Criminal Justice Certificate
Certificate of Proficiency (COP)
About the Program
The Criminal Justice Certificate Program prepares students for entry-level employment in a variety of positions within the criminal justice field. The program generally can be completed within one academic year if students enter the program ready for college-level math and English. Students can then continue studies to complete the Criminal Justice AAS degree or the AA-DTA, Criminal Justice or other focus degree. Students may enter the program in the fall, winter, spring or summer quarter.
Certificate Requirements
Total credits required to earn this certificate: 45 with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0
LCC students must meet distribution requirements for bachelor degrees, associate degrees, and specific certificates. See Diversity and Distribution Lists for more information.
General Education Requirements
-
Communications:
5 credits - ENGL& 101 English Composition I
-
Quantitative Skills:
5 credits – MATH& 107 Math in Society OR higher with the exception of MATH& 131
-
Human Relations/ Social Science:
5 credits – PSYC& 100 General Psychology
Program Requirements
| Course Code | Course Title | Number of Credits |
|---|---|---|
|
CJ& 101 |
Introduction to Criminal Justice |
5 |
|
CJ 104 |
Introduction to Policing |
5 |
| CJ& 106 | Juvenile Justice | 5 |
| CJ& 110 | Criminal Law | 5 |
| CJ 180 | Report Writing for Law Enforcement | 5 |
|
CMST& 210 |
Interpersonal Communication |
5 |
Program Outcomes
Students completing this program should acquire the following skills and abilities:
- Apply knowledge of criminal law in Washington State to hypothetical fact patterns (GS - Critical Thinking)
- Demonstrate knowledge of constitutional law as it pertains to criminal justice (GS - Critical Thinking)
- Use effective verbal and written communication skills (GS - Communications)
- Demonstrate basic knowledge and application of methods of police patrol, operations, and management (GS - Critical Thinking)
- Analyze numerical data as applied to criminal justice (GS - Quantitative Literacy)
- Generate satisfactory reports based on knowledge of investigative techniques, evidence gathering, searching, sketching, and on-scene interviewing (GS - Communications)
- Demonstrate knowledge of the juvenile justice system
- Evaluate ethics and ethical applications in criminal justice
Notes
Revised September 2024 (effective Summer 2025)