1. College Success

• COLLG 110 College Success (3 credits)

• Course purpose: A foundational course to explore and affirm a career choice and build upon the skills, knowledge, and resources that will support you at Pierce College and beyond.

2. Criminal Justice Success Seminar

• CJ 103 Criminal Justice: Success Seminar (1 credit)

• Course purpose: This course is an introduction to success in the CJ program. It will cover education plans, navigating through Pierce College, and how to be successful in the culminating project. You will learn about professional standards and employment requirements. It should be taken within the first two quarters.

3. Criminal Justice Course Recommendation

Take five credits as advised.

• CJ 102 Introduction to Criminal Law (5 credits)
• CJ 115 Juvenile Justice System (5 credits)
• CJ 120 Constitutional Rights (5 credits)
• CJ 128 Criminal Justice Wellness (5 credits)
• CJ 215 Drugs and Society (5 credits)
• CJ 223 Special Topics in Criminal Justice (5 credits)
• CJ 224 Victimology and Advocacy (5 credits)
• CJ 228 Community Emergency Response Teams (2 credits)
• CJ 226 Criminal Justice Response to Terrorism (5 credits)
• CJ 227 Funding and Program Development for Crime Prevention (5 credits)
• CJ 261 Law Enforcement Operational Skills: Reserve (10 credits)
• CJ 262 Law Enforcement Operational Skills: Officer (10 credits)

• Course purpose: Criminal Justice electives assist you in honing what you might want to do for your Criminal Juctice career.  If you know you want to be a police officer you will want to take Investigative Technology, Constitutional Law, or Evidence Law as these will help you with your avocation. If you are interested in victim advocacy you will want to take Victimology and Advocacy. Please check with your advisor for the right course to take.

• CJ 245 Introduction to Investigation and Evidence (5 credits)

• Course purpose: This course breaks down that law as to what you are allowed to admit to court and not as it pertains to evidence. As a forensic technician, lawyer, or police officer, this class will help you see the end results of your work.

• CJ 144 Corrections Special Populations and Case Management (5 credits)

• Course purpose: This course will help you to identify the multiple populations in the system and look deeply at the best practices used in order to best serve these populations in the midst of public service and financial restrictions.

• CJ 205 Investigative Technology (5 credits)

• Course purpose: In this course you will learn about crime scene investigation. You will learn skills which include, evidence collection, crime scene photography, fingerprinting, crime scene sketching, etc. This is a very interactive and almost lab like class with a large crime scene for you to put it all together.

• CJ 260 Law Enforcement Operational Skills: Explorer/Cadet (5 credits)

• Course purpose: You will take this course if you are interested in Cadet/Explorer, where you will be volunteering as a Police explorer or cadet and will include all the time that you put into your weekly trainings as well as your academy. You must successfully complete one academy to complete this course.

Action Item: Meet with Advisor

Use your Success Network! In your first quarter, meet with your advisor to revisit your career and transfer path, make adjustments to your goals as needed, and plan for your next steps.

4. Policing in America

• CJ 150 Policing in America (5 credits)

• Course purpose: Policing is a huge part of the justice system and a great career opportunity. This course will help you with the history of policing and its impact on the citizens the system serves as well as what is currently occurring in our policing systems and where it might change in the future. Often our understanding of Law Enforcement is different from what it is. This class will help to bridge those two truths.

5. Crime and Justice in America

• CJ 200 Crime and Justice in America: Issues (5 credits)

• Course purpose: This class deals with how to respond to culture conflict and is steeped heavily in social justice and multiculturalism. You will learn hands-on skills to communicate with others who may not believe as you do. It is important as a criminal justice professional to address your biases prior to getting into the field. Your job is to serve all citizens, no matter your personal beliefs. This class will help you do just that.

6. Criminal Justice in America

• CJ 112 Criminal Justice in America (5 credits)

• Course purpose: This course gives an overview of theories and the major elements of the criminal justice system. You will be able to speak across the justice system and understand how the different elements (law enforcement, courts, corrections and support agencies) work together, or don’t at times.

Action Item: Apply for Graduation

Way to go! It is time to apply for graduation. Visit the Pierce College Graduation website for details. https://www.pierce.ctc.edu/graduation

7. Problem Based Research

• INFO 102 Problem Based Research Methods in Professional/Technical Programs (2 credits)

• Course purpose: This class will assist you with your academic research and citation. This is not only imperative for your success in academic writing, but it also will help you research best practices and validate your evidence in order to best serve the community by making changes in the system. Information that is not credible can create more hurt in our system and to our citizens.

8. Corrections in America

• CJ& 105 Corrections in America (5 credits)

• Course purpose: Corrections is a huge part of the justice system and a great career opportunity. This course will help you with the history of corrections and its impact on the citizens the system serves as well as what is currently occurring in our correctional systems and where it might change in the future. Often our understanding of corrections is different from what it is. This class will help to bridge those two truths. This powerful class will expand your knowledge of the system as taught through the dominate culture and assist your level of understanding of systematic oppression.

9. Criminal Justice Course Recommendation

Choose one

• CJ 128 Criminal Justice Wellness (5 credits)

• Course purpose: Being able to successfully complete the Practical Agility Test for employment is important. This class will assist you to develop a training plan and implementing it. A personal trainer to help you develop a program that you should consider to use for a lifelong goal.

• CJ 228 Community Emergency Response Teams (2 credits)

• Course purpose: You will successfully complete Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). This will help you build your professional network, and learn skills to build resume. This course will help you to know what to do when there is a major natural disaster,  how to be prepared, how to prepare your family.

10. Concepts of Criminal Law

• CJ 202 Concepts of Criminal Law (5 credits)

• Course purpose: This class helps you understand the law, how it was developed and the elements of certain crimes. It is a course for all people who want to work in the justice field. You will also learn how to find out the ins and outs of a case and court processes.

11. Work Based Learning

• CJ 252 Criminal Justice Work-Based Learning (5 credits)

• Course purpose: This is the course where you get to put your theory and content from your classes to practice in the field. It includes 180 hours of volunteer work in a criminal justice agency that is pre-approved by instructor. You must search for the site up to 6 months in advanced.

12. Culminating Project

• CJ 280 Criminal Justice Culminating Project (1 credit)

• Course purpose: In this course you will prove that you have met all the outcomes of this certificate. You will have an opportunity to show us what you have done in a 20 minute PowerPoint presentation to the criminal justice and Pierce College community. It is an exciting experience to see the great growth you have had at Pierce College.

Total Credits: 44-47

Program Code: 832C