Criminal Justice
Associate of Applied Science Degree
Recommended basic skills standards are
• AAA 090
• ENG 090
• MAT 090
• REA 090
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.
With a wide variety of emphasis areas, including Investigations/Management, Patrol, Corrections and Crime Scene Investigation, and corresponding certificates. 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.
Prospective students with questions concerning the foregoing should consult with faculty advisors.
General Education Courses
| CIS 118 | Introduction to PC Applications | 3 |
| or | ||
| CSC 105 | Computer Literacy | (3) |
| ENG 121 | English Composition I: CO1 | 3 |
| or | ||
| ENG 131 | Technical Writing I | (3) |
| ENG 122 | English Composition II: CO2 | 3 |
| or | ||
| COM 115 | Public Speaking | (3) |
| or | ||
| POS 125 | American State & Local Government | (3) |
| MAT 107 | Career Math | 3 |
| or | ||
| MAT 120 | or higher | (3-4) |
| PSY 112 | Psychology of Adjustment | 3 |
| AAS Approved General Elective | 3 | |
| 15-16 |
Required Courses (all emphasis areas)
| CRJ 110 | Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRJ 125 | Law Enforcement Operations | 3 |
| CRJ 208 | Criminal Evidence | 3 |
| CRJ 145 | Correctional Process | 3 |
| CRJ 205 | Principles of Criminal Law | 3 |
| CRJ 210 | Constitutional Law | 3 |
| CRJ 216 | Juvenile Law and Procedures | 3 |
| CRJ 220 | Human Relations and Social Conflict | 3 |
| CRJ 230 | Criminology | 3 |
| LEA 118 | Police Report Writing | 3 |
| Emphasis Area | 12 | |
| 42 | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 60-61 |
Emphasis Areas
Choose twelve (12) credit hours in one emphasis area
Investigations/Management
| CRJ 150 | Victims of Crime & Trauma | 3 |
| CRJ 209 | Criminal Investigation I | 3 |
| CRJ 211 | Criminal Investigation II | 3 |
| CRJ 245 | Interview and Interrogation | 3 |
| CRJ 250 | Computer Crime Investigation | 2 |
| CRJ 268 | Criminal Profiling | 3 |
| CRJ 280 | Internship | 3 |
| LEA 218 | Drug Investigative Strategies | 3 |
Patrol
| CRJ 150 | Victims of Crime & Trauma | 3 |
| CRJ 209 | Criminal Investigation I | 3 |
| CRJ 211 | Criminal Investigation II | 3 |
| CRJ 225 | Crisis Intervention | 3 |
| CRJ 280 | Internship | 3 |
| LEA 126 | Police Patrol Procedures | 3 |
| LEA 246 | Traffic Investigation | 3 |
Corrections
| CRJ 146 | Community Based Corrections | 3 |
| CRJ 215 | Constitutional Rights of Inmates | 3 |
| CRJ 249 | Penology | 3 |
| CRJ 255 | Organizational Management of Correctional Inst | 3 |
| CRJ 280 | Internship | 3 |
Crime Scene Investigations (CSI)
| CRJ 127 | Crime Scene Investigation | 3 |
| CRJ 209 | Criminal Investigation I | 3 |
| CRJ 264 | Practical Crime Scene Investigation | 3 |
| LEA 167 | Fingerprinting | 3 |
| LEA 260 | Police Photography | 3 |
Certificates
Advanced Investigations
| CRJ 211 | Criminal Investigation II | 3 |
| CRJ 245 | Interview and Interrogation | 3 |
| CRJ 264 | Practical Crime Scene Investigation | 3 |
| LEA 260 | Police Photography | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 12 |
Basic Criminology
| CRJ 110 | Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRJ 216 | Juvenile Law and Procedures | 3 |
| CRJ 230 | Criminology | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 9 |
Basic Investigations
| CRJ 127 | Crime Scene Investigation | 3 |
| CRJ 209 | Criminal Investigation I | 3 |
| CRJ 211 | Criminal Investigation II | 3 |
| LEA 118 | Report Writing | 3 |
| LEA 167 | Fingerprinting | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 15 |
Corrections
| CIS 118 | Introduction to PC Applications | 3 |
| CRJ 145 | Correctional Process | 3 |
| CRJ 146 | Community Based Corrections | 3 |
| CRJ 215 | Constitutional Rights of Inmates | 3 |
| LEA 118 | Report Writing | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 15 |
Criminal Justice Basic
| CRJ 110 | Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRJ 125 | Law Enforcement Operations | 3 |
| CRJ 216 | Juvenile Law and Procedures | 3 |
| CRJ 220 | Human Relations and Social Conflict | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 15 |
Patrol
| CRJ 110 | Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRJ 125 | Law Enforcement Operations | 3 |
| CRJ 209 | Criminal Investigation I | 3 |
| CRJ 225 | Crisis Intervention | 3 |
| LEA 118 | Report Writing | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 15 |