Criminal Justice (AAS)
Degree: Associate of Applied Science
Major: Criminal Justice
Program Code: 1360
About This Major . . .
This program is designed for students who want the credentials of an Associate’s Degree combined with the Colorado Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certification. It is highly recommended that students seeking this degree complete their essential learning and elective requirements prior to enrolling in the CMU Tech POST Academy. Once a student has passed all the minimum requirements of Colorado POST he or she has a timeline of ONLY 3 years to be hired by a law enforcement agency. Successful completion of the POST Academy is a requirement of this degree.
Upon successful completion of the requirements, the student would be awarded an A.A.S. degree in Criminal Justice by Colorado Mesa University. This degree provides graduates with an advantage in the competitive law enforcement career market. Graduates are qualified to apply for jobs in police departments, sheriff’s offices, county jails, alternative sentencing programs, Colorado State Parks, Dept. of Corrections and the State Patrol. Current professionals may increase their promotional opportunities.
For more information on what you can do with this major, visit CMU Tech's Programs of Study page.
All CMU/CMU Tech associate graduates are expected to demonstrate proficiency in specialized knowledge/applied learning, quantitative fluency, communication fluency, critical thinking, personal and social responsibility, and information literacy. In addition to these campus‐wide student learning outcomes, graduates of this major will be able to:
- Criminal Process: Explain the functions of the criminal justice system in protecting the constitutional rights of all individuals within the United States, regardless of citizenship. (Specialized Knowledge)
- Basic Law: Explain the current rules for peace officer conduct as it pertains to arrest, search and seizure. (Specialized Knowledge, Information Literacy)
- Victim’s Right: Explain the laws relating to victim rights and community resources available for crime victim’s services. (Specialized Knowledge, Information Literacy)
- Community Policing: Identify and recognize community policing and the necessary elements for implementation of community policing practice and philosophy and recognize community partnerships as an integral component in community policing and problem solving. (Critical Thinking
- Professional Behavior: Identify the traits that officers should exemplify and explain the benefits of professional and ethical behavior to the officer, department, and community. (Personal and Social Responsibility)
- Patrol Observation and Perception: Analyze and interpret information gathered during patrol operations, differentiate between proactive and reactive patrol, and demonstrate different patrol methods. (Critical Thinking)
- Traffic Code: Recognize elements of traffic code violations as defined in Title 42 C.R.S. (Specialized Knowledge)
- Preliminary Investigations: Identify and explain procedures for responding to a crime scene, conducting an initial crime scene investigation, interviewing victims, witnesses, and suspects, and conducting a follow up investigation. (Communication Fluency, Critical Thinking, Specialized Knowledge)
- Report Writing: Apply the basic requirements of written communication in law enforcement. (Communication Fluency)
- Wellness: Explain why wellness is an integral component of the law enforcement profession, and the necessity of being in good physical condition. (Personal and Social Responsibility)
- Tactical Casualty Care: Apply lifesaving medical actions in the context of a hazardous situation such as an active shooter, specific medical interventions, and skills. (Specialized Knowledge, Quantitative Literacy)
- Identify, utilize and cite various sources of policing information in academic assignments and on-the-job requirements. (Information Literacy).
- Use program-level mathematical concepts and methods to understand, analyze, and explain policing issues in quantitative terms (Quantitative Fluency)
Each section below contains details about the requirements for this program. Select a header to expand the information/requirements for that particular section of the program's requirements.
To print or save an overview of this program's information, including the program description, learning outcomes, requirements, suggested course sequencing (if applicable), and advising and graduation information, scroll to the bottom of the left-hand navigation menu and select "Print Options." This will give you the options to either "Send Page to Printer" or "Download PDF of This Page." The "Download PDF of This Page" option prepares a much more concise presentation of all program information. The PDF is also printable and may be preferable due to its brevity.
Institutional Degree Requirements
The following institutional degree requirements apply to all CMU and CMU Tech Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degrees. Specific programs may have different requirements that must be met in addition to institutional requirements.
- 60 semester hours minimum.
- Students must complete a minimum of 15 of the final 30 semester hours of credit at CMU/CMU Tech.
- 2.00 cumulative GPA or higher in all CMU/CMU Tech coursework.
- A course may only be used to fulfill one requirement for each degree/certificate.
- No more than six semester hours of independent study courses can be used toward the degree.
- Non-traditional credit, such as advanced placement, credit by examination, credit for prior learning, cooperative education and internships, cannot exceed 20 semester credit hours for an AAS degree.
- Pre-collegiate courses (usually numbered below 100) cannot be used for graduation.
- Capstone exit assessment/projects (e.g., Major Field Achievement Test) requirements are identified under Program-Specific Degree Requirements.
- The Catalog Year determines which program sheet and degree requirements a student must fulfill in order to graduate. Visit with your advisor or academic department to determine which catalog year and program requirements you should follow.
- See “Requirements for Undergraduate Degrees and Certificates” in the catalog for a complete list of graduation requirements.
