Program Details
Criminal Justice, A.A.S
Associate of Applied ScienceNorthern Virginia Community College
Purpose: The curriculum is designed to provide a broad foundation that will prepare students to enter any of the varied fields in criminal justice or to prepare for professional advancement. Job opportunities for students include local, state, and federal enforcement officers, police officers, private or government investigators, adult/juvenile correction officers, probation/parole officers and counselors, security directors (managers), loss prevention directors, classification managers, and personnel clearance administrators. Most of the ADJ courses in this curriculum are 'core courses' that provide a basic entry-level foundation in both criminal justice and security administration. These courses must be taken by ALL STUDENTS in this program. At several points in the curriculum, 'course options' are provided for selection by the students.
Special Curriculum Admission Requirements: Students are advised that many criminal justice and private/government security agencies require excellent moral character and a written record of conduct prior to consideration for employment.
Program Overview & Guidance

| Program Guidance Element | What You Need to Know |
|---|---|
| Considerations for Selecting Degree | |
| Considerations When Selecting Courses |
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| Program Requirements Beyond Specific Courses | |
| Doing More With Your Degree | |
| Program Successes & Highlights |
Program Credit Requirements

The table below provides the requirements to complete this program if you are not following a Transfer Guide. If you have an account and have created a Portfolio, the table includes the "Applied Credits" column. This column shows how the credits you earned based on the experiences you entered may be applied to satisfy these requirements. You can find schools where you can take courses that will transfer and apply to this degree using the Where Can I Find An Equivalent Course feature in the Transfer Tools menu.
A formal determination of credits awarded for your prior learning and their applicability to the degree requirements can only be made by the institution. The formal determination and resulting map may reflect higher or lower number of credits to be completed to achieve this program.
What If I Have An Associate Degree Or Credit For Prior Learning?

| Transfer Guidance Element | What You Need to Know |
|---|---|
| Associate Transfer Degree Completion | Students who have graduated with at least an associate or bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited United States institution of higher education are considered to have fulfilled NOVA's SDV requirement. Any other course transfers are evaluated based on the student's transcript, https://www.nvcc.edu/cro/transfercredit/index.html |
Completion of Associate Degree Concurrent with High School | Students who have graduated with at least an associate or bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited United States institution of higher education are considered to have fulfilled NOVA's SDV requirement. Any other course transfers are evaluated based on the student's transcript. |
| Credit for Prior Learning | NOVA strives to provide students with opportunities to receive credit for prior learning while still maintaining the integrity of our academic programs. Credit for prior learning (CPL) generally refers to the process of granting college credit for learning gained in nontraditional. ways; https://www.nvcc.edu/prior-learning/ |
| Did You Know That... |
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College Level Information

| College Fit Guidance | What You Need to Know |
|---|---|
| Is This College Right For Me? | Our classes feature up-to-date technology and course content to prepare you for a competitive job market; We also offer courses that will transfer to colleges all over Virginia and the nation. In fact, NOVA has guaranteed admission agreements with more than 40 colleges and universities for students who meet specific requirements. |
| Transfer Student Catalog Year | Catalog year is determined by first semester of program placement. |
| First Year Student Catalog Year | Catalog year is determined by first semester of program placement. |
| Applying for Guaranteed Admissions | https://www.nvcc.edu/gaa/ |
Where Can This Degree Transfer

