This program is designed to prepare students for beginning professional work in the criminal justice and allied professions. Graduates understand the causes of crime and criminal justice system responses. Students focus on the nature of the criminal justice system and the connection between law and social justice.
Criminologists and criminal justice professionals investigate why crimes are committed, who is committing them, what type of societal factors might be contributing to higher crime rates, and the best ways to predict, deter, and prevent future crimes. An undergraduate with a criminology/criminal justice degree serves as a strong foundation for advanced training and prepares students for bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs in social science, social work, counseling, and law.
Transfer to a Four-Year School
If a bachelor's degree is your educational goal, getting a head start on your major has never been easier. You can apply the credits from this associate degree toward a bachelor's degree at a four-year college and university. To make the most of your time and money, tell your advisor about your transfer plans early in the admissions process.
Four-Year College Agreements
2 + 2 Transfer Agreements
Transfer your Criminal Justice | AA major to the following program(s):
Career Options
Criminal justice is the study of crime prevention, investigation, and correctional procedure. Students gain an understanding of legal systems and the various infrastructures dedicated to criminal reform.
- Compliance Managers
- Security Managers
- Loss Prevention Managers
- Government Property Inspectors and Investigators
- Security Management Specialists
- Emergency Management Directors
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers
- Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists
- First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers
- First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
- Fire Investigators
- Bailiffs
- Correctional Officers and Jailers
- Police Detectives
- Police Identification and Records Officers
- Criminal Investigators and Special Agents
- Immigration and Customs Inspectors
- Intelligence Analysts
- Police Patrol Officers
- Sheriffs and Deputy Sheriffs
- Transit and Railroad Police
- Private Detectives and Investigators
- Security Guards
- Police, Fire, and Ambulance Dispatchers