Criminal Justice

Welcome

SCC’s Criminal Justice program prepares students for a variety of careers in the criminal justice field through classroom theory and hands-on experience.

You're a Good Fit for this program because . . .

Overview

The program leads to a versatile, comprehensive degree that can be completed in four semesters. It prepares students for careers as:

Corrections officer
Police officer
Technical support within local, state and federal law enforcement programs
Criminal intelligence analyst
Forensic technician
Transportation and Security Administration screening officer
Victim advocate
Private investigator
Court administration technician
Property and evidence technician
Pre-law preparation
Gaming security
Juvenile Specialist
Drug Court Technician

Criminal Justice focus

In the Criminal Justice focus, students will receive comprehensive educational experiences through both theory and hands-on. Students work together as they process mock crime scenes to collect and preserve evidence. In other classes, students will utilize critical thinking skills as they study the law and ethical and contemporary issues in criminal justice.

Nebraska Law Enforcement focus

The Nebraska Law Enforcement focus is for students who want to go into city, county, state or federal law enforcement. This focus is streamlined to help students get the most out of their education and assist them when they are ready to go into the law enforcement field. Students will learn theory, laws and gain hands-on experience. Students in this focus will complete an internship where they will work alongside professionals in the law enforcement field. Students who want to work in federal law enforcement will need to continue to a 4-yr college after SCC since a 4-yr degree is required at the federal level.

Corrections focus

The AAS in criminal justice corrections focus prepares graduates for immediate entry into the corrections work force. It prepares students for a multitude of jobs in correctional facilities ranging from least restrictive settings, such as group homes, to highly restrictive maximum-security prisons. Students will learn about the corrections systems and gain hands-on experience. Students also will complete an internship where they will work alongside professionals in the corrections field.

Community-Based Corrections & Juvenile Services focus

This focus is designed for use by students who intend to pursue a bachelor’s degree as most of the jobs in the field of juvenile services require a minimum of a B.A. / B.S. Also, probation and parole officers will need a four-year degree. This focus is an exciting start to this career field. Students interested in becoming juvenile detention technicians, mentors, or probation trackers within the criminal justice system should follow the Community-Based Corrections & Juvenile Services career plan. In addition to the criminal justice related classes, required courses place an emphasis on the social and behavioral sciences and delinquent behaviors. This combination provides the student with a strong theoretical foundation for successful personal and social interventions in their chosen profession. Students also will complete an internship where they will work alongside professionals in the community-based corrections & juvenile services field.

Homeland Security focus

The Homeland Security focus prepares students for careers in entry-level employment in governmental and private security agencies and provide a pathway to specialized careers. This focus will prepare students for the growing field of safety, security and emergency management. Homeland security jobs are expected to remain in high demand; national security is among the highest priorities of our government and private agencies.

Southeast Community College is a State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement Institution.

As a State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement Institution, we are unable to offer online or distance courses to students in the following states/areas: California and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Credit toward bachelor's degree

SCC's program also provides advanced placement into a bachelor's degree program. This degree can be used for seeking immediate employment in the criminal justice field. SCC also offers an Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees in the Academic Transfer program with an emphasis in criminal justice. Most federal agency forensic crime labs, crime scene investigator and probation officer positions require a bachelor's degree. Each four-year college or university accepts different courses to fulfill their requirements. The student is responsible to check with their receiving institution to know what credits will transfer. Please work closely with an SCC advisor or Criminal Justice advisor when enrolling in courses that transfer.

Note: Academic Transfer students may take some Criminal Justice courses as electives that will satisfy their degree requirements.

Mission

The mission of the Criminal Justice program is to offer students broad-based, practitioner-oriented instruction designed to provide the necessary skills for becoming an entry-level professional or to continue academic pursuits.

Employment Outlook

Concern about personal and public safety and crime rates have led to an increased demand for law enforcement professionals. Also, the demand for correctional officers is expected to grow 9 percent until 2018. The fastest-growing careers in criminal justice are:

Correctional officer
Court reporter
Crime scene examiner
Detective
Fish and game warden
Lawyer
Paralegal
Police officer
Private investigator
Probation officer

Graduates report an average annual starting salary of $36,816.

Starting Term(s)

Fall, Spring and Summer terms.

View your calendar conversion plan.

