The Associate of Science (AS) Criminal Justice degree is designed for students who plan to transfer and complete a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice (or related field) at specific four-year institutions. It may also be earned as a stand-alone degree for current criminal justice employees or for students who plan to apply for work after the completion of the two-year degree. This degree will satisfy most of the lower division requirements of transfer institutions and is articulated with Southern Oregon University's Criminology and Criminal Justice program.
The AS Criminal Justice is articulated with SOU's Bachelor of Science degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice. Students following this program of study will have met SOU's lower-division general education requirements, will be assured junior standing within the academic major, and will be eligible for admission to the Criminology & Criminal Justice major. The agreement is based on the evaluation of the rigor and content of the general education and technical courses at both Southwestern and SOU and is subject to a yearly re-evaluation by both schools for continuance.
Students should contact the SOU Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice early in the first year of their AS program to be advised about additional requirements and procedures for admission to the school or program. Students should be aware that if they transfer before completing this degree, their courses will be evaluated individually toward the general education requirements in effect at SOU.
Graduation Requirements
Students must complete a minimum of 96 credit hours with a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.0 or better. All courses in this program must be completed with a grade of 'C' or better. Twenty-four (24) credits must be completed at Southwestern before the AS degree is awarded.
Courses that are developmental in nature, designed to prepare students for college transfer courses, are not applicable to this degree.
Complete the graduation application process one term prior to the term of completion (e.g., spring term graduates must apply during winter term).
Pre-Program Courses
Students are required to take the following courses prior to the program courses, depending on students' college placement information. See advisor for details:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CIS90 | Computer Basics (or demonstrate proficiency) | 2 |
| MTH95 | Intermediate Algebra | 4 |
| WR90 | Paragraph Fundamentals (or placement in higher writing course) | 3-4 |
| or WR90R | Academic Literacy | |
Program Guide
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| CJ100 | Intro to Criminal Justice | 4 |
| SOC204 | Introduction to Sociology 1 | 3 |
| SP111 | Fundamentals of Public Speaking 2 | 3 |
| WR121 or WR121H |
English Composition or English Composition w/Honors |
3 |
| Math/Science/Computer Science Course 3 | 4 | |
| Credits | 17 | |
| Winter | ||
| CJ101 or SOC105 |
Intro to Criminology or Introduction to Criminology |
4 |
| CJ110 | Intro to Policing | 4 |
| SOC205 | Social Institutions and Change 1 | 3 |
| WR122 or WR122H |
English Composition or English Composition w/Honors |
3 |
| Math/Science/Computer Science Course 3 | 4 | |
| Credits | 18 | |
| Spring | ||
| CJ220 | Introduction to Substantive Law | 4 |
| MTH105 | Math in Society (or higher) | 4 |
| SOC206 | Social Problems and Issues 1 | 3 |
| WR123 or WR227 |
English Composition or Report Writing |
3 |
| Math/Science/Computer Science Course 3 | 4 | |
| Credits | 18 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| CJ222 | Constitutional Law | 4 |
| MTH243 | Intro to Probability and Statistics | 4 |
| PS201 | American Government Political | 3 |
| PE185 Sport/Activity Course 4 | 1 | |
| Arts and Letters Course 5 | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| CIS120 | Concepts of Computing | 4 |
| CJ130 | Corrections an Introduction | 4 |
| PE185 Sport/Activity Course 4 | 1 | |
| Arts and Letters Course 5 | 3 | |
| Specific Elective 6 | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 15-16 | |
| Spring | ||
| CJ247 | Ethics in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| PE185 Sport/Activity Course 4 | 1 | |
| Arts and Letters Course 5 | 3 | |
| Specific Elective 6 | 6-8 | |
| Credits | 13-15 | |
| Total Credits | 96-99 | |
| 1 | PSY201 General Psychology, PSY201H General Psychology w/Honors, PSY202 General Psychology, PSY202H General Psychology w/Honors, PSY203 General Psychology, PSY203H General Psychology w/Honors may be substituted for SOC204 Introduction to Sociology, SOC205 Social Institutions and Change and SOC206 Social Problems and Issues. |
| 2 | SP218 Interpersonal Communication or SP219 Small Group Discussion may be substituted for SP111 Fundamentals of Public Speaking. |
| 3 | Refer to Associate of Science Degree Requirement Math/Science/Computer Science course list. At least two of the courses must have labs. |
| 4 | HE250 Personal Health or PE231 Wellness for Life may be substituted for three (3) credits of PE185 sport/activity courses. |
| 5 | Refer to Associate of Science Degree Requirements -- Arts & Letters. |
| 6 | Specific Electives may be selected from any course with the Criminal Justice or Emergency Management prefix. |
Program Student Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this program the student will be able to:
- Identify the characteristics of professional integrity and ethical standards for Oregon criminal justice professionals.
- Describe and relate the constitutional rights and responsibilities of citizens, offenders, and victims as they apply to state, federal, and procedural laws.
- Describe the processes and technology used to gather, investigate, manage, and report information in the criminal justice field.
- Identify the legal responsibilities of criminal justice professionals as they relate to cultural diversity and establishing positive community relationships.