Criminal Justice - AA
Do you feel strongly about the need to uphold and enforce laws? Do you think public safety and protecting individual rights should be a society’s highest priorities? If so, you share a core belief with the thousands of dedicated professionals who work in the criminal justice system. From police officers to juvenile court counselors to correctional administrators, there are a variety of opportunities in this field on the local, state, and national levels. A degree in Criminal Justice can lead to a career in law, policing, corrections, victim and offender rehabilitation, white collar crime, counterterrorism, emergency management, homeland security, cybercrime, private security, and forensics.
In an associate program in Criminal Justice, you will explore topics that include criminal law, psychology, forensics, and government. This degree is transferable to universities offering a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice.
Students should work closely with their advisor and contact their transfer institution choices for more specific transfer information.
Pathway to Criminal Justice Program
The Pathway to Criminal Justice Program is focused on students that want to attain an Associate of Arts in Criminal Justice, or a related field, and then focus in the Law Enforcement area. For example; if you want to work with protecting our natural resources, your advisor may recommend attaining an Associate of Science in one of the sciences and then attending the Law Enforcement Certification Program. This would put you on the path towards working with Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
For students that don’t yet meet the age requirement of 20 years old for the Law Enforcement Certificate Program, you can attain an Associate of Arts in Criminal Justice and have a slot secured in the Otero Law Academy. After attaining state peace officer certification this pathway would allow you to seek jobs with the backing of the basic certification and a specialized associates of arts degree.
| Required Courses that Fulfill General Education Requirements (31-33 Credit Hours) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Credit Hours | Course Number and Title | |
| (Written) Communication |
6 | ENG 121/1021 English Composition I and ENG 122/1022 English Composition II OR ENG 122/1022 English Composition II and a GT Pathways approved CO3 course (GT-CO3) |
| Mathematics | 3-4 | One GT Pathways course (GT-MA1), prefer MAT 135/1260 Introduction to Statistics, except: • University of Colorado Colorado Springs prefers MAT 120/1240 Mathematics for Liberal Arts • Colorado Mesa University requires either MAT 120/1240 Mathematics for Liberal Arts OR MAT 121/1340 College Algebra; • University of Northern Colorado requires MAT 135/1260 Introduction to Statistics |
| Arts & Humanities |
6 | Two GT Pathways Arts & Humanities courses from two (2) different categories: (GT-AH1, GT- AH2, GT-AH3, GT-AH4) |
| History | 3 | One GT Pathways History course (GT-HI1) |
| Social & Behavioral Sciences |
3 | SOC 101/1001 Introduction to Sociology |
| 3 | One GT Pathways Social & Behavioral Sciences course (GT-SS3) | |
| Natural & Physical Sciences |
7-8 | Two GT Pathways Natural & Physical Sciences courses (GT-SC1, GTSC2), one must be with laboratory (GT-SC1) |
| **Additional Required Courses & Electives (27 Credit Hours) | |
|---|---|
| Credit Hours | Course Number and Title |
| 3 | COM 115/1150 Public Speaking OR COM 125/1250 Interpersonal Communication |
| 3 | CRJ 110/1010 Introduction to Criminal Justice |
| 3 | CRJ 125/1025 Policing Systems |
| 3 | CRJ 145/1045 Correctional Process |
| 6 | Choose two (2) courses from the following: |
| CRJ 127/1027 Crime Scene Investigation CRJ 135/1035 Judicial Function CRJ 205/2005 Principles of Criminal Law CRJ 209/2009 Criminal Investigation I CRJ 230/2030 Criminology CRJ 231/2031 Inroduction to Forensic Science & Criminalists CRJ 235/2035 Delinquent Behavior CRJ 236/2036 Criminal Justice Research Methods CRJ 257/2057 Victimology CRJ 268/2068 Criminal Profiling |
|
| 9 | Choose three (3) courses from the following: |
| ANT 212/2315 Introduction to Forensic Anthropology w/lab CNG 258/2058 Computer Forensics COM 217/2220 Group Communication COM 225/2250 Organizational Communications POS 111/1011 American Government POS 125/1025 American/State and Local Government PSY 207/2770 Introduction to Forensic Psychology PSY 217/2107 Human Sexuality PSY 226/2221 Social Psychology PSY 249/2552 Abnormal Psychology SOC 231/2031 Sociology of Deviant Behavior |
|
| Electives - 0-2 credit hours | |
* If these credits are not required for the major at a receiving 4-year institution,
they will be applied to the Bachelor’s degree as elective credit towards graduation. Please check with the receiving institution to determine
in which way these courses will be applied.
**If these courses are applied to this second section of the Prescribed Curriculum
(Additional Required Courses) for credit, they may not be applied to the first section of the Prescribed Curriculum (General Education Requirements)
for credit.
Law Enforcement Certification Program – Full/Part Time Academy
The Law Enforcement Training Academy puts on both a full time and a part time academy. The full time academy is a one-semester, 40-credit hour, intensive peace officer certification program that provides you with the necessary skills and mindset to succeed in law enforcement. The Academy offers over 750 hours of classroom and hands-on training, including additional hours in investigations, communication, arrest control, firearms training, and law enforcement driving skills. The curriculum encompasses 200 hours above the 556 required training hours set by the Colorado Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Board.
Otero Law Enforcement Training Academy