Criminal Justice, Associate in Science
Program Description
Students interested in criminal justice as a career will elect this two-year collegiate program. It is designed for those students planning to transfer to a four-year program in criminal justice. The program suggested below is intended to develop professional criminal justice skills and knowledge along with a basic academic background. Students pursuing this program on a part-time basis should consult an academic advisor for an appropriate sequence.
Transfer Information
Students pursuing the Criminal Justice degree can transfer into majors such as Criminal Justice or Law and Justice Studies. Many colleges offer opportunities for transfer both in and out of state. Students are encouraged to work closely with OCC faculty and Advising Transfer Services. Students planning to transfer to a four-year institution in NJ can explore the “Transfer Programs” feature on NJ Transfer www.njtransfer.org.
Career Information
The Associate of Arts and the Associate of Science Degrees are designed to provide students with the coursework needed to transfer to a four-year institution and pursue a bachelor’s degree. The curriculum provides students the knowledge and skills needed to pursue various career pathways, while providing a credential beyond the high school degree. Students are strongly encouraged to consult with OCC faculty and Career Services as they begin to explore career options. OCC students can also utilize Focus2 Career, a resource provided by OCC, to explore degree programs and corresponding careers. To get started, log in through Ocean Connect.
Students are encouraged to keep track of degree requirements by using the “My Progress” screen on Student Planning. Student Planning can be accessed via logging into Ocean Connect.
| First Semester | Credit Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 151 | English I | 3 |
| Mathematics Gen. Ed. Requirement | 3 | |
| CRIM 150 | The Criminal Justice System | 3 |
| CRIM 152 | Introduction to Law Enforcement | 3 |
| Any STSC - Student Success Seminar course 1 | 2 | |
| Credit Hours | 14 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| ENGL 152 | English II | 3 |
| CRIM 155 | Introduction to Corrections | 3 |
| CRIM 255 | Criminal Law and Procedure | 3 |
| SOCI 181 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| Elective 2 | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Third Semester | ||
| CRIM 254 | Constitutional Law and Rules of Evidence | 3 |
| SCIE 105 | Forensic Science | 4 |
| SOCI 231 or SOCI 238 | Social Problems or Race and Ethnicity | 3 |
| Technology Gen. Ed. Requirement 3 | 3 | |
| Elective to meet 60 credits 2 | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Fourth Semester | ||
| CRIM 280 or CRIM 281 | Criminal Investigation or Criminal Investigation Theory | 3 |
| POLI 161 or POLI 162 | American Federal Government or American State and Local Government | 3 |
| COMM 154 | Fundamentals of Public Speaking | 3 |
| PSYC 172 | General Psychology | 3 |
| Humanities Gen. Ed. Requirement | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 60 | |
- 1
A variety of STSC -Student Success Seminar courses are available. Please speak to your academic advisor for assistance when selecting.
- 2
Recommended Electives:
Criminal Justice Electives:
CRIM 151 Police Organization and Administration
POLI 185 Principles of Public Administration
CRIM 236 Criminology
CRIM 237 Juvenile Justice
Homeland Security Electives:
HLSC 170 Introduction to Homeland Security
HLSC 172 Domestic & International Terrorism
HLSC 174 Introduction to the Intelligence Function
HLSC 210 Risk Management & Analysis
- 3
Students may attempt to “test out” of the technology requirement. If they succeed, they must take an additional course(s) in math, science, or technology from the List of Approved General Education Courses.
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