Associate of Applied Science Degree – Criminal Justice – Corrections

There will always be a need for people willing to protect those who cannot protect themselves. The PPCC Criminal Justice AAS program will prepare you to work in this exciting field. Develop skills in crime scene investigation, police photography, defense tactics, tactical driving, patrol procedures and firearms training. Whether your career goals are at the federal, state, county or municipal level, you’ll be well prepared and in high demand.

You might choose this career area if you are interested in helping people by protecting lives and safety. You will use your knowledge of criminal law, police procedures, and investigative techniques to support various law-enforcement activities at the federal, state, and local levels. You can prevent and solve crimes, take action in the event of emergencies, and help people turn their lives around. If you love to help others, have good communication skills, the ability to think and act quickly, and have honesty, integrity and sound judgment, then you could be an outstanding member of the law enforcement community. You’ll enjoy great employment opportunities nationwide, lots of variety on the job, and the satisfaction of making a difference in your community.

The Criminal Justice Program at PPCC is designed to upgrade the skills and knowledge of employed criminal justice professionals, and to provide a pre-employment or transfer program to students interested in the field, or in continuing on to a four year school.

The student seeking an AAS degree or the professional employed in the field can upgrade their skills for hiring, advancement and promotion. PPCC offers one of the broadest ranges of course offerings in the nation.

An AAS degree from PPCC will open doors into many opportunities in law enforcement at the state, federal and local level. Our students have gone on to careers in Criminal Investigations, as Crime Scene Investigators, Corrections officers, State and Federal Probation and Parole officers, and many others. Several PPCC graduates have advanced to become chiefs of police and sheriffs. 

Students should realize, however, that a degree from PPCC will not guarantee a position with an agency in the criminal justice field. Many agencies impose requirements other than education for employment. These requirements may be related to age, physical condition, height, weight and vision. The majority of employers in the criminal justice field will not hire persons with a felony conviction, or a lengthy history of drug use. Some arrests and/or convictions for certain crimes will also be disqualifiers. Employers in the field screen for certain psychological and personality traits, and many give pre-employment polygraph tests.

Do you have college credit that you would like to apply towards your degree at PPCC?  Are you interested in Credit for Prior Learning, CLEP or DANTES testing?  PPCC will evaluate your previous credits, your work experience, and test scores, so you may be closer to earning your Associates Degree than you think.  

Prospective students with questions concerning this program should contact mil.programs@ppcc.edu. 

Pikes Peak Community College is approved by the Colorado State Approving Agency for Veterans Education. Our degree and certificate programs are approved for payment of educational benefits to those veterans and dependents that are determined eligible by the Veterans Administration.  The Veterans Affairs office at Centennial Campus has staff that can provide assistance with the necessary VA forms to apply for payment of benefits. For additional information, please contact va@ppcc.edu

Degree Requirements: 

Recommended basic skills standards are:

• AAA 090
• ENG 090
• MAT 090
• REA 090

General Education Courses:

• CIS 118 or CSC 105
• ENG 121 or ENG 131
• ENG 122 or COM 115 or POS 125
• MAT 107 or MAT 120
• PSY 112

General Elective:

• Choose one course from the approved AAS electives list (see your advisor for approved electives).

Required Courses:

• CRJ 110
• CRJ 125
• CRJ 145
• CRJ 205
• CRJ 208
• CRJ 210
• CRJ 216
• CRJ 220
• CRJ 230
• LEA 118  

Corrections Courses:

• CRJ 146
• CRJ 215
• CRJ 249
• CRJ 255
• CRJ 280