The Criminal Justice/Public Safety Program provides training for career opportunities in law enforcement and policing, and also offers a broad liberal arts education for those students who wish to transfer their earned college credits from the program to four-year academic institutions. Four options are offered in the Program: Corrections, Law Enforcement, Security, and Forensics. Each of these options is in a growing field with increasing opportunities for employment. Although all four options are included in the same program, they offer the student a diverse choice of career fields.
Cooperative Work Experience
One of the special characteristics of the program is the Cooperative Work Experience, whereby the student, under professional supervision, actually engages in practical hands-on training in the Criminal Justice/Public Safety area of his or her choice. The Cooperative Work Experience is an integral and required part of the Criminal Justice/Public Safety curriculum. All students are required to take one semester of Co-op. The Co-op usually takes place during the second semester of the second year, after the student has satisfied all of the prerequisites. The Co-op experience allows students who have successfully met eligibility criteria to integrate and apply classroom theory to the field-based setting. Students participate under the supervision of qualified professionals in Criminal Justice/Public Safety organizations. The Coordinator of the Criminal Justice/Public Safety Program or the Division Leader should approve all Co-op placements. Students in the Criminal Justice/Public Safety Program should consult with the coordinator of the program before registering for courses, especially for the choice of electives and the cooperative work experience.
General Education Core course listings and definitions appear on General Education Core . Placement testing will determine the sequencing of courses. Additional courses may be required.