nearby church computer. Further investigation took place. “They arrested him and everything else is history. Now he’s in prison. Nobody expected that BTK was Dennis Rader.”
Serial killers often blend into society by leading seemingly normal lives. They can appear as regular, social individuals—often with families and steady jobs—making it difficult to suspect them. For example, Rader was a married man with two children, a job, a nonclerical position at his local church, and Boy Scout leader duties: an unlikely description for a serial killer.
How then do some highly social serial killers manage to go undetected among society? Dr. Fisher explained:
“You’ve seen [the TV series] “Dexter”? Dexter is a copy of the BTK Killer. He spent 10 to 15 years without killing anybody, just up in the logging community doing whatever he did. Your highly evolved, highly organized serial murderers like to see what they’re doing. They like to track what they’re doing in the news, but they don’t want to get caught. So, they go [to] extremes to hide what they’re doing.
“Like Ted Bundy, they’re very social people, and nobody would ever expect that they had this ‘dark passenger,’ this bloodlust that they had to fulfill. Dennis Rader and Jeffrey Dahmer and Ted Bundy, they all wanted to hide the fact that they were serial killers, but they liked the attention that they were getting. They marry, they have kids, they do everything that’s expected of them in society. Although the profile suggests that as a sociopath, they have no conscience or ability to show feelings and emotions like the rest of us, so they have to fake it.”
Sophisticated serial killers evade capture through careful planning and adaptability. They often change their methods and locations, making it harder for investigators to connect the crimes.
Dr. Fisher cited Ted Bundy as an example: “He dropped out of law school. And his early spree, his early murders were extremely sophisticated. He would abduct in one place, kill in another place, and discard in a third, so you’ve got three actual crime scenes, and it makes it harder for people to find. Ted Bundy started in Washington, [then] went to Utah and Colorado. And every time people started getting close to seeing who he was, and identifying him as a serial murderer, he would move to the next location. Once he got to Florida, he completely devolved. He targeted and killed all those women in that [Florida State University] sorority. What normally catches an organized serial killer is that they devolve into a disorganized serial killer. And a disorganized serial killer makes mistakes.”
The number of serial killers has been declining due to several factors, including increased public awareness and improved investigative techniques. Better detection methods, more vigilant law enforcement, and greater public awareness have all contributed to the drop in serial murders. Still, serial killers still garner significant media attention despite their decreasing numbers.
Historically, America led in the number of serial killers, with some of the first “famous” cases, like H.H. Holmes, who was active in the late 19th century and predates Jack the Ripper by two years. The number has dropped sharply here since the 1980s when it hit its peak, though Dr. Fisher noted that serial murderers have always been greater in notoriety than number.
Dr. Fisher oversees and teaches within UT Permian Basin’s criminal justice degree program. Both degrees are offered online and equip you with the knowledge to create positive change within the criminal justice system. Choose the program that matches your educational and professional experience level:
Online Bachelor of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice Studies
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If you’re interested in credentials that can propel your criminal justice career, apply to your UTPB program of choice today. And please note, if you plan to take any of our serial killer-related courses, Dr. Fisher says, “they fill pretty quickly.” Don’t miss out!
Sources:
https://www.newsweek.com/most-notable-serial-killers-us-history-why-they-fascinate-us-1748596
https://www.britannica.com/topic/serial-murder
https://www.yourbasin.com/news/what-makes-a-serial-killer
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If you ask Dr. John Fisher, assistant professor and coordinator for UTPB’s criminal justice program, he’ll tell you that “serial killer” is a misleading term. “We need to change the nomenclature on that because it’s murder. It’s serial murder.”
While the terminology may change, our widespread fascination with serial murderers seems unlikely to. For insight, we tapped Dr. Fisher’s extensive expertise on the common traits of serial killers, what intrigues us most about them, and why someone might progress from murderer to serial murderer.
