AAS in Criminal Justice
Northampton Community College
Key Information
Campus location
Bethlehem, USA
Languages
English
Study format
Distance Learning, On-Campus
Duration
4 semesters
Pace
Full time, Part time
Tuition fees
USD 2,535 / per semester *
Application deadline
Request info
Earliest start date
Aug 2024
* Northampton County PA: $2,535 Monroe County PA: $3,990 Other PA County: $5,325 Out of State/Country: $7,410. Additional fees may apply
Scholarships
Explore scholarship opportunities to help fund your studies
Introduction
Do you have what it takes to delve into the difficult questions surrounding crime and punishment while serving your community? If you’re ready to confront tough topics and examine every detail of the law, while studying psychology, criminal behavior, social systems, and ethics, then learn more about our Criminal Justice program today!
Our curriculum teaches students how to decipher patterns of human behavior, legal and ethical responsibilities, and how data on crime and prevention is collected and reported. Courses also cover psychological and sociological theories of crime causation, as well as fundamentals of criminal law, criminal procedure, civil law, and the courts and our faculty brings valuable, real-world experience into every classroom. Additionally, all students participate in hands-on, technology-enhanced interactive simulations and field tours of local facilities so they are able to apply concepts to real-world law enforcement situations.
Our highly-regarded two-year associate's degree positions you to enter the workforce upon graduation, or to transfer to a four-year criminal justice program at one of our partner institutions. No matter what path you choose to take, our program will provide a solid educational foundation and a convenient and affordable way to begin your future.
Program benefits
- Flexibility: You have the option to further your education and transfer to a four-year college within our specified transfer agreements.
- Affordability: NCC is one of the most affordable criminal justice colleges in PA, with low tuition fees for in-state students.
- Housing: On-campus housing creates an immersive learning environment where you can focus on your studies.
- Online Option: NCC offers online criminal justice courses, allowing you to form a flexible schedule.
- Small Class Sizes: The small student-to-professor ratio at NCC helps you build relationships and network with alumni.
- Student Services: NCC provides comprehensive counseling and placement services via our Career Services office.
Ideal Students
The criminal justice program at Northampton Community College is open to people of different educational backgrounds. You may be a high school graduate pursuing a career in law enforcement, a military veteran exploring new opportunities or a professional making a career change. No matter your identity, NCC’s associate of applied science will educate you in each aspect of the criminal justice program.
Admissions
Curriculum
The program serves three types of students: those seeking entry-level employment in the field, those already employed in the system who seek professional advancement, and those who plan to pursue a bachelor's degree in criminal justice, criminology or related disciplines.
Our program readies you for employment in the local, state, or federal level components of law enforcement, Prosecutors’ Offices, Public Defenders’ Offices, courts, corrections, probation, parole, treatment, and the Juvenile Justice System. It can also prepare you for a career in private sector security or for the military branches of service. If you are interested in working for a specific department or agency, you should contact a program success navigator or your advisor early in your studies to determine the specific educational requirements you will need. Professionals in NCC’s Career Services and Counseling offices, as well as experienced instructors within the program, can assist you in meeting your career goals.
All of our instructors are either current or former criminal justice or juvenile justice professionals, so they speak with the voice of experience; not just from a textbook. Additionally, students who have acquired prior discipline-related learning or training experiences might be granted course equivalent credits based upon NCC’s life-experience portfolio assessment process.
If your career plan includes a bachelor's degree with a specialization in the field, you may want to consider transferring to one of the four-year schools that we have an articulation agreement with such as East Stroudsburg University, Keystone College, Penn State-Lehigh Valley, or the University of Pittsburgh. These special partnerships make the move to a bachelor's degree program easier since we've already ensured that your credits from NCC will seamlessly transfer. The full transfer also may be possible to other colleges and universities offering baccalaureate degrees in the field. NCC’s Academic Advising Transfer Specialists and Success Navigators can offer you support and additional information.
The program can be completed in four semesters as a full-time student taking 15-18 credits per semester, or by taking fewer credits each semester and enrolling in summer classes. The total degree credits are 64-66 credits depending on which courses are completed.
First Semester
- COLS101College Success
- CJST101Introduction to Criminal Justice
- CMTH102Introduction to Communication
- ENGL101English I
- SOCA103Principles of Sociology
- PSYC103Introduction to Psychology
Second Semester
- CISC101Introduction to Information Technology
- CJST111American Legal System
- CJST131Juvenile Justice
- ENGL151L English II
or
ENGL151REnglish II - PSYC255Abnormal Psychology
- SOCA150Deviance
Third Semester
- CJST115Criminal Law
- CJST121GCriminology
- CJST245Criminal Justice Ethics
- SOCA204Social Problems
- Mathematics (QL) or Science (SCI) Elective +
Fourth Semester
- CJST225Corrections and Rehabilitation
- CJST250Contemporary Issues Criminal Justice
- POLS105GAmerican Constitutional Law
- General Education Elective (AH)
- Elective ++
+ Mathematics (QL) or Science (SCI) Elective must be chosen from the list of approved General Education Mathematics or Science courses. (NOTE: MATH103 may not be used.) MATH150 is recommended for students who intend to transfer. BIOS104 is recommended as the Science Elective.
++ Elective credits may not be satisfied by a CJST course, except CJST135.
- One course must be designated Diversity and Global Awareness (D).
- Completion of both POLS105G and CJST121G satisfies the program-related Writing Intensive (WI) requirement.
- CJST250 is a capstone course and should be taken in the final semester with CJST225.
Program Outcome
Graduates of the program will:
- Explain and evaluate criminological behavior theory as applied by the criminal justice or juvenile justice professional in the work environment.
- Analyze and assess the various classical, biological, psychological, sociological, and other emergent theories of crime causation.
- Identify and critique the functions, duties and roles of officials at various levels in the criminal justice system.
- Assess and interpret criminal law, criminal procedure, civil law and the courts as it relates to the legal system.
- Discuss and appraise the special needs and functions of the juvenile justice system.
- Describe and evaluate the corrections system in the United States.
- Apply the ability to think critically and analytically in various criminal justice work settings.
- Develop excellent professional writing and communication skills.
- Exemplify the basic professional requirements for entry level positions in the criminal or juvenile justice systems, as well as in the public safety or private sector security services.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
Criminal justice grads can find work in law enforcement, politics, business, security, law, corrections, government, and more.
Future Career Paths
- Police Officers
- State Trooper
- Probation Officers
- Forensic Science Technician
- Fish and Game Warden
- Crime Scene Investigator
- Fraud Investigator
- CIA Agent
- DEA Agent
- US Marshal
- Detectives
- Investigators
- Correctional Treatment Specialists
- Private Detective
- Security Guard
- Computer Forensics Investigator
- FBI Agent
- Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agent
- Secret Service Agent