Essential Learning Requirements
(15 semester hours)
See the current catalog for a list of courses that fulfill the requirements below. If a course is an Essential Learning option and a requirement for your major, you must use it to fulfill the major requirement and make a different selection for the Essential Learning requirement.
| Code | Title | Semester Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | ||
| ENGL 111 | English Composition I-GTCO1 | 3 |
| ENGL 112 | English Composition II-GTCO2 | 3 |
| or SPCH 102 | Speechmaking | |
| Mathematics | ||
| MATH 108 | Technical Mathematics (or higher) 1,2 | 3 |
| Other Essential Learning Core Courses | ||
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| General Psychology-GTSS3 | ||
| Speechmaking | ||
| Marriage and Families-GTSS3 | ||
| General Sociology-GTSS3 | ||
| Ethics-GTAH3 | ||
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 15 | |
- 1
MATH 108 is a 4 semester credit hour course; however, if a student completes a higher-level, Essential Learning eligible Mathematics course at 3 semester credit hours, that course would fulfill the Mathematics Essential Learning requirement.
- 2
MATH 110 or higher is required for BA or BAS in Criminal Justice.
Other Lower Division Requirements
| Code | Title | Semester Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Wellness Requirement | ||
| KINE 100 | Health and Wellness | 1 |
| KINA 127 | Physical Conditioning 1 | 1 |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 2 | |
- 1
KINA 127 is taken simultaneously with POST Academy.
Program Specific Degree Requirements
(43 semester hours)
| Code | Title | Semester Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CRJW 101 | Basic Police Academy I | 4 |
| CRJW 102 | Basic Police Academy II | 5 |
| CRJW 103 | Basic Police Academy III | 7 |
| CRJW 104 | Basic Police Academy IV | 6 |
| CRJW 106 | Arrest Control | 3 |
| CRJW 107 | Law Enforcement Driving | 2 |
| CRJW 108 | Firearms | 3 |
| CRMJ 110 | Orientation to Criminal Justice Inquiry | 1 |
| CRMJ 201 | Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 |
| SPCH 101 | Interpersonal Communication | 3 |
| POLS 101 | American Government-GTSS1 | 3 |
| SOCO 264 | Social Problems-GTSS3 | 3 |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 43 | |
Due to a potential variation in semester credit hours for the Essential Learning Mathematics credits, the following sequencing results in variable credit hours; however, students in this major must complete a minimum of 60 semester credit hours, including satisfactory completion of all required courses, for satisfactory completion of degree.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Semester Credit Hours | |
| ENGL 111 | English Composition I-GTCO1 | 3 |
| SPCH 101 | Interpersonal Communication | 3 |
| POLS 101 | American Government-GTSS1 | 3 |
| Essential Learning Social and Behavioral Sciences or Humanities course | 3 | |
| Essential Learning Social and Behavioral Sciences or Humanities course | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| ENGL 112 or SPCH 102 | English Composition II-GTCO2 or Speechmaking | 3 |
| CRMJ 110 | Orientation to Criminal Justice Inquiry | 1 |
| CRMJ 201 | Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 |
| SOCO 264 | Social Problems-GTSS3 | 3 |
| MATH 108 | Technical Mathematics (or higher) 1 | 3-4 |
| KINE 100 | Health and Wellness | 1 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 14-15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| CRJW 101 | Basic Police Academy I | 4 |
| CRJW 102 | Basic Police Academy II | 5 |
| CRJW 103 | Basic Police Academy III | 7 |
| CRJW 104 | Basic Police Academy IV | 6 |
| CRJW 106 | Arrest Control | 3 |
| CRJW 107 | Law Enforcement Driving | 2 |
| CRJW 108 | Firearms | 3 |
| KINA 127 | Physical Conditioning | 1 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 31 | |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 60-61 | |
- 1
MATH 108 is a 4 semester credit hour course; however, if a student completes a higher-level, Essential Learning eligible Mathematics course at 3 semester credit hours, that course would fulfill the Mathematics Essential Learning requirement.
Advising Process and DegreeWorks
Documentation on the pages related to this program is intended for informational purposes to help determine what courses and associated requirements are needed to earn a degree. The suggested course sequencing outlines how students could finish degree requirements. Some courses are critical to complete in specific semesters, while others may be moved around. Meeting with an academic advisor is essential in planning courses and altering the suggested course sequencing. It is ultimately the student’s responsibility to understand and fulfill the requirements for their intended degree(s).
DegreeWorks is an online degree audit tool available in MAVzone. It is the official record used by the Registrar’s Office to evaluate progress towards a degree and determine eligibility for graduation. Students are responsible for reviewing their DegreeWorks audit on a regular basis and should discuss questions or concerns with their advisor or academic department head. Discrepancies in requirements should be reported to the Registrar’s Office.
Graduation Process
Students must complete the following in the first two months of the semester prior to completing their degree requirements:
- Review their DegreeWorks audit and create a plan that outlines how unmet requirements will be met in the final semester.
- Meet with their advisor and modify their plan as needed. The advisor must approve the final plan.
- Submit the “Intent to Graduate” form to the Registrar’s Office to officially declare the intended graduation date and commencement ceremony plans.
- Register for all needed courses and complete all requirements for each degree sought.
Submission deadlines and commencement details can be found on the Graduation web page.
If a student's petition for graduation is denied, it will be their responsibility to apply for graduation in a subsequent semester. A student's “Intent to Graduate” does not automatically move to a later graduation date.