Associate in Science Degree

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This program provides students who plan to transfer to a bachelor's level program with a comprehensive foundation in Criminal Justice. The core courses form a foundation for understanding the operation of the criminal justice system, the causes of crime and delinquency, the history and application of criminal justice and constitutional law, and the ethical bases of criminal justice decision-making. Electives address the diverse issues facing the criminal justice system and encourage students to gain more specialized knowledge of policing, fraud, corrections, law, and the private sector.  Students interested in advanced degrees in Criminal Justice related fields will find this program a good way to begin exploring the field while meeting the majority of their general education requirements.   

Goal 1. Prepare students to meet the SUNY General Education requirements

  • Graduates will have completed at least 8 out of 10 SUNY silos of General Education

Goal 2. Prepare students to transfer into BS/BA degree programs

  • Graduates of the program will transfer with full junior status to a 4-year institution in Criminal Justice or related field.

Goal 3. Prepare students to speak and write effectively

  • Students will learn to analyze legal cases and distinguish between legal arguments based on case law and opinion.

Goal 4. Prepare students to draw conclusions by critically analyzing given information related to the field of Criminal Justice

  • Students will demonstrate the ability to organize information, distinguish fact from opinion and reach logical conclusions.

Goal 5. Prepare students to interact in a diverse culture

  • Students will demonstrate their knowledge of the diverse cultures and communities that comprise US society.

Goal 6. Prepare students to analyze quantitative information, and think critically

  • Students will be able to read, interpret, and use social science data skillfully.

Goal 7. To prepare students to demonstrate information literacy

  • Students will use traditional and contemporary information technology.
  • Students will identify, access, and appropriately use authoritative sources of information.

Total Credit Hours: 64

First Semester

This course is an opportunity for students to develop the skills necessary to be successful in college. Students learn the importance of the faculty-student and advisor-advisee relationship, develop time management techniques, apply effective study skill techniques, recognize the implications of living in a diverse society, utilize college resources, and explore career and transfer requirements. Collaborative projects are included. Students matriculated in a degree program must take this course in their first term of study.

This course introduces the basic elements of the American criminal justice system, from its legal roots and history to its most current concerns. It analyzes the criminal justice process - from arrest to trial and disposition - emphasizing the function and structure of each component. It provides an understanding of how each component responds to crime and how the key question of individual rights and public safety is addressed. Attention is given to the elements of crime, the role of the police, courts, and corrections, and to the challenges facing this system in an increasingly diverse democratic society.

This course provides knowledge of relevant computer skills and a solid foundation in the terminology and concepts of computer technology. Experience is provided with a variety of microcomputer software applications, including word processing, electronic spreadsheets, graphics, file management, and integrated software. Concepts and terms focus on preparing for a technologically oriented society and using the computer as a tool for productivity, research, and communication.

This course focuses on several kinds of writing-self-expressive, informative, and argumentative/persuasive, and others. A minimum of five essay compositions are required. The course emphasizes the composition of clear, correct, and effective prose required in a variety of professions and occupations. Prerequisites: Appropriate high school GPA or placement test score or EN090 Basic Writing Skills or SL116 ESL4: Advanced Composition or SL145 ESOL Advanced Composition

This course gives an understanding of and a feeling for the society in which we live. The concepts and theories discussed relate to humanity, its culture and society, and to those forces that contribute to the smooth operation of this society as well as those forces that contribute to conflict and social problems. Topics include culture, socialization, stratification, population, and patterns of social organization.

This course introduces the many and varied facets of psychology. Emphasis is on interactions of individuals in their cultural, social, and economic environments as determined by their cognitive, behavioral, and emotional experiences and training.

Second Semester

This course introduces probability and statistics. Topics include graphs, tables, frequency distributions, measures of central tendency and dispersion, normal distribution, correlation and regression, probability, and inferential statistics. This course is available in two formats: lecture only, or lecture plus laboratory using technology. Prerequisite: Appropriate high school GPA or placement test score or MA089 Arithmetic.

This course examines the nature and functions of the criminal law. It uses controversial and landmark cases as a framework for an intensive examination of the classification of crimes and the assignment of penalties. It addresses recent court decisions involving the administration of the penal law, jurisdictional questions, and Constitutional protections. It uses the New York Penal Code as an exemplar.

