Criminal Justice, A.A.S. - CRJ3
The Associate in Applied Science with a major in Criminal Justice program is designed to prepare professionally-educated and competent criminal justice practitioners for careers within the criminal justice system. Generally, three groups of students are served:
- individuals seeking employment in public or private agencies upon completion of the two-year degree;
- practitioners furthering their education for personal fulfillment or professional advancement; and
- those intending to pursue advanced studies in criminal justice, criminology or sociology at four-year institutions.
The program examines a broad spectrum of criminal justice concepts and theories, including criminology, ethics, law, evidence and procedure, corrections, juveniles, as well as general education courses. Near the end of the degree program, students will complete a criminal justice internship.
The internship program is designed to give students practical application exposure and an opportunity to interact with criminal justice professionals. This internship allows students to directly observe and experience connections between criminal justice theory and practice. Criminal Justice Internship students may be required to undergo a background check. A criminal record could make you ineligible for enrollment or participation in a cooperative work experience, creating an inability to graduate from the program.
Students may be eligible for transfer credit from professional training courses and other institutions of higher learning. For specific information and consideration of transfer credit, contact a criminal justice advisor and request an official copy of your transcript of coursework be sent to the college.
Requirements
| Courses | Course Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Courses | ||
| ENG 101 | English Composition I | 3 |
| ENG 165 | Professional Communications | 3 |
| or ENG 102 | English Composition II | |
| MAT 155 | Contemporary Mathematics | 3 |
| or MAT 120 | Probability and Statistics | |
| PSY 201 | General Psychology | 3 |
| Elective Humanities | 3 | |
| Subtotal | 15 | |
| Required Core Subject Areas | ||
| CRJ 101 | Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRJ 115 | Criminal Law I | 3 |
| CRJ 120 | Constitutional Law | 3 |
| CRJ 125 | Criminology | 3 |
| CRJ 140 | Criminal Justice Report Writing | 3 |
| CRJ 145 | Juvenile Delinquency | 3 |
| CRJ 220 | The Judicial Process | 3 |
| CRJ 222 | Ethics in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRJ 224 | Police Community Relations | 3 |
| CRJ 236 | Criminal Evidence | 3 |
| CRJ 242 | Correctional Systems | 3 |
| CRJ 250 | Criminal Justice Internship I | 3 |
| Subtotal | 36 | |
| Other Courses Required for Graduation | ||
| COL 103 | College Skills | 3 |
| SOC 101 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| Approved Elective 1 | 3 | |
| Approved Elective 1 | 3 | |
| Subtotal | 12 | |
| Total Hours | 63 | |
- 1
CRJ, ECD, HUS, PSC, PSY and SOC.
Graduation Plan
Fall Start
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours | |
| COL 103 | College Skills | 3 |
| CRJ 101 | Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRJ 222 | Ethics in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| ENG 101 | English Composition I | 3 |
| SOC 101 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| CRJ 115 | Criminal Law I | 3 |
| CRJ 140 | Criminal Justice Report Writing | 3 |
| CRJ 242 | Correctional Systems | 3 |
| ENG 165 or ENG 102 |
Professional Communications or English Composition II |
3 |
| MAT 155 or MAT 120 |
Contemporary Mathematics or Probability and Statistics |
3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Summer Semester | ||
| Approved Elective 1 | 3 | |
| Approved Elective 1 | 3 | |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| CRJ 120 | Constitutional Law | 3 |
| CRJ 145 | Juvenile Delinquency | 3 |
| CRJ 220 | The Judicial Process | 3 |
| CRJ 224 | Police Community Relations | 3 |
| Elective Humanities/Fine Arts | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| CRJ 125 | Criminology | 3 |
| CRJ 236 | Criminal Evidence | 3 |
| CRJ 250 | Criminal Justice Internship I | 3 |
| PSY 201 | General Psychology | 3 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Total Hours | 63 | |
¹CRJ, ECD, HUS, PSY, PSC, SOC
Spring Start
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spring Semester | Hours | |
| COL 103 | College Skills | 3 |
| CRJ 101 | Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRJ 115 | Criminal Law I | 3 |
| ENG 101 | English Composition I | 3 |
| SOC 101 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Summer Semester | ||
| CRJ 242 | Correctional Systems | 3 |
| PSY 201 | General Psychology | 3 |
| Approved Elective 1 | 3 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Fall Semester | ||
