Course Catalog

A. S. - Criminal Justice, Degree ( CJ23)  Degree


Campus Locations: Online

Purpose: The Associate of Science Degree in Criminal Justice is a sequence of courses that provides a solid foundation in general education and criminal justice that prepares students for Entry-Level employment in a variety of law enforcement fields.

Curriculum: The sequence of courses also allows graduates of this program to transfer the coursework to a four year institution. Upon graduation from the Associate of Science in Criminal Justice program, students must seek external certification from the Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) Council to be employable as police officers.

Careers: Private Probation Officer, 911 Operator, State Patrol, Deputy, and Patrol Officer (Some careers will require Peace Officer Standards and Training)

The AS in Criminal Justice Degree provides students the opportunity to transfer to Valdosta State University to complete their Bachelors of Science in Criminal Justice.

Requirements:

  • Submit a completed application and application fee
  • Be at least 16 years of age
  • Submit official high school transcript or High School Equivalency transcript or college transcripts showing successful completion of 60+ semester credits or 72+ quarter credits
  • Submit official college transcripts, if applicable
  • Present acceptable ACCUPLACER, ACT, ASSET, COMPASS, PSAT, or SAT scores or GED score of 145 or higher or have one of the following: an associate degree or higher or have a HOPE GPA of 2.6 after the completion of 10th grade. Documentation on a college transcript of successful completion of appropriate courses from a regionally accredited college or university may be accepted in lieu of test scores.
Curriculum Outline (82 hours)
General Core Courses 67
Area I - Language Arts/Communication (9 Hours) 9
ENGL 1101

Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture - 3 Lab 2 - 0 Lab 3 - 0 Pre-requisite(s): Degree Level Reading and Writing Scores Co-requisite(s): None Explores the analysis of literature and articles about issues in the humanities and in society. Students practice various modes of writing, ranging from exposition to argumentation and persuasion. The course includes a review of standard grammatical and stylistic usage in proofreading and editing. An introduction to library resources lays the foundation for research. Topics include writing analysis and practice, revision, and research. Students write a research paper using library resources and using a formatting and documentation style appropriate to the purpose and audience.

3
ENGL 1102

Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture - 3 Lab 2 - 0 Lab 3 - 0 Pre-requisite(s): ENGL 1101 w/ a “C” or better Co-requisite(s): None Emphasizes the student's ability to read literature analytically and meaningfully and to communicate clearly. Students analyze the form and content of literature in historical and philosophical contexts. Topics include reading and analysis of fiction, poetry, and drama; research; and writing about literature.

3
SPCH 1101

Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture - 3 Lab 2 - 0 Lab 3 - 0 Pre-requisite(s): Degree Level Reading and Writing Scores Co-requisite(s): None Introduces the student to the fundamentals of oral communication. Topics include selection and organization of materials, preparation and delivery of individual and group presentations, analysis of ideas presented by others, and professionalism.

3
Area II - Social/Behavior Science - Complete 18 Hours 18
POLS 1101

Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture - 3 Lab 2 - 0 Lab 3 - 0 Pre-requisite(s): Degree Level Reading and Writing Scores Co-requisite(s): None Emphasizes study of government and politics in the United States. The focus of the course will provide an overview of the Constitutional foundations of the American political processes with a focus on government institutions and political procedures. The course will examine the constitutional framework, federalism, civil liberties and civil rights, public opinion, the media, special interest groups, political parties, and the election process along with the three branches of government. In addition, this course will examine the processes of Georgia state government. Topics include foundations of government, political behavior, and governing institutions.

3
SOCI 1101

Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture - 3 Lab 2 - 0 Lab 3 - 0 Pre-requisite(s): Degree Level Reading and Writing Scores Co-requisite(s): None Explores the sociological analysis of society, its culture, and structure. Sociology is presented as a science with emphasis placed on its methodology and theoretical foundations. Topics include basic sociological concepts, socialization, social interaction and culture, social groups and institutions, deviance and social control, social stratification, social change, and marriage and family.

3
PSYC 1101

Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture - 3 Lab 2 - 0 Lab 3 - 0 Pre-requisite(s): Degree Level Reading and Writing Scores Co-requisite(s): None Introduces the major fields of contemporary psychology. Emphasis is on fundamental principles of psychology as a science. Topics include research design, the organization and operation of the nervous system, sensation and perception, learning and memory, motivation and emotion, thinking and intelligence, lifespan development, personality, psychopathology and interventions, stress and health, and social psychology.

