• Skip to Content
  • AZ Index
  • Catalog Home
  • Institution Home
West Virginia University 2024-2025 Academic Catalog
WVU Home
Would you like to search this site specifically, or all WVU websites?
  • Catalog Home
  • WVU Morgantown
    • Undergraduate Catalog
    • Graduate/​Professional Catalog
  • WVU Potomac State College
    • Applied Sciences
    • Liberal Arts
    • STEM
    • Regents Bachelor of Arts
  • WVU Institute of Technology
    • School of Arts and Sciences
    • School of Business
    • School of Engineering-​Leonard C. Nelson
    • School of Nursing
  • Archived Catalogs
  • Catalog Home/
  • WVU Potomac State College/
  • Applied Sciences/
  • Criminal Justice Studies, A.A.S.
WVU Potomac State College Catalog

Criminal Justice Studies, A.A.S.

  • Overview
  • Faculty
  • Admissions Requirements
  • Major
  • Learning Outcomes

Degree Offered

  • Associate of Applied Science

Nature of the Program

The Associate of Applied Science In Criminal Justice Studies Degree provides students—both traditional and non-traditional—with the opportunity to complete a marketable two-year degree in criminal justice. The program is designed to prepare men and women for positions in law enforcement, the courts, community corrections, and institutional corrections. This program is also designed for those people currently working in the criminal justice system. 

Graduates of this program may apply for admission to the Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.S.) in Criminal Justice.

Career Opportunities

Students with this degree can secure entry-level positions in municipal, county, state, and some federal law enforcement agencies, private investigations, private security, and corrections.


Faculty

Chair

  • Jeff Jones - M.S. Forestry
    Year @ PSC (2003)

Professor

  • Dr. Heidi B. Samuels - Ed.D. Educational Leadership & M.S. Criminal Justice
    Year @ PSC (2006)

Assistant professor

  • Danielle Lessard - Ph.D. Criminal Justice
    Year @ PSC (2018)

Admissions

Entering freshmen are admitted directly into the major.

General Education Foundations

Please use this link to view a list of courses that meet each GEF requirement.

NOTE: Some major requirements will fulfill specific GEF requirements. Please see the curriculum requirements listed below for details on which GEFs you will need to select.

Course List
Code Title Hours
General Education Foundations
F1 - Composition & Rhetoric3-6
ENGL 101
& ENGL 102
Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric
and Composition, Rhetoric, and Research
or ENGL 103
Accelerated Academic Writing
F2A/F2B - Science & Technology4-6
F3 - Math & Quantitative Reasoning3-4
F4 - Society & Connections3
F5 - Human Inquiry & the Past3
F6 - The Arts & Creativity3
F7 - Global Studies & Diversity3
F8 - Focus (may be satisfied by completion of a minor, double major, or dual degree)9
Total Hours31-37

Please note that not all of the GEF courses are offered at all campuses. Students should consult with their advisor or academic department regarding the GEF course offerings available at their campus.

Curriculum Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
GEF Elective Requirement (GEF 8)3
ENGL 101Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric (GEF 1)3
MATH 121Intro Concepts Of Mathematics (GEF 3)3
COMM 104Fundamentals of Public Communication (GEF 5)3
CS 101Intro to Computer Applications (GEF 2)4
PSYC 101Introduction to Psychology (GEF 4)3
PSYC 281Introduction to Psychological Disorders (GEF 7)3
WVUE 191First Year Seminar1
CJ 101Introduction to Criminal Justice3
CJ 202Principles of Criminal Law3
CJ 225Criminal Procedure and Constitutional Law3
CJ 230Probation and Parole Operations3
CJ 285Criminal Justice Technical Writing3
Select one of the following:3
CJ 111
Police Operations
CJ 206
Introduction to Corrections
Lower Level Major Elective (Select five of the following):15
CJ 111
Police Operations
CJ 204
Police Defense Tactics
CJ 206
Introduction to Corrections
CJ 233
Juvenile Justice
CJ 236
Criminal Investigation
CJ 242
Contemporary Policing
CJ 245
Adjudication Process
CJ 255
Analysis of Correctional Operations
CJ 293
Special Topics
CJ 295
Field Practicum
Elective4
Total Hours60

Suggested Plan of Study

First Year
FallHoursSpringHours
ENGL 101 (GEF 1)3CJ 2023
CJ 1013CS 101 (GEF 2)4
CJ 111 or 2063MATH 121 (or higher: GEF 3)3
WVUE 1911PSYC 101 (GEF 4)3
Elective3Lower Level Major Elective*3
Elective1 
 14 16
Second Year
FallHoursSpringHours
CJ 2303CJ 2253
COMM 104 (GEF 5)3CJ 2853
PSYC 281 (GEF 7)3Lower Level Major Elective3
Lower Level Major Elective*3Lower Level Major Elective3
Lower Level Major Elective*3GEF Elective (GEF 8)3
 15 15
Total credit hours: 60

Major Learning Outcomes

Criminal Justice Studies, A.A.S.

