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Criminal Justice Technology - Associate in Applied Science Degree
Program Requirements:
Admission Type:
General College Admission
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Contact:
Admissions
(843) 347-3186

The Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Criminal Justice offers a well-rounded study of the criminal justice system, focusing on the legal issues and fundamental concepts and principles associated with law enforcement, the courts, corrections, and juvenile justice. It is designed for students who want to increase their employment potential, increase their advancement potential, or transfer into a senior institution that accepts HGTC criminal justice courses. The program concludes with an intensive capstone course in which students develop education portfolios based on previous coursework and a 135-hour internship involving activities that require the application of concepts taught throughout the program.
Students interested in seeking a position in investigations or with a crime-scene unit in a law enforcement agency can choose selectives designed to provide the basic principles of criminal investigations, crime-scene process, case preparation, forensic-science techniques, applications, and equipment from both a theoretical perspective in the classroom and through hands-on field training. The CSI offerings are also designed for the current law-enforcement officer who is seeking additional education or training for advancement or as a member of an investigative unit or a crime-scene unit.
The field of criminal justice, whether law enforcement, the courts, corrections, or juvenile justice, involves ever-expanding areas for career opportunities. The need for highly skilled and educated employees will continue, especially with rapidly advancing fields of law enforcement, criminal investigations, and crime scene investigations. There will also be a need for dedicated men and women in the diverse areas that comprise the criminal justice system.
Specific Admission Requirements for Program
- Criminal Background Check must be satisfactorily completed before students can enroll in any criminal justice course.
- Criminal Justice Program will deny eligibility for enrolling in a CRJ-prefixed course if an applicant/student has an arrest and/or conviction for any offense involving violence, moral turpitude, drug violations, misdemeanors with a sentence of 1 year or more, a felony, or a pattern of offenses that exhibits an absence of trust, honesty, compliance with the law, and/or appropriate standard of behavior that would prevent placement with a criminal justice internship site.
- Students may start the Criminal Justice Program at the beginning of any semester.
Course Sequence and Progression Requirements
A minimum grade of "C" or better is required for all CRJ-prefixed courses for progression
and graduation. Most Criminal Justice (CRJ) courses are offered only once each year,
so following the recommended course sequence is extremely important.
For more information about careers, visit O*Net Online for an overview of South Carolina and National earnings statistics, and Career Services for more employment, career, and professional development resources.
Employers of HGTC Alumni Include:
- Andrews Police Department
- Aynor Police Department
- Conway Police Department
- Georgetown Sherrif's Office
- Horry County Police Department
- Horry County Sheriff's Office
- Myrtle Beach Police Department
- Mullins Police Department
- North Myrtle Beach Police Department
- South Carolina Highway Patrol
Career Pathways
Jeff Scott - (843) 349-7140
Curriculum Sequence |
||
First Semester - Fall | Course Title | Semester Credit Hours |
CRJ 101 | Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 |
CRJ 115 | Criminal Law I | 3 |
ENG 101 | English Composition I | 3 |
MAT 155 | Contemporary Mathematics | 3 |
or | ||
MAT 101 | Beginning Algebra | |
SOC 101 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
TOTAL | 15 | |
Second Semester - Spring | ||
CRJ 120 | Constitutional Law | 3 |
CRJ 125 | Criminology | 3 |
CRJ 222 | Ethics in Criminal Justice | 3 |
or | ||
CRJ 202 | Criminalistics** | |
or | ||
Basic Detention Selectives*** | ||
ENG 102 | English Composition II | 3 |
PSY 201 | General Psychology | 3 |
TOTAL | 15 | |
Third Semester - Summer | ||
CRJ 145 | Juvenile Delinquency | 3 |
or | ||
CRJ 201 | Fingerprint Science** | |
or | ||
Basic Detention Selectives*** | ||
CRJ 203 | Forensic Photography | 3 |
CRJ 230 | Criminal Investigation I | 3 |
TOTAL | 9 | |
Fourth Semester - Fall | ||
CRJ 130 | Police Administration | 3 |
CRJ 220 | Judicial Process | 3 |
CRJ 218 | Crisis Intervention | 3 |
or | ||
CRJ 229 | Bloodstain Pattern Analysis** | |
or | ||
Basic Detention Selectives*** | ||
HIS 201 | American History to 1877 | 3 |
or | ||
HIS 102 | Western Civilization Post 1689 | |
SPC 205 | Public Speaking | 3 |
TOTAL | 15 | |
Fifth Semester - Spring | ||
CRJ 224 | Police Community Relations | 3-4 |
or | ||
Lab Science | ||
or | ||
CRJ 235 | Practical Crime Scene Investigation** | |
or | ||
Basic Detention Selectives*** | ||
CRJ 236 | Criminal Evidence | 3 |
CRJ 242 | Correctional Systems | 3 |
CRJ 260 | Seminar in Criminal Justice | 3 |
TOTAL | 12-13 | |
TOTAL CREDIT HOURS |
66-67 |
|
**CSI course electives ***Basic Detention Selectives: CRJ 271, CRJ 272, and CRJ 273 |