| CRJ 120 | Constitutional Law | 3 |
| CRJ 145 | Juvenile Delinquency | 3 |
| CRJ 220 | The Judicial Process | 3 |
| CRJ 222 | Ethics in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRJ 224 | Police Community Relations | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Spring Semester | ||
| CRJ 125 | Criminology | 3 |
| CRJ 140 | Criminal Justice Report Writing | 3 |
| ENG 165 or ENG 102 |
Professional Communications or English Composition II |
3 |
| MAT 155 or MAT 120 |
Contemporary Mathematics or Probability and Statistics |
3 |
| Elective Humanities/Fine Arts | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Summer Semester | ||
| CRJ 236 | Criminal Evidence | 3 |
| CRJ 250 | Criminal Justice Internship I | 3 |
| Approved Elective 1 | 3 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 63 | |
¹CRJ, ECD, HUS, PSY, PSC, SOC
Summer Start
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summer Semester | Hours | |
| COL 103 | College Skills | 3 |
| CRJ 101 | Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 |
| Approved Elective 1 | 3 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Fall Semester | ||
| CRJ 120 | Constitutional Law | 3 |
| CRJ 145 | Juvenile Delinquency | 3 |
| CRJ 224 | Police Community Relations | 3 |
| ENG 101 | English Composition I | 3 |
| MAT 155 or MAT 120 |
Contemporary Mathematics or Probability and Statistics |
3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| CRJ 115 | Criminal Law I | 3 |
| CRJ 125 | Criminology | 3 |
| CRJ 140 | Criminal Justice Report Writing | 3 |
| CRJ 236 | Criminal Evidence | 3 |
| ENG 165 or ENG 102 |
Professional Communications or English Composition II |
3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Summer Semester | ||
| CRJ 242 | Correctional Systems | 3 |
| SOC 101 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| Approved Elective 1 | 3 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Fall Semester | ||
| CRJ 220 | The Judicial Process | 3 |
| CRJ 222 | Ethics in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRJ 250 | Criminal Justice Internship I | 3 |
| PSY 201 | General Psychology | 3 |
| Elective Humanities/Fine Arts | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 63 | |
¹CRJ, ECD, HUS, PSY, PSC, SOC
Application and Advising
If you are ready to start your education, there are a few simple steps involved in enrolling at Piedmont Technical College.
Advising Information
The following information provides a guide for advisors who are helping students enroll in this program.
Program Notes
Students may begin the Criminal Justice program during the fall, spring, or summer term. The program can be completed on a part-time or full-time basis. Courses are offered in A and B Terms (8 weeks). Courses are also offered Online, Pen, hybrid, and Wex modalities. In some cases, PTC will award exemption credit from work completed at the SC Criminal Justice Academy as follows:
- Credit for CRJ 101, CRJ 140, and CRJ 220, may be awarded for the successful completion of the 8-week Class I Basic Law Enforcement Officer Training.
- Credit for CRJ 242 may be offered for successful completion of the 5-week Class II Basic Jail.
Students are not required to have a background check.
Notes About Individual Classes
ENG 101 and ENG 102 are more likely to transfer, so ENG 102 can be substituted for ENG 165 if the student is considering pursuing a four-year degree in the future.
Program classes should be taken as they appear in the semester-by-semester graduation plan (see below).
Program Student Learning Outcomes
Purpose Statement
The mission of the CRJ program is to provide students with a thorough understanding of the function of criminal justice in society, including all aspects of law enforcement, court, and correctional systems. The curriculum provides students with a comprehensive foundation that focuses on these complex and interrelated systems as they are manifested in society by integrating theoretical and practical applications. By addressing the diverse and continually evolving skills essential to success in the profession, students are provided with educational opportunities that allow them the ability to achieve their individual, academic, and career goals while preparing them to meet the demanding challenges that exist in all branches of criminal justice.
Program Student Learning Outcomes
1. Explain and identify the roles and responsibilities of various criminal justice agencies in the US and the inter-relationship with other agencies and the public.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of the basic steps of statement analysis.
8. Utilize criminal justice technology in support of an inquiry or investigation, while simultaneously assessing the appropriate use of force continuum while evaluating constitutional law, case law, and or policy restrictions.