Program Details
Program Details
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Career Studies Certificate
Virginia Western Community College
Program Details
Career Studies Certificate in Criminal Justice: Foundations of Criminal Justice
Career Studies CertificateCareer Studies Certificate in Criminal Justice: Foundations of Criminal Justice
Virginia Western Community College
The Career Studies Certificate in Criminal Justice: Foundations of Criminal Justice provides an overviewof foundational topics related to criminal justice. This curriculum is designed to provide a broad educational foundation, which will prepare graduates for employment in numerous criminal justice related occupations.
Program Overview & Guidance

Delivery Mode
In-Person
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Delivery Mode
Online
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Delivery Mode
Hybrid
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Program Guidance Element | What You Need to Know |
---|---|
Considerations for Selecting Degree | Do you want to help make your community safer? Do you have the desire to serve your community by working with suspects and/or victims of crime? Do you have the integrity needed to enforce |
Considerations When Selecting Courses |
Students who have satisfactorily documented successful completion of the VA State Police Academy or a Regional and Independent Certified Training Academy will be awarded credit for courses in this program. Appropriate documentation is required and must be submitted to the Criminal Justice Department Head or to the Dean of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.
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Program Requirements Beyond Specific Courses | The Career Studies Certificate in Criminal Justice: Foundations of Criminal Justice provides an overview of foundational topics related to criminal justice. This curriculum is designed to provide a broad educational foundation, which will prepare graduates for employment in numerous criminal justice related occupations. |
Doing More With Your Degree | |
Program Successes & Highlights |
Program Credit Requirements

Please look above to see if a Transfer Guide is available for this program. lf you are a current Virginia Community College student or are planning to start at a Virginia Community College before transferring to this institution and program, please follow the Transfer Guide to plan your courses at the community college.
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.
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.
The program map provided below is an estimate based on courses identified as a result of reviewing your portfolio
and the requirements for the selected program.
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.
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.
Requirements
Required Credits
Career Studies Certificate in Criminal Justice: Foundations of Criminal Justice
17
Career Studies Certificate in Criminal Justice: Foundations of Criminal Justice
17
FOUNDATIONS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE CSC
17
SDV 101 - Orientation to Public Service
2
SDV 101 - Public Service
2
Earn 2 credits by completing courses from the following Course list:
ENG 111
3
ENG 111 RQ
3
Earn 3 credits by completing courses from the following Course:
ADJ 100
3
ADJ100 RQ
3
Earn 3 credits by completing courses from the following Course:
ITE 152
3
ITE 152
3
Earn 3 credits by completing courses from the following Course:
ADJ 120
3
ADJ 120 RQ
3
Earn 3 credits by completing courses from the following Course:
ENG 112
3
ENG 112 RQ
3
Earn 3 credits by completing courses from the following Course:
What If I Have An Associate Degree Or Credit For Prior Learning?

Transfer Guidance Element | What You Need to Know |
---|---|
Associate Transfer Degree Completion | To discuss how your previous degree can be incorporated into your new long term goals, please meet with an advisor. |
Completion of Associate Degree Concurrent with High School | To discuss how your previous degree can be incorporated into your new long term goals, please meet with an advisor. |
Credit for Prior Learning | Yes |
Did You Know That... |
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College Level Information

Number of Transfer Students
519
College Fit Guidance | What You Need to Know |
---|---|
Is This College Right For Me? | Virginia Western Community College's service region includes the cities of Roanoke and Salem, along with Roanoke County, Craig County, Franklin County, and southern Botetourt County. Virginia Western was the first college established in the Virginia Community College System, in 1966, and has grown from an initial enrollment of 1,352 to its current annual enrollment of more than 8,500 students in credit courses and more than 1,200 enrollments in accelerated career training and continuing education courses. |
Transfer Student Catalog Year | A student's catalog year is determined by their first semester of attendance in the major. |
First Year Student Catalog Year | A student's catalog year is determined by their first semester of attendance in the major. |
Applying for Guaranteed Admissions | https://www.virginiawestern.edu/transfer/transfer-agreements/ |
Where Can This Degree Transfer

This section displays degrees most closely related to this program
and to which you may be able to transfer. So, you can use this list to find the
next degree you can complete in your major. Please click the degree name to
visit that program page.
Institution | Title | Degree | Award Name | Award Level | Delivery Mode |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Germanna Community College | Associate of Applied Science Degree in Criminal Justice | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid, Online |
Germanna Community College | Associate of Arts & Sciences Degree in General Studies -Specialization in Criminal Justice | Associate | Associate of Arts and Sciences | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid, Online |
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 |
Danville Community College | Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice - Law Enforcement Specialization | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
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 |
Northern Virginia Community College | Cybersecurity, A.A.S. | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online |
Northern Virginia Community College | Information Technology, A.S. | Associate | Associate of Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online |
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 | AAS Degree in Criminal Justice | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
Southside Virginia Community College | Associate of Applied Science with a major in Administration of Justice | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid, Online |
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 |
Virginia Peninsula Community College | Associate of Applied Science in Administration of Justice | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person |
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 Highlands Community College | Associate of Applied Science Degree in Administration of Justice | 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 Criminology and Criminal Justice | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person |
Regent University | A.S. in Criminal Justice | Associate | Associate of Science | 4-Year | Hybrid |
Regent University | B.S. in Criminal Justice | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | Hybrid |
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 |
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, Online, Hybrid |
Careers Where This Degree Applies

O*Net Code | Name | Description | Parent |
---|---|---|---|
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 |
11-9199.02 | Compliance Managers | Plan, direct, or coordinate activities of an organization to ensure compliance with ethical or regulatory standards. | Management 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 |
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 |
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
