The Associate of Arts degree in Criminal Justice is designed to provide foundational education and knowledge for students planning to pursue a four-year degree in Criminal Justice or for those who would like to have a strong basis in Criminal Justice in preparation for state licensing or to enter the workforce. This program includes general education core curriculum courses 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 diverse agencies of the Criminal Justice System.

The Associate of Arts degree in Criminal Justice includes field of study curriculum approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The Field of Study Curriculum for Criminal Justice consists of 21-23 lower-division semester credit hours that are fully transferable to other Texas public colleges and universities and are applicable to the Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice or the Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice.

Students should always consult with an academic or Criminal Justice faculty advisor regarding transfer to a specific college or university. In addition, students should consult with an advisor at the Texas college or university to which they are transferring for additional information.

See the award plan and program map for a course list.

 

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How to Apply

Complete the ACC Application, and select Public and Social Services for your Area of Study.

This program allows you to earn your associate’s degree and qualify to take the Texas Basic Peace Officer exam.

Although some courses may transfer to four-year colleges, the program is designed for students who want to work as peace officers after graduation. If you intend to pursue a bachelor’s degree, you should explore the Criminal Justice – Law Enforcement AAS degree.

Upon graduation, you are awarded an Associate of Applied Science degree in Criminal Justice – Texas Peace Officer Specialization and endorsed to take the state licensing exam.

In addition to seven criminal justice core courses and four law enforcement sequence courses, the program includes classes in math, English, history, humanities, and communication. See the award plan and program map for a course list.

The program is an approved academic alternative to the Basic Police Officer Training required by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) and satisfies the degree requirement rule in the Academic Alternative program.

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How to Apply

Complete the ACC Application and select Public and Social Services for your Area of Study.

If you have taken any criminal justice classes at ACC or another institution, submit an unofficial transcript to the Criminal Justice department staff as soon as possible.

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Prerequisites for Sequence Courses

New peace officer sequence students must attend an advising meeting the semester before you wish to enroll in any sequence classes. Meetings are offered at a variety of dates and times each semester. Contact us for details.

In the advising meeting, we review the TCOLE requirements in more detail and explain how to obtain the necessary reports and background checks.

We verify your compliance with TCOLE licensing requirements, state laws, and ACC policies before you may enroll in sequence classes (CJLE 2420 Procedures, CJLE 2421 Law, CJLE 2522 Skills and CJLE 2424 Capstone).

See TCOLE licensing requirements for more information

 

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Courses and Transfer Credit

You may be able to receive transfer credit for eligible courses completed at another institution. Contact the Criminal Justice Department staff to review your unofficial transcripts. All students are required to complete the four sequence courses with ACC.

This program is an excellent option for licensed peace officers who want to earn a college degree, or for students who want to pursue a bachelor’s degree after graduation. While it does prepare you to seek entry-level work in criminal justice, it does not qualify you to take the Basic Peace Officer license exam. If your goal is to become a licensed peace officer after graduating, you should explore the Texas Peace Officer Specialization AAS degree program.

The degree transfers to several four-year criminal justice programs at other colleges and universities. If you intend to transfer to a specific program after graduation, consult the ACC transfer guide and meet with the ACC Criminal Justice department chair to discuss the best choice of courses.

In addition to criminal justice courses, the program includes general studies classes in math, English, science, history, humanities, and communication. See the award plan and program map for course list.

After successfully completing the program, you are awarded an Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice – Law Enforcement.

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How to Apply

Complete the ACC Application, and select Public and Social Services for your Area of Study.

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Tuition Exemption and College Credit for Peace Officers

We encourage licensed peace officers to take advantage of the tuition waivers available to them. See Tuition Exemption for Peace Officers for more information.

Licensed Texas peace officers or corrections officers enrolled in an AAS Criminal Justice degree program may receive up to 13 hours of college credit for existing certifications. Students must pay a fee of $10 per credit hour for each course approved. Contact the Criminal Justice department staff to learn more and request credit conversion.

This degree prepares you to seek an entry-level position in fields such as corrections, probation and parole, and private security; or to pursue a four-year criminal justice degree at another institution.

The program includes criminal justice courses with an emphasis on probation and parole, juvenile procedures, and institutional and community-based corrections, as well as general studies courses in math, English, science, history, humanities, and communication. See the award plan and program map for the list of courses.

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How to Apply

Complete the ACC Application and select Public and Social Services for your Area of Study.

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College Credit for Peace Officers

Licensed Texas peace officers or corrections officers enrolled in an AAS Criminal Justice degree program may receive up to 13 hours of college credit for existing certifications. Students must pay a fee of $10 per credit hour for each course approved. Contact the Criminal Justice department staff to learn more and request credit conversion.

If you already have (or are close to completing) a college degree, the certificate program is the fastest pathway to becoming a licensed Texas peace officer.

After successfully completing the program, you are awarded a “Texas Peace Officer Sequence Level 1” certificate and endorsed to take the state licensing exam.

This certificate program is an approved academic alternative to the Basic Police Officer Training required by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) for all Texas peace officers prior to licensure. It consists of seven CRIJ core courses and four CJLE law enforcement sequence courses. See the award plan and program map for a list of courses.

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Academic Prerequisites

You must have an associate’s degree or higher (in any major) before you can receive your certificate and be endorsed to take the state exam. If you have few or no college credits and your goal is to become a licensed peace officer, you should enroll in the AAS Texas Peace Officer Specialization degree program.

If you are close to completing a college degree, the Criminal Justice department staff can help you determine if the certificate program is a good option for you.

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How to Apply

Complete the ACC Application and select Public and Social Services for your Area of Study.

If you have taken any criminal justice classes at ACC or another institution, submit an unofficial transcript to the Criminal Justice department staff as soon as possible.

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Prerequisites for Sequence Courses

New peace officer sequence students must attend an advising meeting the semester before you wish to enroll in any sequence classes. Meetings are offered at a variety of dates and times each semester. Contact us for details.

In the advising meeting, we review the TCOLE requirements in more detail and explain how to obtain the necessary reports and background checks.

We verify your compliance with TCOLE licensing requirements, state laws, and ACC policies before you may enroll in sequence classes (CJLE 2420 Procedures, CJLE 2421 Law, CJLE 2522 Skills and CJLE 2424 Capstone).

See TCOLE licensing requirements  for more information

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Courses and Transfer Credit

You may be able to receive transfer credit for eligible criminal justice core courses completed at another institution. Contact the Criminal Justice Department staff to review your unofficial transcripts. All students are required to complete the four sequence courses with ACC.

Curriculum