3
Choose Two of the Following (6 Hours) 6
ECON 1101

Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture - 3 Lab 2 - 0 Lab 3 - 0 Pre-requisite(s): Program Admission Co-requisite(s): None Provides a description and analysis of economic operations in contemporary society. Emphasis is placed on developing an understanding of economic concepts and policies as they apply to everyday life. Topics include basic economic principles; economic forces and indicators; capital and labor; price, competition, and monopoly; money and banking; government expenditures, federal and local; fluctuations in production, employment, and income; and United States economy in perspective.

3
ECON 2105

Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture - 3 Lab 2 - 0 Lab 3 - 0 Pre-requisite(s): Program Admission Co-requisite(s): None Provides a description and analysis of macroeconomic principles and policies. Topics include basic economic principles, macroeconomic concepts, equilibrium in the goods and money markets, macroeconomic equilibrium and the impact of fiscal and monetary policies.

3
HIST 1111

Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture - 3 Lab 2 - 0 Lab 3 - 0 Pre-requisite(s): Degree Level Reading and Writing Scores Co-requisite(s): None Emphasizes the study of intellectual, cultural, scientific, political, and social contributions of the civilizations of the world and the evolution of these civilizations during the period from the prehistoric era to early modern times. Topics include the Prehistoric Era the Ancient Near East, Ancient India, Ancient China, Ancient Rome, Ancient Africa, Islam, the Americas, Japan, Ancient Greece, the Middle Ages, and the Renaissance.

3
HIST 1112

Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture - 3 Lab 2 - 0 Lab 3 - 0 Pre-requisite(s): Degree Level Reading and Writing Scores Co-requisite(s): None Emphasizes the study of the intellectual, cultural, scientific, political, and social contributions of the civilizations of the world and the evolution of these civilizations during the period from early modern times to the present. Topics include transitions to the Modern World, scientific revolution and the Enlightenment, political modernization, economic modernization, imperialism, and the Twentieth Century.

3
Choose One of the Following (3 Hours) 3
HIST 2111

Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture - 3 Lab 2 - 0 Lab 3 - 0 Pre-requisite(s): Degree Level Reading and Writing Scores Co-requisite(s): None Emphasizes the study of U. S. History to 1877 to include the post-Civil War period. The course focuses on the period from the Age of Discovery through the Civil War to include geographical, intellectual, political, economic and cultural development of the American people. It includes the history of Georgia and its constitutional development. Topics include colonization and expansion; the Revolutionary Era; the New Nation; nationalism, sectionalism, and reform; the Era of Expansion; and crisis, Civil War, and reconstruction.

3
HIST 2112

Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture - 3 Lab 2 - 0 Lab 3 - 0 Pre-requisite(s): Degree Level Reading and Writing Scores Co-requisite(s): None Emphasizes the study of the social, cultural, and political history of the United States from 1865 to the beginning of the twenty-first century and will equip the student to better understand the problems and challenges of the contemporary world in relation to events and trends in modern American history. The course also provides an overview of the history of Georgia and the development of its constitution. Topics include the Reconstruction Period; the great West, the new South, and the rise of the debtor; the Gilded Age; the progressive movement; the emergence of the U. S. in world affairs; the Roaring Twenties; the Great Depression; World War II; the Cold War and the 1950's; the 1960's and 1970's; and America since 1980.

3
Area III - Natural Sciences/Mathematics - Complete 14 Hours 14
MATH 1111

Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture - 3 Lab 2 - 0 Lab 3 - 0 Pre-requisite(s): Degree Level Math Scores Co-requisite(s): None Emphasizes techniques of problem solving using algebraic concepts. Topics include fundamental concepts of algebra, equations and inequalities, functions and graphs, and systems of equations; optional topics include sequences, series, and probability or analytic geometry.

3
MATH 1127

Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture - 3 Lab 2 - 0 Lab 3 - 0 Pre-requisite(s): Degree Level Math Scores Co-requisite(s): None Emphasizes the concepts and methods fundamental to utilizing and interpreting commonly used statistics. Topics include descriptive statistics, basic probability, discrete and continuous distributions, sampling distributions, hypothesis testing chi square tests, and linear regression.

3
XXXX xxxx - Complete Two Natural Science Lecture and Lab (8 Hours) 8
Area IV - Humanities/Fine Arts - Choose Two of the Following (6 hours) 6
ENGL 2130

Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture - 3 Lab 2 - 0 Lab 3 - 0 Pre-requisite(s): ENGL 1101 w/ a “C” or better Co-requisite(s): None Emphasizes American literature as a reflection of culture and ideas. A survey of important works in American literature. Includes a variety of literary genres: short stories, poetry, drama, nonfiction, and novels. Topics include literature and culture, essential themes and ideas, literature and history, and research skills.

