Requirements: AS Criminal Justice
Associate of Science in Criminal Justice Requirements
The School of Professional Studies: Undergraduate, Online
The accelerated 7 week semester online Professional Studies undergraduate Criminal Justice (AS) Degree Program offers an Associate of Science degree that requires 60 credits (20 courses) including:
Major Courses: 18 credits (6 courses). These courses fulfill the Professional Studies Core Curriculum Senior Capstone Course requirements. This program may accept credits from law enforcement, public safety, DHS/FEMA, and Military Training, training in the police academy, POLEX, NWSPSC, FBI-NA, Joint Services Transcripts, and others at the discretion of the Program Director.
Major Elective Courses: 9 credits (3 courses).
Professional Studies Core Curriculum Senior Capstone Course: 0 credits (0 course). There is no capstone course requirement for this degree. This Core Curriculum course requirement is offered within a student’s Major.
Professional Studies Associate Level Core Curriculum Courses: 33 credits (11 courses). Students will be able to count three (3) classes in their major toward Core Curriculum.
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Transfer Credits: Our generous transfer policy allows students to transfer up to 90 credits required for a Bachelor degree, or up to 45 credits required for an Associate level degree as well as 6 credits of related graduate study. Credits presented for transfer must be from an accredited institution and a final course grade of a C or higher is required for undergraduate and a B or higher on the graduate level. Discuss with your advisor.
Prior Learning Assessments: Receive college credit for learning acquired through life experience. By evaluating a portfolio, we determine whether your experience qualifies as college level learning. Pay for one credit and receive three credits per course successfully challenged. You may challenge up to fifteen courses.
Credit by Examination: After enrolling in the School of Professional Studies, you may seek approval from your program to receive credit by examination. Contact your program's director or the Office of the Registrar for more information.
Transfer credit or credit by examination is acceptable in lieu of all Core Curriculum requirements except College Writing I (ENG-0160) and College Writing II (ENG-0170). These two courses are required of all students enrolled in the School of Professional Studies.
Criminal Justice Major Courses (18 Credits)
These courses fulfill the Professional Studies Core Curriculum Senior Capstone Course requirements. This program may accept credits from law enforcement, public safety, DHS/FEMA, and Military Training, training in the police academy, POLEX, NWSPSC, FBI-NA, Joint Services Transcripts, and others at the discretion of the Program Director.
CRJ 0150: The Criminal Justice System
Prerequisites: None
An overview of the criminal justice system: an investigative look into the agencies of social control including law enforcement, corrections, and the courts. To include a brief discussion of crime causation to identify methods of crime control.
Offered spring semester. (3 Credits)
CRJ 0200: Substantive Criminal Law/ Procedure
Prerequisites: None
This course examines American crime problems from a historical perspective, examines crime causation, social and public policy factors affecting crime, the impact of crime and crime trends, social characteristics of specific crimes, and the prevention of crime.
Offered spring semester. (3 Credits)
CRJ 0220: Juvenile Delinquency
Prerequisites: None
This course discusses the history, development, and policy of the juvenile justice system. Understanding theories along with biological, and psychological factors that contribute to juvenile delinquent behavior are covered through discussion of targeting, preventing, redirecting, and controlling delinquent behaviors. Topics also include punishment vs. rehabilitation, intervention strategies, youth gangs, and substance abuse issues.
Offered [fall/spring] semester. (3 Credits)
CRJ 0245: Criminology
Prerequisites: None
This course offers an interdisciplinary, scientific approach related to the study of criminal behaviors. Includes an introduction to the organization of the criminal justice system; theories of crime causation; crime typologies; research methods utilized to collect and analyze crime trends; and analysis of the crime trend statistics themselves.
Offered fall and spring semester. (3 Credits)
CRJ 0260: Criminal Investigations
Prerequisites: None
This is an applied course relating to conducting criminal investigations. This course examines the history, theories, and problems of criminal investigations. What needs to be done to solve the case? Topics include identifying, collecting, and processing physical evidence; understanding the relative value of evidence as it is applied to a specific case; and conducting interviews and interrogations. Successful criminal investigations rely on an analytical process to uncover and sort evidence and information to determine what occurred.
