Degree Requirements
ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE DEGREE REQUIREMENTS:
Cerritos College Administration of Justice majors currently have two options from which to choose: an A.A. Degree option and a A. S. University Transfer option. These options are not mutually exclusive. A student can satisfy the requirements of both options at the same time.
The A.A. Degree option satisfies the requirements for obtaining a two-year Associate in Arts degree in Administration of Justice at Cerritos College. It may lead directly to entry-level employment in the criminal justice field for those who do not want to continue their education beyond the Community College level.
The A. S. University Transfer option satisfies the lower division (freshman/sophomore) requirements for transfer to the California State University system with junior year standing and leads to a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Criminal Justice. The transfer student may also receive an A.A. degree at Cerritos College, while, at the same time, meeting the requirements for transfer to the university.
Many students complete their A.S. Degree, obtain entry-level employment in a criminal justice agency, and then continue on to a State University to complete their education as a part-time student, while at the same time working in a good-paying professional job.
The University Transfer option is recommended for students who hope to eventually seek promotion to supervisory or management positions (Sergeant, Lieutenant and above) in local law enforcement agencies, or to obtain a professional position in a state or federal law enforcement agency, or in probation, parole, juvenile counseling, or corrections. Most of these positions require at least a bachelor’s degree.
Transfer option students take fewer criminal justice courses at Cerritos. Instead, they complete a greater number and a more advanced level of general education classes than those required for the A.A. degree. More advanced criminal justice classes will then be taken at the university level.
Non-transfer A.A. degree students take more, and a greater variety, of Administration of Justice courses, while meeting less strenuous general education requirements.
Some of the general education courses that satisfy the requirements for an A.A. degree do not apply toward the Bachelor’s or Master’s degree. Be sure you have decided on your goals and have consulted with a counselor before choosing your general education courses.
For the non-transfer Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree in Administration of Justice, the following A.J. courses are required in addition to the courses necessary to meet the general education degree requirements for the non-transfer degree:
REQUIRED CORE:
AJ 113 Report Writing Procedures
AJ 101 Introduction to the Administration of Justice
AJ 102 Concepts of Criminal Law
AJ 103 Criminal Procedures
AJ 104 Criminal Evidence
AJ 105 Community Relations
AJ 202 Substantive Law
DEPARTMENT REQUIREMENTS:
AJ 110 Patrol Procedures and Enforcement Tactics
AJ 220 Criminal Investigations
PSYC 101 or 261 General Introductory Psychology or Social Psychology
SOC 101 or 201 Introductory Sociology Principles or Social Problems
ELECTIVES:
AJ 107 Introduction to Corrections, Probation and Parole
AJ 173 A. J. Occupational Work Experience
AJ 221 Narcotics and Vice Control
AJ 222 Juvenile Procedures
Students must complete a minimum of 60 units including: (1) the Administration of Justice Core and Department requirements, (2) the A.A. Degree general education requirements, and (3) additional elective courses as needed.
For the transfer Associate in Science (A.S.) degree in Administration of Justice, the following A.J. courses are required in addition to the courses necessary to meet the general education degree requirements for the transfer degree:
REQUIRED CORE:
AJ 101 Introduction tho the Administration of Justice
AJ 102 Concepts of Criminal Law
LIST A: Select any two of the following courses
AJ 103 Criminal Procedures
AJ 104 Criminal Evidence
AJ 105 Community Relations
AJ 107 Introduction to Corrections, Probation and Parole
AJ 220 Criminal Investigations
AJ 222 Juvenile Procedures
LIST B: Select any two of the following courses
AJ 110 Patrol Procedures and Enforcement Tactics
AJ 173 Administration of Justice Occupational Work Experience
AJ 202 Substantive Law
AJ 208 Special Issues in Law Enforcement
AJ 221 Narcotics and Vice Control
Students must (1) complete a minimum of 60 CSU transferable units, (2) maintain a minimum grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0 in all CSU transferable coursework. While a minimum of 2.0 is required for admission, some majors may require a higher GPA. Please consult with a counselor for more information, (3) complete a minimum of 18 semester units in the major as detailed in the catalog. Each course in the major must be completed with a grade of C or better or a "P" if the course is taken on a "pass-no pass" basis (Title 5-55063), and (4) be certified as having completed the California State University-General Education Breadth pattern (CSU-GE Breadth); OR the Inter-segmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) pattern. Students should note that no more than 60 units are required for this degree and that no additional requirements will be imposed by Cerritos College. In addition, no developmental or non-collegiate level course work will be counted in the total units for this degree.
Administration of Justice courses recommended for students in other majors:
For Court Reporting, Para-Legal, Pre-Law, Legal Studies, Legal Assisting, Journalism and Legal Secretary majors:
AJ 102 Concepts of Criminal Law
AJ 202 Substantive Criminal Law
AJ 103 Criminal Procedures
In addition, the following courses are recommended for Para-Legal, Legal Studies, Journalism, and Pre-Law majors:
AJ 220 Criminal Investigation
AJ 104 Criminal Evidence
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