Criminal Justice - Police A.A.S.

School: Business and Professional Careers
Academic Dept: Professional Careers
HEGIS: 5505

Important Note about Program Requirements

The requirements listed below are for students entering into this program from Fall 2021 to Summer 2022. Students who entered the program during a prior semester will find their specific requirements listed in the Catalog under which they entered. Archived Catalogs are accessible through the dropdown menu above.

Program Description

The need for a college education in the field of criminal justice has grown dramatically. Agencies engaged in law enforcement, the judicial process, corrections, probation, and parole have recognized the value of a college education for their employees. Individuals completing these programs are prepared to enter many law enforcement agencies at the federal, state, and local levels, as well as private sector insurance and security technology companies.

In addition to courses in the areas of specialization, the two options—Corrections and Police—include extensive course work in the social and behavioral sciences which provides the student with an opportunity to transfer to a four-year baccalaureate degree program upon graduation. Transfer agreements exist between Westchester Community College and four-year colleges in the region.

Full-time students can complete the requirements for the Associate in Applied Science degree in two years. Police and corrections officers attending on a part-time basis may select an appropriate credit load each semester until the degree requirements are completed. Elective courses in either curriculum may be selected from police, corrections, social science, behavioral science, mathematics, science, arts or humanities courses. All students will be guided by faculty and counselors in appropriate course selection and sequences.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, a student will:

Demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to work effectively and efficiently at the entry-level of employment within law enforcement.
Demonstrate skills that will allow independent learning of new and emerging theories and technologies and their application to the law enforcement field of Criminal Justice
Demonstrate an understanding of the applicable terminology, case law, procedural law, and policies in regards to law enforcement and their roles in the criminal justice field.
Demonstrate appropriate quantitative and qualitative skills which include data organization, analysis, and interpretation for the purpose of analyzing and solving problems in the criminal justice field.
Demonstrate the ability to recognize technology and the use of such for law enforcement purposes.
Demonstrate an understanding of the three components of the criminal justice system and the process by which they work together.
Demonstrate an understanding of report writing and showcase writing techniques used in the field of criminal justice and academia.

Program Map

The academic map below presents the recommended plan of study and will guide you through your program in a timely manner. Click the course abbreviations for full course descriptions. A course may be critical because it is a pre-requisite, requires a minimum grade, or because it is only offered once a year. Missing a critical course may push back your graduation date. Meet with an Academic Counselor or Faculty Advisor to ensure you are on track to complete your program.

Critical Courses should be taken in the order shown to stay on track and graduate on time.

Semester 1

Course (click for more information)	Critical Course	Pre-reqs or Co-reqs	Credits	Notes
ENG 101	✔	✔	3
CJ 101	✔		3
COMM 109	✔		3
The Arts, Foreign Language, or Other World Civilizations Gen Ed Elective	✔		3
American History Elective	✔		3	✹
Semester Total Credits			15

Notes:

✹ Choose one: POLSC 102 , POLSC 102H , or POLSC 107

Semester 2

Course (click for more information)	Critical Course	Pre-reqs or Co-reqs	Credits	Notes
ENG 102	✔	✔	3
PSYCH 101	✔	✔	3
CJ 111	✔	✔	3
POL 120	✔		3
Mathematics Gen Ed Elective			3
Major Elective			3	✹
Semester Total Credits			18

Notes:

✹ Choose one: COR 103B , COR 111 , COR 125 , CJ 206 , POL 120 , or POL 205

Semester 3

Course (click for more information)	Critical Course	Pre-reqs or Co-reqs	Credits	Notes
Social Sciences Elective	✔	✔	3	✹
Science Elective	✔		4	✹✹
CJ 221	✔	✔	3
POL 211	✔		3
Major Elective			3	✹✹✹
Semester Total Credits			16

Notes:

✹ Choose one: PSYCH 103 , SOC 101 , ANTHR 102 , or HSERV 200

✹✹ Choose one: CHEM 127 , BIOL 143 /BIOL 144 , or BIOL 103

✹✹✹ Choose one: COR 103B , COR 121 , CJ 202 , CJ 206 , POL 120 , POL 203 , or POL 205

Semester 4

Course (click for more information)	Critical Course	Pre-reqs or Co-reqs	Credits	Notes
PE 116	✔		1
Physical Education Elective	✔		1	✹
POL 203			3
Major Elective			3	✹✹
Free Elective			3
Free Elective			3
Semester Total Credits			14

Notes:

✹ Choose one: PE 136 , PE 137 , PE 138 , PE 139 , PE 140 , PE 142 , PE 143 , PE 158 , or PE 218

✹✹ Choose one: COR 103B , COR 121 , CJ 202 , CJ 206 , POL 120 , POL 203 , or POL 205

Minimum Total Credits: 63

Transfer Opportunities

Westchester Community College is committed to facilitating a smooth transfer process to ensure that graduates of the college are prepared to transfer with junior status, and are able to complete a bachelor’s degree within two years of full-time study upon transfer. View 4-year institutions’ transfer agreement information by program here.

Career Opportunities

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