Offered fall and spring semester. (3 Credits)
CRJ 0290: Women and the Criminal Justice System
Prerequisites: None
This course examines the roles of women in the criminal justice system. The topics of women as victims, offenders, and practitioners in the field of criminal justice will be examined. A theoretical and pragmatic approach will be applied to those crimes, which have a greater impact on females in society, such as rape, prostitution, and domestic abuse. The evolving role of women as professionals in the field of criminal justice will be explored. Also considered will be societal views and the role of the media concerning these issues.
Offered spring semester. (3 Credits)
Criminal Justice Elective Courses (9 Credits)
Choose 3 of the Following 7 Courses:
CRJ 0210: Introduction to Law Enforcement
Prerequisites: None
This course provides an overview and analysis of the American system of law enforcement, examining the origins, development, roles, and operations of policing in a modern democratic society. Students will develop a detailed understanding of the issues involved in policing a democratic society and will examine critical issues and new advances in law enforcement.
Offered [fall/spring] semester. (3 Credits)
CRJ 0217: Introduction to Corrections
Prerequisites: None
This course is designed to introduce students to the field of corrections, providing an overview of the issues involved in the American corrections system from the beginning to present day. Students will learn about practices based on philosophies of retribution, deterrence, and rehabilitation. The course emphasizes the role of sociology and other interdisciplinary approaches to the field of corrections and society’s response.
Offered [fall/spring] semester. (3 Credits)
CRJ 0230: Drugs, Crime and Society
Prerequisites: None
Explores how drugs and crime are interrelated issues and how these issues affect society. The development and implementation of laws about prescription and non-prescription use and abuse. Discussions of drug courts and drug treatment approaches are discussed. What are the real effects that chemical dependency has on our society?
Offered [fall/spring] semester. (3 Credits)
CRJ 0235: Probation, Parole and Community Corrections
Prerequisites: None
This course presents probation as a judicial process and parole as a community function. Also discussed are the role of the probation/parole officer; pre-sentence investigation; selection, supervision, and release of probationers and parolees. A historical review of trends in probation and parole such as halfway houses, work release programs, and parole clinics; reintegration of offenders in society; and future trends are explored.
Offered spring semester. (3 Credits)
CRJ 0240: Organized and White Collar Crime
Prerequisites: None
The history and organization of organized crime in America: from neighborhood gangs to large-scale, sophisticated organizations like the Cosa Nostra. Recruitment, activities (drugs, prostitution, protection, extortion, gun running, etc.), codes, inter/intra-organization rivalry, 556 law enforcement evasion, and criminal justice system responses. A closer look at the proliferation of violence and escalating weaponry; the financial, moral, and social impact on society; interaction with legitimate organizations and infiltration; and predicting the future demographic immigration patterns.
Offered [fall/spring] semester. (3 Credits)
CRJ 0250: Sexual Offenses, Offenders and Victims
Prerequisites: None
Types and definitions of sexual offenses; typologies, causations, assessment, and treatment of offenders: and care and treatment of sex crimes. Monitoring issues. Juvenile vs. adult sexual offenders.
Offered fall and spring semester. (3 Credits)
CRJ 0265: Introduction to Homeland Security
Prerequisites: None
This course provides the student with an overview of homeland security. Major themes and issues considered essential for understanding homeland security including border security, threat analysis, critical infrastructure, planning, preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery are analyzed and critiqued by students.
Offered [fall/spring] semester. (3 Credits)
Strengthen Your Degree with a Concentration
Professional Studies Concentrations
Students enrolled in Undergraduate Professional Studies (PS) Bachelor's programs have the option to add one or more concentrations, to further enrich their educational experience. This additional focus provides specialized knowledge and experience tailored to both students career and personal goals.