Associate in Arts - Direct Transfer Agreement (AA-DTA)

Criminal Justice Focus

About The Program

Modern law enforcement is a highly competitive career field. The more education you have, the better your chance of employment and advancement. Prepare for entry-level employment in law enforcement agencies and in some correctional facilities. People working within those areas can use the program to enhance their skills.

For a roadmap that identifies the preferred sequencing of courses and other specific recommendations from faculty, please see the corresponding program map(s):

Criminal Justice - AA-DTA

Degree Requirements

Communications:

15 credits - ENGL& 101 English Composition I AND ENGL& 102 Composition II AND CMST& 220 (was SPCH 110) Public Speaking OR CMST& 230 (was SPCH 114) Small Group Communication.
Quantitative / Symbolic Reasoning Skills:

5 credits – MATH& 107 or higher with the exception of MATH& 131.
Humanities:

15 credits – Selected from at least two disciplines on the Distribution List. No more than 5 credits in foreign language at the 100 level, no more than 10 credits from any one discipline. No more than 5 credits in performance/skills courses are allowed.
Natural Sciences:

15 credits – Selected from at least two disciplines on the Distribution List; must include 5 credits of lab courses. At least 10 credits in physical, biological and/or earth sciences. No more than 5 credits from Computer Science, Mathematics, and Engineering. Courses used to satisfy this requirement may not be used to satisfy the Quantitative Skills requirement.
Social Sciences:

15 credits – Selected from at least two disciplines on the Distribution List. No more than 10 credits from any one discipline.
Diversity:

5 credits – From the Diversity Course List. Courses that meet this requirement may also be used toward other graduation requirements. Diversity courses are listed in the quarterly schedule and identified by ‘DIV’ attached to the course title.

Example: SOC & 101 – Introduction to Sociology :DIV.
Electives:

25 credits - See advisor for approved list of electives. No more than 15 credits may be taken from the Restricted Course List

Recommended Electives

CJ& 101	Intro to Criminal Justice	5
CJ& 110	Criminal Law	5
CJ 154	The American Legal System	5
CJ 181	Report Writing for Law Enforcement	3
CJ 184	Administration of Justice	5
CJ 260	Physical Evidence/Criminalistics	5

Diversity and Distribution Lists are available in the Lower Columbia College Catalog located at lowercolumbia.edu/catalog.

Total transferable credits required to earn this degree: 90 in courses numbered 100 or above with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0. A course cannot be credited toward more than one distribution or skill area.

Students completing this program should acquire the following skills and abilities:

AA DTA Outcomes

Upon the completion of the AA DTA, students will be prepared for transfer to a four-year institution for the student's intended career pathway, and have the following skills and abilities:

Global Skills (assessed at degree level):

Communication: Express ideas and information in writing and speaking in a manner that is clear and appropriate to the audience, and read and listen effectively.
Critical thinking: Apply objective, valid methods of inquiry and problem-solving to draw rational, ethical, and coherent conclusions.
Interpersonal relations: Interact effectively with individuals and/or within groups.
Numeracy: Achieve competency with numbers and graphical skills to interpret and communicate quantifiable information, and apply mathematical and statistical skills in practical and abstract contexts.

General education outcomes (assessed at course level):

Diversity: Examine the causes and expressions of difference, power, and discrimination.
Humanities: Explore how people process, document, and express their social and cultural experience.
Social Science: Examine society, behavior, and relationships among individuals within a society.
Natural Science: Develop familiarity with various aspects of the physical world and scientific explanations of observed phenomena.

Area of study outcomes:

Effectively communicate in writing.
Prepare to take the Civil Service test.
Understand the function of the legal system from the civil and criminal justice perspective.
Apply basic investigative techniques in gathering and identifying crime scene evidence.
Gain insight and awareness of the essential elements of community policing and problem solving.
Understand how our criminal justice system evolved and how it functions.
Identify and examine how the various agencies involved in the administration of justice interact.
Demonstrate and explain the principles of criminal law including crimes against persons and property.

Revised June 2023 (Effective Summer 2023)

Notes:

Program planning is based on information available at the time of preparation. It is the student’s responsibility to meet with their LCC advisor and with an advisor at the college to which they plan to transfer for specific requirements. Consult the LCC catalog for LCC graduation requirements.

Most four-year universities require one year of a single foreign language as a graduation requirement.