Dr. Fisher outlined some demographic characteristics common to serial killers, explaining that they tend to be white, balding, highly intelligent males in their 20s to 40s. We then turned to character traits: “This is a controversial discussion,” Dr. Fisher said.
“The Macdonald triad is bedwetting beyond the average age, zoosadism, where you’re abusing animals, and then you start dissecting and killing animals. And the third is pyromania. Just because you have these characteristics, does not necessarily mean you’re going to grow up to be a serial killer, but what [forensic psychiatrist J. M.] MacDonald found is that all the serial killers he interviewed had these three traits.”
We’re obsessed with serial killers because they embody a disturbing blend of power, mystery, and taboo that captivates our curiosity. If popular culture is any indication, our shared obsession is ongoing. Netflix, as just one example, has a dedicated true crime section featuring dozens of programs, many of which are expensively produced documentaries, dramatizations, or original dramas about serial killers. This genre is certainly nothing new, with films on this topic dating back to at least 1909.
We asked Dr. Fisher why people are so fascinated with serial killers and predators in general. He explained: “There was an old adage that came out of a New York newspaper: ‘If it bleeds, it leads.’ We as a society are interested in power. That intrigues us. So, the eagle, the falcon, the hawk, the bobcat, the lions, the tigers, and bears. They all have power. They’re all aggressive. They’re all predators. And we give respect to the alpha male. We give respect to the alpha dog of the wolfpack. As a society, we denigrate the delta, right? Or the bravo. Because he’s weak. He’s not masculine. He has no power, where the alpha does. A serial murderer is probably the epitome of that alpha domination.”
“And then we’re interested in why somebody would want to do this. We’re taught that we’re not supposed to kill other people. So, what would cause a person to go out to target, to stalk, to track, and then to kill somebody? We are a society, a community that’s very inquisitive. And if we don’t envision ourselves in this kind of life or doing these kinds of things, then we wonder why other people would do that.”
Though an abundance of notorious cases may incline us to picture the modern serial killer as American, that’s not always the case. “Serial murder goes on around the world,” Dr. Fisher explained. “Every country in the world has their own serial murderers. The difference is that the United States talks about them. Israel has a serial murderer. There’s a serial cannibal that is in Japan. There’s a history of serial murder around the world. It’s not unique to the United States.”
Yes—many experts believe serial killers develop an addiction-like compulsion to murder. “Once a dog has tasted human blood, you have to put him down because he’s gonna keep going back after it again and again and again,” Dr. Fisher explained.
“As much as we don’t like to admit it, we are also part of the animal kingdom. Once we find something that we like, we go back to it like a moth to a flame. It’s just our genetics and the way that we’re made. We do the things that we like to do. It’s gonna sound a little religious, but you’ve got this lust of the flesh, and you give in to appease those lusts and desires. Some people, it’s chocolate. Some people, it’s hiking or extreme sports. Some people, it’s rape and murder.”
Our cultural fixation with serial killers has sparked endless questions—from what drives them to how they evade capture. Here, we’ve answered some of the most common inquiries to help shed light on the psychology, behavior, and broader context behind these disturbing figures:
Learn directly from Dr. Fisher and other experts who’ve worked in the criminal justice system as you earn a degree that can be your introduction to the field or position you for an agency leadership role.
Don’t miss part 2 of this article, where we’ll discuss which serial murderer seemingly inspired the television show “Dexter,” what serial killers crave the most, how they sometimes hide in plain sight, and where the serial killer trend is headed.
Sources:
https://www.newsweek.com/most-notable-serial-killers-us-history-why-they-fascinate-us-1748596
https://www.britannica.com/topic/serial-murder
https://www.yourbasin.com/news/what-makes-a-serial-killer
Other articles you may be interested in:
Women represent about half of the U.S. population, but women in law enforcement make up only 13%: around 96,000 nationwide. This gap matters, especially given the impact women have on policing. Research into gender in policing shows that women officers are viewed by communities as more honest, compassionate, and trustworthy. When it comes to public…
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