Austin Community College

FY 2005 Degree Plan

Criminal Justice

The Associate of Applied Science degree in Criminal Justice includes courses in the Arts & Sciences curriculum as well as a wide array of Criminal Justice courses designed to prepare the student for further attainment of their educational goals and/or employment within the Criminal Justice System.

In order to graduate and receive an endorsement to take the peace officer licensing examination students enrolled under the certificate plan titled "Texas Peace Officer Sequence" must successfully pass a comprehensive examination during the last semester of their program. This exam will be prepared in accordance with the guidelines of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) and will serve as the "capstone experience" for the certificate. Students should contact the CRJ Program Coordinator to obtain exam dates and locations. Students beginning the Texas Peace Officer Certificate Program after March 1, 2002 must have at least an Associate Degree in order to receive endorsement to take the TCLEOSE peace officer licensing examination. (This is by TCLEOSE rule effective March 1, 2002.) Note: Students that have been continuously enrolled in the "Texas Peace Officer Certificate" before March 1, 2002 will be able to continue under the old plan and will not be required to have completed an associates degree before receiving an endorsement from the CRJ Department Chair.

Each degree plan is also required by the THECB to contain a "capstone experience." Students satisfy this requirement for the AAS Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement degree plan by taking CRIJ 2328 Police Systems and Practices and by taking CRIJ 2313 Correctional Systems and Practices in the AAS Criminal Justice/ Corrections degree plan.

Commissioned peace officers may be granted up to thirteen credit hours for completion of the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education Basic Peace Officer Course. Licensed county jail officers may obtain four credit hours provided they have completed the 80 contact hour TCLEOSE County Correctional Officer Course. Additionally, students that have attended a high school tech-prep program articulated with Austin Community College will be eligible to transfer approved courses to ACC. Students should contact the CRJ Program Coordinator to obtain information on how to receive these credits.

LAW ENFORCEMENT
Associate of Applied Science Degree

The law enforcement emphasis includes elements of criminal law, police systems, court systems, criminal procedure, and criminal investigation.

Semester I
CRIJ1301
 Introduction to Criminal Justice 3
CRIJ1307
 Crime in America 3
ENGL1301 English Composition I 3
SOCI1301 Introduction to Sociology 3
PSYC2301 Introduction to Psychology 3



-------
15
Semester II
CRIJ1310
 Fundamentals of Criminal Law 3
CRIJ1306
 Court Systems and Practices 3
GOVT2306 Texas State and Local Government 3
HIST1301 United States History I 3
CRIJ1313
 Juvenile Justice System 3



-------
15
Semester III
CJSA1348
 Ethics in Criminal Justice 3
CRIJ2323
 Legal Aspects of Law Enforcement 3
+


 Mathematics1 3
HIST1302 United States History II 3
GOVT2305 United States Government 3



-------
15
Semester IV
CRIJ2314
 Criminal Investigation 3
SPCH1315 Fundamentals of Public Speaking 3
#CRIJ2328
 Police Systems and Practices 3
COSC1301 Personal Computing 3
+


 Humanities/Fine Arts2 3



Unrestricted Elective 3



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18





TOTALS		-------
63
1 Select from Computational Skills in the General Education Course List.
2 Select from Humanities/Fine Arts in the General Education Course List.

CORRECTIONS
Associate of Applied Science Degree

The corrections emphasis includes elements of juvenile procedures, probation and parole, and institutional and community-based corrections.

Semester I
CRIJ1301
 Introduction to Criminal Justice 3
CRIJ1307
 Crime in America 3
ENGL1301 English Composition I 3
SOCI1301 Introduction to Sociology 3
PSYC2301 Introduction to Psychology 3



-------
15
Semester II
CRIJ1310
 Fundamentals of Criminal Law 3
CRIJ1306
 Court Systems and Practices 3
GOVT2306 Texas State and Local Government 3
HIST1301 United States History I 3
CRIJ1313
 Juvenile Justice System 3



-------
15
Semester III
CJCR1304
 LE -- Probation and Parole 3
CJSA1348
 Ethics in Criminal Justice 3
+


 Mathematics1 3
HIST1302 United States History II 3
GOVT2305 United States Government 3



-------
15
Semester IV
CRIJ2301
 Community Resources in Corrections 3
SPCH1315 Fundamentals of Public Speaking 3
#CRIJ2313
 Correctional Systems and Practices 3
COSC1301 Personal Computing 3
+


 Humanities/Fine Arts2 3



Unrestricted Elective 3



-------
18





TOTALS		-------
63
1 Select from Computational Skills in the General Education Course List.
2 Select from Humanities/Fine Arts in the General Education Course List.

TEXAS PEACE OFFICER SEQUENCE
Certificate

This program is the academic equivalent to the "Basic Peace Officer Training Course" required by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education (TCLEOSE) for all Texas Peace Officers.

Completion of at least 12 semester hours of the "Law Enforcement Core Curriculum" is required before students are eligible to be admitted to the "Peace Officer Sequence" classes. CRJ Program Coordinator approval is required to take each of the "Peace Officer Sequence" classes. Completion of all 21 semester hours of the "Core Curriculum" and the 13 semester hours of the "Peace Officer Sequence" courses are required before the CRJ Program Coordinator will issue students an "Academic Endorsement of Eligibility."

Students that have completed the program and have been issued an "endorsement" are eligible to take the "Peace Officer Licensing Examination" which is prepared and administered by TCLEOSE.

Core Curriculum
CRIJ1301
 Introduction to Criminal Justice 3
CRIJ1307
 Crime in America 3
CRIJ1310
 Fundamentals of Criminal Law 3
CRIJ1306
 Court Systems and Practices 3
CRIJ2323
 Legal Aspects of Law Enforcement 3
CRIJ2314
 Criminal Investigation 3
#CRIJ2328
 Police Systems and Practices 3



-------
21
Peace Officer Sequence
CJLE2420
 Texas Peace Officer Procedures1 4
CJLE2421
 Texas Peace Officer Law1 4
CJLE2522
 Texas Peace Officer Skills1 5



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13





TOTALS		-------
34
1 Requires Departmental approval.

Degree Plans updated August 26, 2004 09:00am
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