General Studies: Criminal Justice, AA

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No. of Credits: 60-61
Contact: Anthony Stout, Chair, Business
John Delabrer, Program Coordinator

The criminal justice program option is designed for students planning to transfer to a four-year institution and to complete a bachelor’s degree in criminology, criminal justice, or a related field. It prepares students who plan to ultimately serve the community on a local, state, or national level in the fields of law enforcement, parole and probation, juvenile justice, corrections, or criminal justice research.

The maximum number of credits accepted in transfer from other institutions to this program is 45.

Career Opportunities:

federal, state, and local law enforcement officers, federal and state parole/probation officers, federal, state, and local corrections officers, private security

Transfer Options:

A complete list of all transfer opportunities can be found on the Transfer Services page

Student Learning Outcomes:

Students will…

Identify and explain the various components of the criminal justice system.
Identify and discuss contemporary problems, issues, and legal requirements that confront criminal justice agencies.
Propose remedies for operations, administration, and personnel in criminal justice agencies.
Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, and demonstrate basic knowledge of information technology as applied to criminal justice research and practice.
Demonstrate their knowledge of the nature, causes, treatment and prevention of crime from a physiological, psychological, and sociological perspective.
Demonstrate the ability to critically analyze and evaluate criminal justice policies and programs to reduce crime.

Education and Public Service Pathway

Learn more about the Education and Public Service Pathway.

Visit Career Coach for more information on this program, related programs, and job opportunities in Southern Maryland and the Washington D.C. Metropolitan region.

Required Courses and Recommended Sequence:

The following is a recommended sequence of courses for completing this program. College Prep and prerequisite course requirements, credit load, and/or course availability may affect a student’s individual progress. Course availability within the program sequences is specifically intended for full-time students who begin their course work with the fall semester. Students should always consult their online program evaluation or an academic advisor to better understand typical course availability and individual program planning.

First Semester

ENG-1010 - Composition and Rhetoric* (E) (3)
ENG 1010 completed with a minimum grade of “C”
FYS-1010 - First Year Seminar (3)
MTH-1010 - Quantitative Literacy and Reasoning* (M) (3)
SCE-1010 - Scientific Method and the Modern World (S) (3)
CJS-1015 - Introduction to Criminal Justice (3)

Second Semester

Criminal Justice (3 credits)

Acceptable:

CJS Courses

Computer application (3 credits)

Acceptable:

Third Semester

CJS-1060 - Introduction to Criminal Investigation (3)

Arts/humanities (3 credits)

Acceptable:

See Gen Ed Listing

Biological/physical sciences (4 credits)

Acceptable (lecture and matching lab):

See Gen Ed Listing

Communication (3 credits)

Acceptable:

See Gen Ed Listing

Social/behavioral sciences (3 credits)

Acceptable:

See Gen Ed Listing except SOC

Fourth Semester

WFS-1701 - Personal Health and Fitness* (B) (3)

Criminal Justice (3 credits)

Acceptable:

CJS courses

Electives (8-9 credits)

Acceptable:

Courses numbered 1001 and above

Notes:

* Courses requiring a prerequisite or co-requisite

Course Indicators: English Composition (E), Arts (A), Cultural and Global Awareness (C), Humanities (H), Biological/Physical Sciences (S), Social/Behavioral Sciences (B), Mathematics (M)