Criminal Justice
Description:
The Criminal Justice program provides the education, knowledge, and skills needed to protect the public and work within the law enforcement and criminal justice systems. A sequence of courses is offered to help students 1) establish a knowledge base about Justice, 2) develop a set of professional values and 3) improve skills related to professional activity.
Upon completion of the program, persons already working in a justice setting will substantially enhance their knowledge, values and skills. Students will also be prepared to transfer to a four-year institution or to enter a justice setting at an entry level.
Students completing the Criminal Justice program will be prepared to work as state or municipal police officers/troopers, state or municipal corrections officers, parole and probation officers, private security managers, private investigators, homeland security investigators/screeners and youth detention counselors.
Digital Investigation Proficiency Certificate:
Please note that by selecting specific classes in the Criminal Justice program, students are able to earn a proficiency certificate in digital investigation that will provide them with an understanding of digital investigation, including fundamentals of crime scene investigation, chain of custody, and constitutional concerns relating to admissibility of evidence at trial. Through completion of this certificate, students will learn how to recover digital evidence in a legally defensible manner in criminal investigations.
Philadelphia Police Officers and Correctional Officers:
Persons who have graduated from the Philadelphia Police Academy may be eligible to receive academic credit for Justice 101, Justice 151, Justice 221, Justice 241 and Justice 261. Graduates of the Philadelphia Correctional Training Center may be eligible to receive credit for Justice 235 and BHHS 241.
Program Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion of this program graduates will be able to:
- Identify the foundation, structure and components of the contemporary criminal justice system.
- Identify and analyze the core principles, practices and skills required for a successful career in criminal justice.
- Describe and evaluate the role of the criminal justice concepts of reasonable suspicion, probable cause and proof beyond a reasonable doubt from interrogation, arrest, prosecution and conviction.
- Describe the legal concept of juvenile delinquency including the traits and social characteristics that are the common correlates of delinquent behavior, explaining the difference between the juvenile process and procedures and the adult processes and procedures.
- Analyze the role of ethical principles and behavior that permeate multiple aspects of the criminal justice system.
- Observe, interact with, and participate in the criminal justice system through multiple experiential learning opportunities.
Program Entry Requirements:
All students interested in the Criminal Justice field may enroll in this curriculum. Those identified as needing developmental coursework must satisfactorily complete the appropriate English and mathematics courses as part of their degree program.
Program of Study and Graduation Requirements:
To qualify for the Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree in Criminal Justice, the student must complete a minimum of 60 prescribed credit hours and attain a minimum grade point average of 2.0 ("C" average).
Course Sequence:
Semester 1
| Course Number and Name | Prerequisites and Corequisites | Credits | Gen Ed Req. |
|---|---|---|---|
| FYE 101 - First Year Experience | 3 credits | ||
| ENGL 101 - English Composition I or ENGL 101H - English Composition I (Honors) | 3 credits | Writing/Research/Info Lit 1 | |
| JUS 101 - Survey of Criminal Justice | 3 credits | Cultural Analysis & Interpretation | |
| SOC 101 - Introduction to Sociology or SOC 101H - Introduction to Sociology (Honors) | 3 credits | ||
| JUS 131: Technology in Criminal Justice | 3 credits | Technological Competency |
Semester 2
| Course Number and Name | Prerequisites and Corequisites | Credits | Gen Ed Req. |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENGL 102 - The Research Paper or ENGL 102H - The Research Paper (Honors) | ENGL 101 with a grade of "C" or better | 3 credits | Writing/Research/Info Lit 2 |
| PSYC 101 - Introduction to Psychology or PSYC 101H - 101H Introduction to Psychology (Honors) or PSYC 222 - Forensic Psychology | For PSYC 222: JUS 101 or PSYC 101 and ENGL 101 | 3 credits | |
| JUS 122 - Race and Justice | JUS 101 or PLS 101 | 3 credits | |
| MATH 150 - Introductory Data Analysis or FNMT 118 - Intermediate Algebra | FNMT 017 or FNMT 019 completed or FNMT 118 (or higher) placement | 3 credits | Quantitative Reasoning |
| JUS 171 - Juvenile Justice | 3 credits |
Semester 3
| Course Number and Name | Prerequisites and Corequisites | Credits | Gen Ed Req. |
|---|---|---|---|
| JUS 241 - Criminal Law | JUS 101 or PLS 101 | 3 credits | |
| JUS 191 - Victimology and Trauma | JUS 101, which may be taken concurrently | 3 credits | |
| Criminal Justice Elective (choose one): any Criminal Justice course (JUS) and/or DF 101 - Introduction to Digital Forensics | For JUS courses: JUS 101 | 3 credits | |
| BIOL 104 - Forensic Biology or EASC 111 - Environmental Conservation or EASC 111H - Environmental Conservation (Honors) | FNMT 118 or MATH 118 (or higher) placement | 3 or 4 credits | Scientific Reasoning |
| ENGL 115 - Public Speaking or ENGL 116 - Interpersonal Communication or ENGL 118 - Intercultural Communication | ENGL 101, which may be taken concurrently | 3 credits | Oral Communication/Creative Expression |
Semester 4
| Course Number and Name | Prerequisites and Corequisites | Credits | Gen Ed Req. |
|---|---|---|---|
| JUS 291 - Contemporary Issues in Justice | JUS 101, JUS 171, JUS 241 | 3 credits | |
| POLS 111 - American Government or POLS 111H - American Government (Honors) or BHHS 121 - Addiction Studies or DF 201 - Digital Forensics II** or BLAS 101 - Introduction to Black Studies or World Language | For DF 201: DF 101 | 3 credits | |
| Criminal Justice Elective (choose two): JUS 298 - Criminal Justice Internship or any Criminal Justice course (JUS) and/or DF 101 - Introduction to Digital Forensics* | For JUS courses: JUS 101 For JUS 298: JUS 241 and permission of department head | 6 credits | |
| SOC 215 - Criminology | SOC 101 or ANTH 112 | 3 credits |
Notes:
* Students enrolled in the Digital Investigation Proficiency Certificate should select DF 101, JUS 261 and JUS 221 as their electives.
** Students enrolled in the Digital Investigation Proficiency Certificate should select DF 201.
Minimum Credits Needed to Graduate:
60Criminal Justice Course Electives:
JUS 105 - Introduction to Corporate and Homeland Security
JUS 121 - Legal Issues in Justice and Human Services
JUS 151 - Police Operations
JUS 181 - Community Relations
JUS 201 - Introduction to Terrorism
JUS 221 - Criminal Investigation
JUS 235 - American Correctional Institutions
JUS 237 - Community-Based Corrections
JUS 251 - Comparative Police Systems
JUS 261 - Criminal Evidence and Procedure
JUS 281 - Organized Crime
JUS 298 - Criminal Justice Internship
General Education Requirements:
All general education requirements necessary for graduation are met through the courses in the program as indicated above. Students who wish to take courses that differ from the general education courses indicated above must complete a course substitution request form. To access the form, login to the MyCCP portal, and in the Student tab, under Electronic Forms, click on the Records and Registration Forms link, then choose Request For Course Substitution Of Graduation Requirement link. A more detailed explanation of the College's general education requirements is also available.
For More Information, Contact:
The Division of Liberal Studies, Room BR-21, 1700 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, PA 19130, Telephone (215) 751-8450; or the College Information Center (215) 751-8010.