  • The student will be able to identify the role and responsibilities of a criminal justice professional in all areas of criminal justice.
  • The student will be able to identify the basic components of the criminal justice system.
  • The student will be able to identify behaviors which violate the criminal code.
  • The student will be able to communicate clearly and effectively in both written and verbal formats.
  • The student will be able to perform individually and within groups
  • The student will be able to identify and evaluate the theories of criminal behavior in both adult and juvenile criminal arenas.
  • The student will be able to demonstrate the investigative techniques.
  • The student will be able to work well with others and be understanding of personal differences.
  • The student will be able to analyze and explain the adjudicatory process.
  • The student will be able to evaluate issues of Constitutional law and identify individual rights.
  • The student will be able to demonstrate an understanding of criminal procedures.
  • Agribusiness Management
  • Agricultural and Extension Education
  • Animal Science
  • Business Administration, A.A.
  • Business Technology, A.A.S.
  • Business Management, B.A.S.
  • Computer Information Systems, A.A.S.
  • Computer Information Systems, B.A.S.
  • Criminal Justice Studies, A.A.
  • Criminal Justice Studies, A.A.S.
  • Criminal Justice, B.A.S.
  • Economics
  • Forest Resource Management
  • General Agriculture
  • General Technical Studies
  • Horticulture
  • Hospitality, A.A.S.
  • Pre-​Veterinary Medicine
  • Recreation, Parks, &​ Tourism Resources
  • Sustainable Agriculture Entrepreneurship, A.A.S.
  • Sustainable Agriculture Entrepreneurship, B.A.S.
  • Technical Studies: Carpentry Technology
  • Wildlife and Fisheries Resources
  • Wood Science and Technology

WVU Potomac State College

Information

  • Academic Standards
  • Admissions
  • Advising, Enrollment and Grades
  • Degree Regulations
  • FERPA
  • Financial Aid
  • Programs, Courses and Credits
  • Tuition, Fees and Residency
  • Veterans
  • Courses

Office of the University Registrar
P.O. Box 6878
Morgantown, WV 26506
Email: registrar@mail.wvu.edu
Phone: 304-293-5355

  • Accreditations
  • Web Standards
  • Questions or Comments?

© 2024-2025 West Virginia University. WVU is an EEO/Affirmative Action employer — Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran.

  • A-Z Site Index
  • Campus Map
  • WVU Careers
  • Directory
  • Give
  • Handshake Login
  • WVU Alert
  • WVU Today
  • WVU Portal
  • WVU on Facebook
  • WVU on Twitter
  • WVU on YouTube

The information on this page is subject to change without notice. Disclaimer

Print Options

  • Send Page to Printer

    Print this page.

  • Download Page (PDF)

    The PDF will include all information unique to this page.

  • Download Complete 2024-25 PDF Catalogs

    • WVU Morgantown - Graduate/Professional
    • WVU Morgantown - Undergraduate
    • WVU Keyser - Potomac State College
    • WVU Beckley - WVU Tech
    • WVU Morgantown - Law

    Download 2024-25 PDF Courses Catalogs

    • WVU Morgantown - Graduate/Professional Courses
    • WVU Morgantown - Undergraduate Courses
    • WVU Keyser - Potomac State College Courses
    • WVU Beckley - WVU Tech Courses

Print Options

  • Send Page to Printer

    Print this page.

  • Download PDF of this page

    The PDF will include all information unique to this page.

  • Download Complete 2020-21 PDF Catalogs

    • WVU Morgantown - Graduate/Professional
    • WVU Morgantown - Undergraduate
    • WVU Keyser - Potomac State College
    • WVU Beckley - WVU Tech
    • WVU Morgantown - Law

    Download 2020-21 PDF Courses Catalogs

    • WVU Morgantown - Graduate/Professional Courses
    • WVU Morgantown - Undergraduate Courses
    • WVU Keyser - Potomac State College Courses
    • WVU Beckley - WVU Tech Courses