What is Criminal Justice?
The criminal justice system has evolved greatly in recent years. No longer can applicants
with minimal job skills expect to be hired. Today’s successful candidates must understand
and demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of the profession and pass measurable performance
standards. Students in the Somerset Community College Criminal Justice program receive
this advanced instruction as part of their required course work.
The Criminal Justice (CRJ) degree curriculum offers students a strong academic program
which includes courses relating to human behavior, government, communications, theories
in policing, corrections, and issues and ethical considerations pertaining to practitioners
within the criminal justice system.
Graduates of the program will be qualified to seek job opportunities at the municipal,
county, state, and federal levels. Those completing the degree requirements are not
restricted to government work. Many industries and other private companies now employ
qualified professionals who are skilled in security and loss prevention.
What are my career choices?
Our Criminal Justice program will prepare you to perform traffic enforcement and criminal investigations, follow due process and procedures, collect and preserve evidence, arrest and prosecute violators of the law, and supervise professionals in criminal justice fields. There are career opportunities at municipal, county, state, and federal levels of government as a police officer, criminal investigator, court administrator, corrections, parole, or probation officer, security investigator.
What are my degree, diploma, or certificate options?
AAS Degree Tracks
Semester One:
| Class | Credits |
|---|---|
| crj 100 - iNTRO TO cRIMINAL jUSTICE | 3 |
| crj 102 - Intro to Corrections OR | 3 |
| CRJ 110 - Principles of Asset Protection OR | 3 |
| crj 215 - iNTRODUCTION TO lAW eNFORCEMENT | 3 |
| eng 101 - wRITING 101 | 3 |
| cit 105 - iNTRO TO cOMPUTERS | 3 |
| mat 110 or mat 116 or mat 145 | 3 |
Total: 15 credit hours
Semester Two:
| Class | Credits |
|---|---|
| CRJ 204 - Criminal Investigations | 3 |
| CRJ 201 OR 203 OR 208 or 210 or 220 OR 279 OR 299 | 3 |
| COM 252 - Interpersonal Communications | 3 |
| ENG 102 - Writing II | 3 |
| HIS 108 OR 109, or ART 100, OR MUS 100 | 3 |
Total: 15 credit hours
Third Semester:
| Class | Credits |
|---|---|
| CRJ 216 - Criminal Law | 3 |
| CRJ 217 - Criminal Procedures | 3 |
| GLY 110 or Bio 112 | 3 |
| POL 101 - American Government | 3 |
| PSY 110 - General Psychology | 3 |
Total: 15 credit hours
Fourth Semester:
| Class | Credits |
|---|---|
| CRJ 202 - Issues and Ethics of CRJ | 3 |
| CRJ 201 or 203 or 208 or 210 or 220 or 279 OR 299 | 3 |
| CRJ 295 - Capstone in Criminal Justice | 1 |
| SOC 101 - Intro to Sociology | 3 |
| CRJ 230 - Courtroom Procedures | 3 |
| REL 130 - Intro to Comparative Religion | 3 |
Total: 16 credit hours
Total credits for program: 61
Semester One:
| Class | Credits |
|---|---|
| CRJ 100 - INTRO TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE | 3 |
| CRJ 215 - INTRODUCTION TO LAW ENFORCEMENT | 3 |
| ENG 101 - WRITING 101 | 3 |
| CIT 105 - INTRO TO COMPUTERS | 3 |
| MAT 110 OR MAT 116 OR MAT 145 | 3 |
Total: 15 credit hours
Semester Two:
| Class | Credits |
|---|---|
| CRJ 204 - CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS | 3 |
| CRJ 201 OR 208 OR 218 OR 220 OR 279 OR 299 | 3 |
| COM 252 - INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS | 3 |
| ENG 102 - WRITING II | 3 |
| HIS 108 OR 109, OR ART 100, OR MUS 100 | 3 |
