Degree Offered
- Bachelor of Applied Science
Nature of the Program
The Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.S.) degree provides students who have completed an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree with an opportunity to continue their education to the baccalaureate level. Both a traditional and an online option are available to students in this B.A.S. program. Students acquire additional skills, knowledge, and aptitude, thereby furthering their professional advancement and the prospect of enrolling into a graduate program.
Career Opportunities
With a B.A.S. degree in Criminal Justice, students can then enter the professional world of criminal justice or continue their education at the graduate level in law, business administration, criminal justice, counseling, or social work.
Faculty
Chair
- Jeff Jones - M.S. Forestry
Year @ PSC (2003)
Professor
- Dr. Heidi B. Samuels - Ed.D. Educational Leadership, MS Criminal Justice
Year @ PSC (2006)
Assistant professor
- Danielle Lessard - Ph.D. Criminal Justice
Year @ PSC (2018)
Admissions
Graduates of the Criminal Justice A.A.S. degree are eligible to apply to this major. Other junior level students may be admitted and should work with a Criminal Justice adviser.
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.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Foundations | ||
| F1 - Composition & Rhetoric | 3-6 | |
| Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric and Composition, Rhetoric, and Research | ||
or ENGL 103 | Accelerated Academic Writing | |
| F2A/F2B - Science & Technology | 4-6 | |
| F3 - Math & Quantitative Reasoning | 3-4 | |
| F4 - Society & Connections | 3 | |
| F5 - Human Inquiry & the Past | 3 | |
| F6 - The Arts & Creativity | 3 | |
| F7 - Global Studies & Diversity | 3 | |
| F8 - Focus (may be satisfied by completion of a minor, double major, or dual degree) | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 31-37 | |
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
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Applicable AAS Degree Hours | 60 | |
| GEF Elective Requirements (2, 6, and 8) | 9 | |
| ENGL 102 | Composition, Rhetoric, and Research (GEF 1) | 3 |
| STAT 111 | Understanding Statistics (GEF 8) | 3 |
| CJ 315 | Criminal Evidence | 3 |
| CJ 380 | Victimology | 3 |
| CJ 401 | Research Methods in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CJ 455 | Ethics/Criminal Justice System | 3 |
| CJ 485 | Senior Seminar-Capstone | 3 |
| BAS Track (Select one of the following tracks): | 18 | |
Track 1: | ||
Any 12 credit hours of criminal justice 300 or 400 level courses not used to meet another requirement. | ||
Open Electives (6 credit hours) | ||
Track 2: | ||
Any 12 credit hours of BUSA or BTEC 300 or 400 level courses. | ||
Open Electives (6 credit hours) | ||
Track 3: | ||
Any 12 credit hours of 300 or 400 level courses | ||
Open Electives (6 credit hours) | ||
Track 4: | ||
Select four of the following: | ||
| Survey of Business Law | ||
| Survey of Management | ||
| Survey of Marketing | ||
| Survey of Finance | ||
| Business Ethics | ||
Select two of the following: | ||
| Principles of Accounting 1 | ||
| Principles of Microeconomics | ||
or ECON 202 | Principles of Macroeconomics | |
| Upper Level Major Elective (Select four of the following): | 12 | |
| White Collar and Economic Crime (Fall Semester Only) | ||
| Community Based Corrections (Fall Semester Only) | ||
| Drugs, Crime and Society (Fall Semester Only) | ||
| Forensic Techniques (Fall Semester Only) | ||
| Terrorism (Spring Semester Only) | ||
| The Role of Women in Criminal Justice (Spring Semester Only) | ||
| Current Issues/Criminal Justice (Spring Semester Only) | ||
| Special Topics (Hate Crime: A System’s Approach - Spring Semester Only) | ||
| Total Hours | 120 | |
Suggested Plan of Study
| Third Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ENGL 102 (GEF 1) | 3 | CJ 380 | 3 |
| CJ 315 | 3 | STAT 111 (GEF 8) | 3 |
| BAS Track Elective | 3 | BAS Track Elective | 3 |
| Upper Level Major Elective | 3 | Upper Level Major Elective | 3 |
| GEF 2 | 3 | Open Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| CJ 401 | 3 | CJ 455 | 3 |
| BAS Track Elective | 3 | CJ 485 | 3 |
| Upper Level Major Elective | 3 | BAS Track Elective | 3 |
| Open Elective | 3 | Upper Level Major Elective | 3 |
| GEF 6 | 3 | GEF 8 | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total credit hours: 60 | |||
Major Learning Outcomes
Criminal Justice, B.A.S.
Upon successful completion of the Bachelor of Applied Science in Criminal Justice, the student will be able to:
- Apply project management concepts in a capstone experience
- Demonstrate effective communication skills
- Use technology effectively to support professional level experience
- Apply ethical decision-making skills