This course encourages a deeper understanding of human nature and the human condition through the study of ideas and values expressed in imaginative literature. Emphasis is placed on the use and development of critical thinking and language skills. Library-oriented research is required. Prerequisite: EN101 English 1: Composition or EN105 English Composition for Speakers of Other Languages or EN106 English 1: Composition & Reading.

This course focuses on understanding and applying scientific methodology to an area of inquiry within the social sciences. It covers quantitative and qualitative methods of research including survey research, interviewing, archival analysis, experimentation, and participant observation. Using data-gathering techniques, a number of mini-research projects are conducted. The application of statistical techniques to data analysis is stressed. Computer software applications are used to analyze data from a variety of sources. Research teams are formed to design and implement final research projects. Prerequisites: SO101 Introduction to Sociology or CJ101 Introduction to Criminal Justice or PS102 Introduction to Public Policy.

Any General Education Natural Science course may be chosen.

Third Semester

The goal of this course is two-fold: first, to recognize the ethical implications of the daily decisions made by justice system personnel; and, second, to evaluate individual ethical frameworks. It addresses key analytical concepts including utilitarianism, deontology, peacemaking, codes of ethics, and tests of moral reasoning to resolve ethical dilemmas commonly found in the administration of justice, including policing, courts, and corrections. It addresses the relationship of criminal justice to social justice, along with issues of cultural competence and diversity, especially as they illustrate the existence of dilemmas in applied ethics. Scenarios are used to raise moral dilemmas in the administration of justice, with resolution of these dilemmas and analysis of the issues.

This course introduces the discipline of political science through the study of American government. Topics include the concept of the political system, democracy in theory and practice, the historical background and content of the Constitution, Federalism, and the role of the Supreme Court in civil rights. It stresses these aspects of the American political system: public opinion, voting behavior, the electoral system, political parties, and modern campaigning techniques.

This course focuses on the social construction of deviance and crime. It addresses major theoretical perspectives that explain crime in America. It investigates societal responses to crime and current issues facing the criminal justice system. It emphasizes public policy implications of the theoretical perspectives. Prerequisite: SO101 Introduction to Sociology.

Any Criminal Justice course not already required in the program, CJ110 and CJ112 have prerequisite requiring CJ107. CJ107 can be taken as the first CJ elective

This course is an introduction to public speaking. It emphasizes the fundamentals of preparing, organizing, supporting, and delivering the speech based on factual material. It includes topic selection, audience analysis, fact vs. opinion, outlining, supporting material, and visual support. Informative, demonstrative, and persuasive speeches are presented. Elements of interpersonal communication, logic, and persuasion are discussed. Prerequisite: EN101 English 1: Composition or EN105 English Composition for Speakers of Other Languages or EN106 English 1: Composition & Reading.

Any Physical Education course may be chosen.

Fourth Semester

Any Criminal Justice course not already required in the program, CJ110 and CJ112 have pre-req’s requiring CJ107. CJ107 can be taken as the first CJ elective

This course addresses the impact of the United States Constitution on the criminal justice system. It emphasizes the fundamental concepts on which the Constitution is based and stresses the Supreme Court decision-making process and schools of interpretation. It analyzes the relationship of the Bill of Rights, especially the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments, to the criminal justice system. Prerequisites: PS101 American National Government, and either CJ101 Introduction to Criminal Justice or PS102 Introduction to Public Policy.

Any of the following SUNY General Education Category 3, Area 4 "American History" courses may be chosen: AC131, HI111, or HI112.

Any of the following SUNY General Education Category 3, Area 5 "Western Civilizations" courses may be chosen: HI101, HI102, HI103, or HI104.

Any of the following SUNY General Education Category 3, Area 6 "Other World Civilizations" courses may be chosen: AN102, GE101, or SO207.

Any Physical Education course may be chosen.

(a) Any Criminal Justice course not already required in the program, CJ110 and CJ112 have prerequisite requiring CJ107. CJ107 can be taken as the first CJ elective.

(b) Any of the following SUNY General Education Category 3, Area 4 "American History" courses may be chosen: AC131, HI111, or HI112.

(c) Any of the following SUNY General Education Category 3, Area 5 "Western Civilizations" courses may be chosen: HI101, HI102, HI103, or HI104.

(d) Any of the following SUNY General Education Category 3, Area 6 "Other World Civilizations" courses may be chosen: AN102, GE101, or SO207.