General Studies A.A. with Area of Concentration in Criminal Justice

Program Description

The field of criminal justice encompasses law enforcement, investigations, court and administrative services, corrections, private security, and juvenile justice. Each area requires individuals who can speak and write well, and who can work well with colleagues and the community. The individuals need to be skilled in management, investigative techniques, analysis of data, and critical thinking. This degree option readily transfers to four-year colleges and universities that offer a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. Prince George’s Community College has a partnership with the Prince George’s County Police Department. Graduates who complete their training at the county’s Police Academy may receive up to eighteen college credits toward their associate degree when they enroll at the college.

Graduates of the Criminal Justice Transfer Concentration will be able to:

• Categorize the history of the criminal justice, courts, and corrections systems in the United States
• Analyze the United States criminal justice system, criminal laws, and the rules of evidence
• Apply the concepts of community-oriented policing
• Apply the critical thinking skills needed for appropriate ethical decision-making in law enforcement-related fields

General Education Courses (31 Credits)

The list of general education courses appears in the General Education List . Some programs recommend or require specific courses to fulfill general education requirements. Please check your program’s sequence of study for this information.

• English Composition

• EGL-1010 Composition I: Expository Writing 3 Credits
• EGL-1320 Composition II: Writing For Business 3 Credits

• Humanities

• SPH-1010 Introduction to Speech Communication 3 Credits
• Any General Education Humanities course other than Speech at the 2000 level  3 Credits

• Mathematics

• Choose one of the following (3 Credits):

• MAT-1140 Introduction to Statistics 3 Credits
• MAT-1190 Probability 3 Credits

• Social Sciences

• PSY-1010 General Psychology 3 Credits
• Any General Education Social Science History course 3 Credits

• Science with a Lab

• Any General Education Science course with a Lab 4 Credits

• Science

• Any General Education Science course without a Lab 3 Credits

• Institutional Requirement Computer Literacy

• INT-1010 Introduction to Information Technology 3 Credits

Area of Concentration (29 Credits)

• PAS-1000 First Year Experience 1 Credit (Institutional Requirement)
• CJT-1510 Introduction to Criminal Justice 3 Credits
• CJT-1530 Community Policing 3 Credits
• CJT-2510 Criminal Law 3 Credits
• CJT-2800 Professional Ethics in Criminal Justice 3 Credits
• SOC-1010 Introduction to Sociology 3 Credits
• SOC-2030 Criminology 3 Credits

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• Choose one of the following (3 Credits):

• POS-1010 American National Government 3 Credits
• POS-1020 State and Local Government 3 Credits

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• Choose one of the following (3 Credits):

• PSY-2130 Forensic Psychology 3 Credits
• SOC-2010 Social Problems 3 Credits

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• CJT Concentration Elective

• Choose one of the following (3 Credits):

• CJT-2540 Criminal Evidence and Procedure 3 Credits
• CJT-2570 Police Management 3 Credits
• CJT-2580 Juvenile Delinquency 3 Credits
• CJT-2530 Criminal Investigation 3 Credits

Sequence of Study - Criminal Justice Transfer Concentration A.A.

Below are the required courses for your program arranged in a suggested sequence. Please note that the sequence does not  include developmental coursework. See Academic Preparation  for the developmental course sequence if applicable to you.

Program Total: 60 Credits

Asterisk (*) denotes a general education course.

Transferability

Credit earned at any public institution in the state shall be transferable to any other institution if the:

• Credit is from a college or university parallel course or program;
• Grades in the block of courses transferred average 2.00 or higher; and
• Acceptance of the credit is consistent with the policies of the receiving institution governing students following the  same program. Refer to ARTSYS at artweb.usmd.edu and the receiving institution’s catalog to select transferable courses.

Need Help?

For help selecting an academic program or courses, consider using Career Coach, available at www.pgcc.edu/go/careercoach.