| Institution | Title | Degree | Award Name | Award Level | Delivery Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain Gateway Community College | Associate of Applied Science Degree in Business Management | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online |
| Mountain Gateway Community College | Associate of Science Degree in Business Administration | Associate | Associate of Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online |
| J Sargeant Reynolds Community College | Associate of Applied Science in Business Management | Associate | Associates of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
| J Sargeant Reynolds Community College | Associate of Applied Science in Accounting | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
| J Sargeant Reynolds Community College | Associate of Science in Business Administration | Associate | Associate of Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
| Brightpoint Community College | Associate of Applied Science Degree in Accounting | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | Online |
| Brightpoint Community College | Associate of Applied Science Degree in Business Management | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
| Brightpoint Community College | Associate of Applied Science Degree in Business Management - Project Management Specialization | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
| Brightpoint Community College | Associate of Applied Science Degree in Business Management - Digital Marketing Specialization | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
| Brightpoint Community College | Associate of Science Degree in Business Administration | Associate | Associate of Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
| Laurel Ridge Community College | Associate of Applied Science Degree in Accounting | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | Hybrid |
| Laurel Ridge Community College | Associate of Applied Science Degree in Management | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
| Laurel Ridge Community College | Associate of Science Degree in Business Administration | Associate | Associate of Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
| New River Community College | Associate of Applied Science in Accounting | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
| New River Community College | Associate of Applied Science in Business Management | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
| Paul D. Camp Community College | Associate of Sciences in Business Administration | Associate | Associate of Sciences | 2-Year | In-Person, Online |
| Rappahannock Community College | Associate of Applied Science Degree in Business Management | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid |
| Southside Virginia Community College | Associate of Arts and Sciences with a major in Business Administration | Associate | Associate of Arts and Sciences | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid, Online |
| Virginia Peninsula Community College | Associate of Science in Business Administration Degree | Associate | Associate of Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
| Tidewater Community College | Associate of Applied Science - Accounting | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
| Tidewater Community College | Associate of Applied Science - Management | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
| Tidewater Community College | Associate of Science - Business Administration | Associate | Associate of Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
| Virginia Highlands Community College | Associate in Applied Science Degree in Accounting | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid |
| Virginia Highlands Community College | Associate in Applied Science Degree in Management | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid |
| Virginia Highlands Community College | Associate of Science Degree in Business | Associate | Associate of Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid |
| Virginia Western Community College | Associate of Applied Science in Accounting Degree | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid |
| Virginia Western Community College | Associate of Applied Science in Management Degree | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid |
| Virginia Western Community College | Associate of Science in Business Administration Degree | Associate | Associate of Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid |
| Wytheville Community College | Associate of Applied Science Degree in Business Management and Leadership | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
| Wytheville Community College | Associate of Science Degree in Business Administration | Associate | Associate of Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
| Eastern Mennonite University | Bachelor of Science Accounting | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person |
| James Madison University | Bachelor of Business Administration, Major in Accounting | Bachelor | Bachelor of Business Administration | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Richard Bland College | Associate of Science-Business Administration | Associate | Associate of Science | 2-Year | Online, In-Person |
| University of Lynchburg | BA in Accounting | Bachelor | Bachelor of Arts | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Virginia State University | B.S. in Accounting | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Norfolk State University | Bachelor of Science in Accountancy | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Old Dominion University | Accounting-BSBA | Bachelor | BS in Business Admin. | 4-Year | In-Person, Online |
| Marymount University | Accounting (BS) | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Bridgewater College | Business Administration Major - BA | Bachelor | Bachelor of Arts | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Ferrum College | B.S. in Accounting | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person, Hybrid |
| Virginia Commonwealth University | Accounting, Bachelor of Science | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Virginia Commonwealth University | Accounting, Bachelor of Science (online) | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | Online |
| Averett University | Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration | Bachelor | Bachelor of Arts | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Averett University | Bachelor of Science in Business Administration | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person, Online |
| Emory & Henry University | Accounting (BS) | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Randolph-Macon College | Business - Finance (BA) | Bachelor | Bachelor of Arts | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Randolph-Macon College | Business - Management (BA) | Bachelor | Bachelor of Arts | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Randolph-Macon College | Accounting (BA) | Bachelor | Bachelor of Arts | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Randolph-Macon College | Business - Marketing (BA) | Bachelor | Bachelor of Arts | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Radford University | BBA in Accounting | Bachelor | Bachelor of Business Administration | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | BS in Acct & Inform Syst in Accounting & Business Analysis | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science in Business in Accounting & Information Systems | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | BS in Acct & Inform Syst in Accounting and Information Systems | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science in Business in Accounting & Information Systems | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Roanoke College | Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting | Bachelor | Bachelor of Business Administration | 4-Year | In-Person |
| The University of Virginia's College at Wise | Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Management, Major in Accounting | Bachelor | Bachelor of Arts | 4-Year | In-Person |
| The University of Virginia's College at Wise | Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Management, Major in Accounting | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Rappahannock Community College | Associate of Science Degree in Science | Associate | Associate of Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid |
| Rappahannock Community College | Associate of Science in Science Degree with a Business Administration Major | Associate | Associate of Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid |
| Blue Ridge Community College | Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid, Online |
| Central Virginia Community College | AAS in Criminal Justice | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online |
| J Sargeant Reynolds Community College | Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
| Brightpoint Community College | Associate of Applied Science Degree in Criminal Justice | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
| Laurel Ridge Community College | Associate of Science Degree in Social Sciences: Criminal Justice Major | Associate | Associate of Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
| Mountain Empire Community College | Associate of Applied Science Degree in Police Science | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid |
| New River Community College | Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
| Paul D. Camp Community College | Associate of Applied Science in Administration of Justice - Corrections Science | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online |
| Paul D. Camp Community College | Associate of Applied Science in Administration of Justice - Police Science | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online |
| Rappahannock Community College | Associate of Applied Science Degree in Criminal Justice | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid |
| Southside Virginia Community College | Associate of Arts and Sciences with a major in General Studies-Administration of Justice | Associate | Associate of Arts and Sciences | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid, Online |
| Southwest Virginia Community College | Associate of Applied Science Degree in Criminal Justice | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
| Tidewater Community College | Associate of Applied Science - Criminal Justice | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online |
| Tidewater Community College | Associate of Applied Science - Criminal Justice (Forensic Science) | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online |
| Tidewater Community College | Associate of Applied Science - Criminal Justice (Homeland Security) | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online |
| Tidewater Community College | Associate of Applied Science - Criminal Justice (Public Law) | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online |
| Virginia Western Community College | Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice Degree | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid |
| Wytheville Community College | Associate of Applied Science Degree in Criminal Justice | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
| Marymount University | Criminal Justice (BA) | Bachelor | Bachelor of Art | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Shenandoah University | Bachelor of Science Criminal Justice and Criminology | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Virginia Commonwealth University | Criminal Justice, Bachelor of Science | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Virginia Commonwealth University | Criminal Justice with concentration in Forensic Crime Scene Investigation, Bachelor of Science | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Averett University | Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Criminal Justice | Bachelor | Bachelor of Arts | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Averett University | Bachelor of Science in Sociology and Criminal Justice | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person, Online |
| Germanna Community College | Associate of Applied Science Degree in Criminal Justice | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid |
| Virginia Highlands Community College | Associate of Applied Science Degree in Criminal Justice | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid |
| Virginia Peninsula Community College | Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice Degree | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid |
| Danville Community College | Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice - Law Enforcement Specialization | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid |
| Laurel Ridge Community College | Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | Hybrid |
| Rappahannock Community College | Associate of Science in Science Degree with an Elementary Education (PreK-6) Major | Associate | Associate of Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid |
Careers Where This Degree Applies

