Police Pre-Academy Training

The Police Pre-Academy Training (PPAT) Certificate is being offered by HGTC in cooperation with the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy (SCCJA) in Columbia, SC.

The PPAT certificate is a four (4) course program offered in one semester where candidates will receive the training equivalent to the first four (4) weeks of the 12-week Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) at the SCCJA. Candidates will be receiving training on the same topics required through the SCCJA and, after successful completion, will receive college credit as well as satisfying the first four weeks of the 12 weeks of the BLET at SCCJA. Students choosing to do so can transfer the four (4) courses into the HGTC Associate in Criminal Justice, PPAT Pathway, and possibly to other colleges.

Candidates will have to successfully pass an SCCJA exam after each course for credit. Upon completing the PPAT Certificate, candidates will seek employment with a city or county law enforcement agency in South Carolina within one year. After gaining employment with a city or county law enforcement agency, the candidate will be sponsored to the SCCJA for the remaining 8-weeks of the BLET. Upon acceptance to the BLET at the SCCJA, the candidate will have to pass a cumulative exam based on the PPAT Certificate courses and satisfy other statewide requirements for admission to the SCCJA, such as a physical agilities course. Upon completing the BLET at the SCCJA, the candidate will be a certified law enforcement officer in South Carolina.

Scholarships and other financial aid sources are available for tuition and fees. These financial aid sources include South Carolina Lottery, SCWins, and GEERS. Application for these funds will be available when applying for the Police Pre-Academy Training (PPAT) Certificate.

Admissions Information

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 law enforcement agency.
• Applicant must be 20-years of age or older.

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.

Student Resources

• Program Cost
• Police Pre-Academy Training Certificate Program Specific Cost

Forms

• Background Check

For more information, contact:
Larry Muncey - (843) 349-3648

Career Outlook & Employment Opportunities

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:

 

Required Courses and Sample Schedules