Austin Community College

FY 2008 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 entering the Texas Peace Officer Certificate program must review, understand and comply with all current TCLEOSE requirements regarding education and eligibility mandates for endorsement (see TCLEOSE rule 217.1 and other important information at www.tcleose.state.tx.us).

Each degree plan is 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 for the AAS Criminal Justice/ Corrections degree by taking CRIJ 2313 Correctional Systems and Practices.

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

	CRIJ	1301		Introduction to Criminal Justice	3
	CRIJ	1307		Crime in America	3
	ENGL	1301		English Composition I	3
	SOCI	1301		Introduction to Sociology	3
	PSYC	2301		Introduction to Psychology	3
					------- 15

Semester II

	CRIJ	1310		Fundamentals of Criminal Law	3
	CRIJ	1306		Court Systems and Practices	3
	GOVT	2306		Texas State and Local Government	3
	HIST	1301		United States History I	3
	CRIJ	1313		Juvenile Justice System	3
					------- 15

Semester III

	CJSA	1348		Ethics in Criminal Justice	3
	CRIJ	2323		Legal Aspects of Law Enforcement	3
+				Mathematics1	3
	HIST	1302		United States History II	3
	GOVT	2305		United States Government	3
					------- 15

Semester IV

	CRIJ	2314		Criminal Investigation	3
	SPCH	1315		Fundamentals of Public Speaking	3
#	CRIJ	2328		Police Systems and Practices	3
	COSC	1301		Personal Computing	3
+				Humanities/Fine Arts1	3
				Unrestricted Elective	3
					------- 18
				TOTALS	------- 63

¹ Select from the appropriate section of the General Education Course List.

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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

	CRIJ	1301		Introduction to Criminal Justice	3
	CRIJ	1307		Crime in America	3
	ENGL	1301		English Composition I	3
	SOCI	1301		Introduction to Sociology	3
	PSYC	2301		Introduction to Psychology	3
					------- 15

Semester II

	CRIJ	1310		Fundamentals of Criminal Law	3
	CRIJ	1306		Court Systems and Practices	3
	GOVT	2306		Texas State and Local Government	3
	HIST	1301		United States History I	3
	CRIJ	1313		Juvenile Justice System	3
					------- 15

Semester III

	CJCR	1304		LE -- Probation and Parole	3
	CJSA	1348		Ethics in Criminal Justice	3
+				Mathematics1	3
	HIST	1302		United States History II	3
	GOVT	2305		United States Government	3
					------- 15

Semester IV

	CRIJ	2301		Community Resources in Corrections	3
	SPCH	1315		Fundamentals of Public Speaking	3
#	CRIJ	2313		Correctional Systems and Practices	3
	COSC	1301		Personal Computing	3
+				Humanities/Fine Arts1	3
				Unrestricted Elective	3
					------- 18
				TOTALS	------- 63

¹ Select from the appropriate section of the General Education Course List.

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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 (Department Chair) approval is required to enroll in any of the "Peace Officer Sequence" courses. A criminal history must be received by the CRJ Program Coordinator from TCLEOSE prior to being admitted in the CJLE-2522 Skills course (see documents and related information to this at www.austincc.edu/crij. Students must have, at minimum, an associate's degree (does not have to be in criminal justice), before receiving an endorsement. Students transferring into the program from other institutions, with a criminal justice major may be allowed to receive credit for some or all core courses if they are comparable with ACC criminal justice courses. Additionally, the successful completion of the 21 semester hours of "Core Curriculum", the 17 semester hours of the "Peace Officer Sequence", and passing a comprehensive department examination is required before the CRJ Program Coordinator will issue students an "Academic Endorsement of Eligibility." Students who receive an "endorsement" are eligible to take the "Peace Officer Licensing Examination" which is prepared and administered by TCLEOSE.

Core Curriculum

	CRIJ	1301		Introduction to Criminal Justice	3
	CRIJ	1313		Juvenile Justice System	3
	CRIJ	1310		Fundamentals of Criminal Law	3
	CRIJ	1306		Court Systems and Practices	3
	CRIJ	2323		Legal Aspects of Law Enforcement	3
	CRIJ	2314		Criminal Investigation	3
	CRIJ	2328		Police Systems and Practices	3
					------- 21

Peace Officer Sequence

	CJLE	2420		Texas Peace Officer Procedures1	4
	CJLE	2421		Texas Peace Officer Law1	4
	CJLE	2522		Texas Peace Officer Skills1	5
#	CJLE	2424		Texas Peace Officer Capstone1	4
					------- 17
				TOTALS	------- 38

¹ Requires department approval.

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Degree Plans updated September 07, 2008 02:30am
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