Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice

Gain the essential understanding of government, the legal system, people and their cultures to be successful in administering and enforcing the laws of the land.

Career Opportunities

Criminal justice careers are available in numerous areas including: law enforcement, courts, probation, parole, juvenile and adult corrections, and case work, as well as the significant and growing need for qualified people in private sector security and investigation. Individuals who choose to follow any of the career paths within the criminal justice field must possess both education and commitment. As society becomes more sophisticated and complex, those who are responsible for administering and enforcing laws must be able to not only cope, but to succeed. A well rounded education based on the social behavioral sciences is a proven asset in obtaining that success in the criminal justice system.

Curriculum

The criminal justice degree program at BGSU Firelands has been developed to address the current needs of students entering the career chain and prepares them to grow with the increasing challenges of the profession. Emphasis is placed on superior academic attainment and effective verbal and written communication skills, with a core program concentration providing a thorough exposure to understanding government, law, people and their cultures.

This focus on the academic aspects of criminal justice allows for the student’s continued educational advancement with minimal duplication or repetitious coverage of material. Since the vast majority of agencies will provide the required indoctrination and technical training such as fingerprinting and photography, this type of instruction is not included in the program. Professional practitioners in the criminal justice field have assisted in the development of the curriculum, and will continue in that capacity to ensure that the most current material is included.

Special Features

The criminal justice degree program at BGSU Firelands is designed to allow students to easily transfer into the four-year program offered at BGSU Firelands and at Bowling Green State University. Students who complete the associate degree requirements will be slightly more than half way through the bachelor’s degree curriculum.

Students pursuing the associate of applied science in criminal justice degree program must complete a minimum of 62 credit hours.

Coursework includes:

Communications (6 hours minimum)

Varieties of Writing (3)
Speech Communication (3)

General Education (12 hours minimum)

Natural science elective (3/5)
Natural science elective (3/5)
Humanities elective (3)
General education elective (3)

Basic Courses (16 hours minimum)

Introduction to Statistics (3)
General Psychology (4)
American Government (3)
Principles of Sociology (3)
Introduction to Ethics (3)

Professional Core (9 hours minimum)

Introduction to Criminal Justice (3)
Law Enforcement in American Society (3)
Investigations: Theory & Practice (3)

Professional Electives (24 hours minimum)

Select eight courses from the following list or any course listed as a core elective by the College of Health and Human Services for the bachelor of science degree in criminal justice: CRJU 240; CRJU 395; IPC 306; POLS 303, 331; PSYC 311; PSYC 405; SOC 316, 340 or 441.

For Further Information

Debralee Divers
Director
Admissions & Financial Aid
419-433-5560 ext. 2-0683
email: divers@bgsu.edu

Cheryl L. Chafee
Officer
Admissions & Financial Aid
419-433-5560 ext. 2-0683
email: cchafee@bgsu.edu

Timothy Jurkovac, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Sociology
Huron, OH 44839
419-433-5560 ext. 2-0661
email: tjohnj@bgsu.edu

NOTE: Information in this guide is subject to change without notice. To learn more about the official program of study, please check the undergraduate catalog online: http://www.bgsu.edu/catalog - Updated 01/31/07