Total: 15 credit hours
Third Semester:
| Class | Credits |
|---|---|
| CRJ 216 - CRIMINAL LAW | 3 |
| CRJ 217 - CRIMINAL PROCEDURES | 3 |
| GLY 110 OR BIO 112 | 3 |
| POL 101 - AMERICAN GOVERNMENT | 3 |
| PSY 110 - GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY | 3 |
Total: 15 credit hours
Fourth Semester:
| Class | Credits |
|---|---|
| CRJ 202 - ISSUES AND ETHICS OF CRJ | 3 |
| CRJ 201 OR 203 OR 208 OR 210 OR 220 OR 279 OR 299 | 3 |
| CRJ 295 - CAPSTONE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE | 1 |
| SOC 101 - INTRO TO SOCIOLOGY | 3 |
| CRJ 230 - COURTROOM PROCEDURES | 3 |
| REL 130 - INTRO TO COMPARATIVE RELIGION | 3 |
Total: 16 credit hours
Total credits for program: 61
Semester One:
| Class | Credits |
|---|---|
| CRJ 100 - INTRO TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE | 3 |
| CRJ 102 - Intro to Corrections | 3 |
| ENG 101 - WRITING 101 | 3 |
| CIT 105 - INTRO TO COMPUTERS | 3 |
| MAT 110 OR MAT 116 OR MAT 145 | 3 |
Total: 15 credit hours
Semester Two:
| Class | Credits |
|---|---|
| CRJ 204 - CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS | 3 |
| CRJ 203 or CRJ 208 OR 299 | 3 |
| COM 252 - INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS | 3 |
| ENG 102 - WRITING II | 3 |
| HIS 108 OR 109, OR ART 100, OR MUS 100 | 3 |
Total: 15 credit hours
Third Semester:
| Class | Credits |
|---|---|
| CRJ 216 - CRIMINAL LAW | 3 |
| CRJ 217 - CRIMINAL PROCEDURES | 3 |
| GLY 110 OR BIO 112 | 3 |
| POL 101 - AMERICAN GOVERNMENT | 3 |
| PSY 110 - GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY | 3 |
Total: 15 credit hours
Fourth Semester:
| Class | Credits |
|---|---|
| CRJ 202 - ISSUES AND ETHICS OF CRJ | 3 |
| CRJ 203 OR 208 OR 299 | 3 |
| CRJ 295 - CAPSTONE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE | 1 |
| SOC 101 - INTRO TO SOCIOLOGY | 3 |
| CRJ 230 - COURTROOM PROCEDURES | 3 |
| REL 130 - INTRO TO COMPARATIVE RELIGION | 3 |
Total: 16 credit hours
Total credits for program: 61
Semester One:
| Class | Credits |
|---|---|
| CRJ 100 - INTRO TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE | 3 |
| CRJ 110 - Principles of Asset Protection | 3 |
| ENG 101 - WRITING 101 | 3 |
| CIT 105 - INTRO TO COMPUTERS | 3 |
| MAT 110 OR MAT 116 OR MAT 145 | 3 |
Total: 15 credit hours
Semester Two:
| Class | Credits |
|---|---|
| CRJ 204 - CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS | 3 |
| CRJ 210 - Physical Security Technology & Systems | 3 |
| COM 252 - INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS | 3 |
| ENG 102 - WRITING II | 3 |
| HIS 108 OR 109, OR ART 100, OR MUS 100 | 3 |
Total: 15 credit hours
Third Semester:
| Class | Credits |
|---|---|
| CRJ 216 - CRIMINAL LAW | 3 |
| CRJ 217 - CRIMINAL PROCEDURES | 3 |
| GLY 110 OR BIO 112 | 3 |
| POL 101 - AMERICAN GOVERNMENT | 3 |
| PSY 110 - GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY | 3 |
Total: 15 credit hours
Fourth Semester:
| Class | Credits |
|---|---|
| CRJ 202 - ISSUES AND ETHICS OF CRJ | 3 |
| CRJ 220 - INtro to Computer Forensics | 3 |
| CRJ 295 - CAPSTONE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE | 1 |
| SOC 101 - INTRO TO SOCIOLOGY | 3 |
| CRJ 230 - COURTROOM PROCEDURES | 3 |
| REL 130 - INTRO TO COMPARATIVE RELIGION | 3 |
Total: 16 credit hours
Total credits for program: 61
Certificates
| Class | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| CRJ 100 - Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRJ 202 - Issues and Ethics in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRJ 204 - Criminal Investigations | 3 |
