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 a 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.

The AS Criminal Justice is articulated with Southern Oregon University (SOU) 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 and 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 99 credit hours with a cumulative 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 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).

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.

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:

Program Guide