Written Communications

Take ENGL-1010 and one of the following: ENGL-1020 or ENGL-2560

ENGL-1010

ENGL-1010 Composition I

ENGL-1020 OR ENGL-2560

Oral Communication

Take SPCH-1090 or SPCH-1110 or SPCH-2810

Mathematics/Logic

Take only 1 course from the following:

BSAD-2170 MATH-1150 MATH-1300 MATH-1400 MATH-1600 or MATH-2170

*MATH-2170 recommended and is required to fulfill the statistics requirement at UNL

Natural Sciences

Take 2 courses for a minimum of 7 credits from the following:
(one course must include a lab)

BIOS-1010 BIOS-1090 BIOS-1120 BIOS-1140 BIOS-1400 BIOS-1410 BIOS-2130 BIOS-2250 BIOS-2260 BIOS-2410 BIOS-2460 BIOT-1400 BIOT-2400 CHEM-1050 CHEM-1090 CHEM-1100 FSDT-1350 GEOG-1500 GEOL-1010 GEOL-1060 PHYS-1030 PHYS-1100 PHYS-1150 PHYS-1410 PHYS-1420 or PSYC-2730

*Students cannot receive credit for CHEM1050 & CHEM1090
*Students may receive credit for only 1 of the following: PHYS1150 or PHYS1410 or PHYS2110

Culture and Gender Studies

Take 1 course from the following:

ANTH-1120 ARTS-2650 ARTS-2750 ENGL-2150 ENGL-2440 ENGL-2450 ENGL-2460 ENGL-2470 GEOG-1400 GEOG-1420 GLST-2980 HIST-2100 HIST-2110 HIST-2960 MUSC-2800 PHIL-2610 POLS-1600 RELS-2610 SOCI-1020 SOCI-2000 SOCI-2010 SOCI-2150 or SPCH-2110

Humanities

Take 3 courses in Humanities from at least 2 different groups;

Group 1 - Literature/Journalism/Philosophy:
ENGL-2050 ENGL-2100 ENGL-2140 ENGL-2150 ENGL-2160 ENGL-2200 ENGL-2210 ENGL-2220 ENGL-2440 ENGL-2450 ENGL-2460 ENGL-2470 PHIL-1010 or PHIL-2130

Group 2 - Creative/Fine/Performing Arts:
ARTS-1050 ARTS-1060 ARTS-1110 ARTS-1210 ARTS-1330 ARTS-2510 ARTS-2650 ARTS-2750 ARTS-2850 ENGL-1510 ENGL-2520 ENGL-2530 HUMS-1200 MUSC-1010 MUSC-2870 PHOT-1750 PHOT-1760 SPCH-2050 THEA-1010 THEA-1140 or THEA-2130

Group 3 - Languages:
CHIN-1010 CHIN-1020 GERM-1010 GERM-1020 SPAN-1010 or SPAN-1020

Group 4 - All Areas:
ARTS-1050 ARTS-1060 ARTS-1110 ARTS-1210 ARTS-1330 ARTS-2510 ARTS-2650 ARTS-2750 ARTS-2850 CHIN-1010 CHIN-1020 ENGL-1510 ENGL-2050 ENGL-2100 ENGL-2140 ENGL-2150 ENGL-2160 ENGL-2200 ENGL-2210 ENGL-2220 ENGL-2440 ENGL-2450 ENGL-2460 ENGL-2470 ENGL-2520 ENGL-2530 GERM-1010 GERM-1020 HUMS-1200 MUSC-1010 MUSC-2870 PHIL-1010 PHIL-2130 PHOT-1750 PHOT-1760 SPAN-1010 SPAN-1020 SPCH-2050 THEA-1010 THEA-1140 or THEA-2130

Literature/Journalism/Philosophy

Creative/Fine/Performing Arts

Languages

All Areas

Social Sciences

Take 1 of the following:

ECON-2110 ECON-2120 POLS-1000 POLS-1040 POLS-1080 OR POLS-1600

Take 2 courses from 2 areas:

Anthropology/Psychology/Sociology
ANTH-1020 ANTH-1120 PSYC-1250 PSYC-1810 PSYC-2880 PSYC-2960 POLS-1000 SOCI-1010 SOCI-1020 or SOCI-2150

Geography/History
GEOG-1000 GEOG-1400 GEOG-1420 HIST-1000 HIST-1010 HIST-2010 HIST-2020 HIST-2100 HIST-2110 or HIST-2960