3
Choose One of the Following (3 Hours) 3
ARTS 1101

Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture - 3 Lab 2 - 0 Lab 3 - 0 Pre-requisite(s): None Co-requisite(s): ENGL 1101 Explores the visual arts and the relationship to human needs and aspirations. Students investigate the value of art, themes in art, the elements and principles of composition, and the materials and processes used for artistic expression. Well-known works of visual art are explored. The course encourages student interest in the visual arts beyond the classroom.

3
HUMN 1101

Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture - 3 Lab 2 - 0 Lab 3 - 0 Pre-requisite(s): ENGL 1101 w/ a “C” or better Co-requisite(s): None Explores the philosophic and artistic heritage of humanity expressed through a historical perspective on visual arts, music, and literature. The humanities provide insight into people and society. Topics include historical and cultural developments, contributions of the humanities, and research.

3
Occupational Courses 15
CRJU 1010

Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture - 3 Lab 2 - 0 Lab 3 - 0 Pre-requisite(s): None Co-requisite(s): COLL 1010 Introduces the development and organization of the criminal justice system in the United States. Topics include: the American criminal justice system; constitutional limitations; organization of enforcement, adjudication, and corrections; and career opportunities and requirements.

3
CRJU 1400

Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture - 3 Lab 2 - 0 Lab 3 - 0 Pre-requisite(s): Program Admission Co-requisite(s): None This course provides an exploration ethics and cultural perspectives in criminal justice. In presenting ethics, both the individual perspective and the organizational standpoint will be examined. Four areas of ethical decision making opportunities are studied including: law enforcement ethics; correctional ethics; legal profession ethics; and policymaking ethics. The presentation of cultural perspectives is designed to aid law enforcement officers to better understand and communicate with members of other cultures with whom they come in contact in the line of duty. Topics include: defining and applying terms related to intercultural attitudes, role-play activities related to intercultural understanding, developing interpersonal/intercultural communication competence, and development of personal intercultural growth plan.

3
CRJU 2500

Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture – 3 Lab 2 – 0 Lab 3 – 0 Pre-requisite(s): CRJU 1010 Co-requisite(s): None Explains and demonstrates the effectiveness of the entire criminal investigation process through various reports in the criminal justice system. An examination of what goes into the preparation, content, elements, mechanics, and format of documenting administrative, court, investigative, and procedural processes. Topics include: Communication processes, field notes, initial information, basic reports, affidavits and other forensic reports, questioning, interviewing, interacting with victims of crime, evidence, and hostage negotiations, laboratory analysis and results, investigative follow-up, suspect statements, and the characteristics essential to quality report writing.

3
Choose Two of the Following (6 Hours) 6
CRJU 1030

Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture - 3 Lab 2 - 0 Lab 3 - 0 Pre-requisite(s): Program Admission Co-requisite(s): None Provides an analysis of all phases of the American correctional system and practices, including its history, procedures, and objectives. Topics include: history and evolution of correctional facilities; legal and administrative problems; institutional facilities and procedures; probation, parole, and prerelease programs; alternative sentencing; rehabilitation; community involvement; and staffing.

3
CRJU 1040

Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture - 3 Lab 2 - 0 Lab 3 - 0 Pre-requisite(s): Program Admission Co-requisite(s): None This course examines the principles of the organization, administration, and duties of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Topics include: history and philosophy of law enforcement, evaluation of administrative practices, problems in American law enforcement agencies, emerging concepts, professionalism, and community crime prevention programs.

3
CRJU 1068

Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture - 3 Lab 2 - 0 Lab 3 - 0 Pre-requisite(s): Program Admission Co-requisite(s): None This course introduces criminal law in the United States, but emphasizes the current specific status of Georgia criminal law. The course will focus on the most current statutory contents of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (O.C.G.A.) with primary emphasis on the criminal and traffic codes. Topics include: historic development of criminal law in the United States; statutory law, Georgia Code (O.C.G.A.) Title 16 - Crimes and Offenses; statutory law, Georgia Code (O.C.G.A.) Title 40 - Motor Vehicle and Traffic Offenses; and Supreme Court rulings that apply to criminal law.

3
Faculty
Advisor

Criminal Justice Technology Program Coordinator
Coffee Campus

Advisor

Criminal Justice Instructor
Valdosta Campus

Up one level
Programs of Study