| CRJ 216 - Criminal Law | 3 |
| CRJ 217 - Criminal Procedures | 3 |
| CRJ Elective - Criminal Justice Elective | 3 |
| Total | 18 |
| Class | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| CRJ 102 - Introduction to Corrections | 3 |
| CRJ 100 - Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRJ 202 - Issues and Ethics in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRJ Elective | 3 |
| CRJ Elective | 3 |
| CRJ Elective | 3 |
| Total | 18 |
| Class | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| CRJ 215 - Introduction to Law Enforcement | 3 |
| CRJ 100 - Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRJ 202 - Issue and Ethics in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRJ 204 - Criminal Investigation | 3 |
| CRJ Elective | 3 |
| CRJ Elective | 3 |
| Total | 18 |
Designed for students that have complete additional professional hours at an accredited law enforcement academy.
| Class | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| CRJ 107 - Introduction to Firearms | 3 |
| CRJ 108 - Advanced Firearms and Less Than Lethal Weapons | 3 |
| CRJ 204 - Criminal Investigation | 3 |
| CRJ 215 - Introduction to Law Enforcement | 3 |
| CRJ 219 - Police Recruit Defensive Tactics | 4 |
| CRJ 224 - Basic Traffic Collision Investigation | 4 |
| CRJ 225 - Driving and Traffic Enforcement for Law Enforcement | 4 |
| Total | 23 |
| Class | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| CRJ 100 - Introduction to Criminal Justice OR | 3 |
| CRJ 204 - Criminal Investigation | (3) |
| CRJ 220 - Introduction to Computer Forensics for Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRJ 230 - Criminal Justice Courtroom Procedures | 3 |
| CIT 105 - Introduction to Computers | 3 |
| CIT 111 - Computer Hardware & Software | 4 |
| CIT 160 - Introduction to Networking Concepts OR | 4 |
| CIT 161 - Network Fundamentals | (4) |
| CIT 180 - Security Fundamentals | 3 |
| Total | 23 |
| Class | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| CRJ 100 - Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRJ 277 - Introduction to Criminology | 3 |
| CRJ 280 - Drugs, Crime, and Society | 3 |
| CRJ 296 - Criminal Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 110 - General Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 250 - Forensic Psychology | 3 |
| Total | 18 |
| Class | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| CRJ 100 - Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRJ 202 - Issues and Ethics in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRJ 208 - Delinquency and the Juvenile Justice System | 3 |
| CRJ 278 - Victimology | 3 |
| CRJ 255 - Correctional Intervention Strategies | 3 |
| HMS 210 - Drugs, Society, and Human Behavior | 3 |
| Total | 18 |
| Class | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| CRJ 228 - Unmanned CRJ Technology Applications | 3 |
| CRJ 217 - Criminal Procedures | 3 |
| CRJ 204 - Criminal Investigations | 3 |
| CRJ 220 - Computer Forensics | 3 |
| CRJ 201 - Criminalistics | 3 |
| CIT 105 - Introduction to Computers | 3 |
| Total | 18 |
Transfer Opportunities
Thinking about transferring after you get your degree here at SCC? Check out the partnerships we have with other institutions for Criminal Justice.
Length of Program
You can earn an associate in applied science degree in two years if you maintain full-time status.
This information should not be considered a substitute for the KCTCS Catalog. You should always choose classes in cooperation with your faculty advisor to ensure that you meet all degree requirements.