Anthropology/Psychology/Sociology

Geography/History

Electives

Take 20 semester credit hours from the following:

CRIM-1010 CRIM-1020 CRIM-1030 CRIM-2000 CRIM-2030 CRIM-2080 CRIM-2100 CRIM-2200

Program Requirements & Student Responsibilities

Complete and submit an Application for Admission form and return it to the Lincoln or Beatrice campuses.
All applicants are responsible for taking the COMPASS test. SAT scores may be accepted. The SCC Campus Assessment Office may be of assistance, 402-437-2715 or 800-642-4075, ext. 2715.
For questions regarding admissions, please call the Lincoln Campus Admissions Office, 402-437-2600 or 800-642-4075, ext. 2600, or the Beatrice Campus Admissions Office, 402-228-8214 or 800-233-5027 ext. 1214.
The Criminal Justice Office is located in the Education Square Building at 1111 O St. in downtown Lincoln, (402) 323-3459 or 800-642-4075, ext. 3459, or call the Beatrice Campus at 800-233-5027 ext. 1214.

Criminal Justice Degree:
CRIM 2900 Criminal Justice Internship is required for this degree in the Nebraska Law Enforcement, Corrections and Community-Based Corrections & Juvenile Services focuses. It is based upon 180 contact hours within the criminal justice field. Students are required to complete this class for graduation. Most students will be with criminal justice professionals on average of 18 hours per week during one quarter.

Criminal Background Check
A criminal background check will be required of each student in this program. Based on the outcome of the background check, a student may be prevented from taking certain courses, accessing certain laboratory experiences, or completing the program. A non-refundable fee of $45 will be assessed for this CBC.

Criminal Justice-AAS

Curriculum
Requirements

CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAM CLASSES

Take CRIM-1010 CRIM-1020 CRIM-1030 CRIM-2000 CRIM-2030 CRIM-2080 CRIM-2100 CRIM-2200 CRIM-2240 CRIM-2265 CRIM-2270 CRIM-2290 CRIM-2340 CRIM-2400, minimum grade of C

And take 3 advisor approved electives--any Criminal Justice course not listed above or any advisor approved elective, minimum grade of C.

GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

Take SPCH-1090

SPCH-1090 Fund of Human Communications

Take ENGL-1010

ENGL-1010 Composition I

Take SOCI-1020

SOCI-1020 Diversity in Society

Take 2 classes from the following areas.

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
Take ANTH-1120 ARTS-1010 BIOS-1010 BIOS-1140 BIOS-2130 BIOS-2250 BIOS-2460 BSAD-2540 CHEM-1050 ECON-1200 ECON-2110 ECON-2120 ENGR-1020 ENTR-1050 GEOG-1400 GEOG-1420 GEOL-1010 GEOL-1060 HIST-2010 HIST-2020 HIST-2100 HIST-2110 HUMS-1100 MATH-1020 MATH-1300 MATH-1400 MATH-1600 MATH-2030 MUSC-1010 PHED-1000 PHIL-1010 PHIL-1060 PSYC-1810 PHYS-1017 PHYS-1030 PHYS-1100 PHYS-1150 PHYS-1410 PHYS-2110 POLS-1000 POLS-1080 SOCI-1010 SOCI-1020 or THEA-1010;

Analytical, Quantitative and Scientific Reasoning
Take BIOS-1010 BIOS-1140 BIOS-2130 BIOS-2250 BIOS-2460 CHEM-1050 CHEM-1090 ECON-2120 ENGR-1020 FSDT-1350 GEOL-1010 GEOL-1060 MATH-1020 MATH-1040 MATH-1050 MATH-1100 MATH-1150 MATH-1200 MATH-1300 MATH-1400 MATH-1600 MATH-2170 BSAD-2170 PHYS-1017 PHYS-1030 PHYS-1100 PHYS-1150 PHYS-1410 or PHYS-21100;

Career and Life Skills
Take BSAD-1010 CHIN-1010 ECON-1200 ENTR-1050 FSDT-1350 GERM-1010 HLTH-1030 MATH-1040 MATH-2030 PHED-1000 PSYC-1250 PHYS-1017 SIGN-1010 or SPAN-1010;

Critical Thinking & Problem Solving

Analytical, Quantitative and Scientific Reasoning

Career and Life Skills