| O*Net Code | Name | Description | Parent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13-2011.00 | Accountants and Auditors | Examine, analyze, and interpret accounting records to prepare financial statements, give advice, or audit and evaluate statements prepared by others. Install or advise on systems of recording costs or other financial and budgetary data. | Business and Financial Operations Occupations |
| 13-2022.00 | Appraisers of Personal and Business Property | Appraise and estimate the fair value of tangible personal or business property, such as jewelry, art, antiques, collectibles, and equipment. May also appraise land. | Business and Financial Operations Occupations |
| 11-9199.11 | Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers | Plan and direct cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated properties for reuse. Does not include properties sufficiently contaminated to qualify as Superfund sites. | Management Occupations |
| 13-2031.00 | Budget Analysts | Examine budget estimates for completeness, accuracy, and conformance with procedures and regulations. Analyze budgeting and accounting reports. | Business and Financial Operations Occupations |
| 25-1011.00 | Business Teachers, Postsecondary | Teach courses in business administration and management, such as accounting, finance, human resources, labor and industrial relations, marketing, and operations research. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research. | Educational Instruction and Library Occupations |
| 11-9199.02 | Compliance Managers | Plan, direct, or coordinate activities of an organization to ensure compliance with ethical or regulatory standards. | Management Occupations |
| 13-2041.00 | Credit Analysts | Analyze credit data and financial statements of individuals or firms to determine the degree of risk involved in extending credit or lending money. Prepare reports with credit information for use in decisionmaking. | Business and Financial Operations Occupations |
| 25-1111.00 | Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary | Teach courses in criminal justice, corrections, and law enforcement administration. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research. | Educational Instruction and Library Occupations |
| 13-2061.00 | Financial Examiners | Enforce or ensure compliance with laws and regulations governing financial and securities institutions and financial and real estate transactions. May examine, verify, or authenticate records. | Business and Financial Operations Occupations |
| 13-2054.00 | Financial Risk Specialists | Analyze and measure exposure to credit and market risk threatening the assets, earning capacity, or economic state of an organization. May make recommendations to limit risk. | Business and Financial Operations Occupations |
| 33-1012.00 | First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | Directly supervise and coordinate activities of members of police force. | Protective Service Occupations |
| 11-9199.08 | Loss Prevention Managers | Plan and direct policies, procedures, or systems to prevent the loss of assets. Determine risk exposure or potential liability, and develop risk control measures. | Management Occupations |
| 11-9199.00 | Managers, All Other | All managers not listed separately. | Management Occupations |
| 11-9199.01 | Regulatory Affairs Managers | Plan, direct, or coordinate production activities of an organization to ensure compliance with regulations and standard operating procedures. | Management Occupations |
| 13-2081.00 | Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents | Determine tax liability or collect taxes from individuals or business firms according to prescribed laws and regulations. | Business and Financial Operations Occupations |
| 13-2082.00 | Tax Preparers | Prepare tax returns for individuals or small businesses. | Business and Financial Operations Occupations |
| 11-9199.10 | Wind Energy Development Managers | Lead or manage the development and evaluation of potential wind energy business opportunities, including environmental studies, permitting, and proposals. May also manage construction of projects. | Management Occupations |
| 11-9199.09 | Wind Energy Operations Managers | Manage wind field operations, including personnel, maintenance activities, financial activities, and planning. | Management Occupations |
Cost To Complete

