Criminal Justice
Associate of Science
Division: Business and Professional/Public Service
Division Chair: Catherine M. Roche, croche@sunyrockland.edu
Department Chair: Kevin Barrett, kbarret4@sunyrockland.edu
Department Support Staff: Dreizel Kaploun, dkaploun@sunyrockland.edu
Department Office: Technology Center, Room 8240, Phone: 845-574-4298
Why Study Criminal Justice?
Criminal Justice is one of the fastest-growing fields today. The Associate of Science in Criminal Justice provides instruction in the area of law enforcement and the social sciences, allowing the student to gain a basic understanding of the workings of the criminal justice system and its role in our society. Students who wish to further their education may transfer to a four-year institution to complete a baccalaureate degree in Criminal Justice or other related areas.
Related disciplines include Corporate and Homeland Security, Fire Science Technology and Emergency Management.
Degrees Offered:
Occupational Objectives:
The criminal justice system consists of police departments, the courts system and departments of corrections, and offers many employment opportunities at the local, state and federal levels of government as well as private/nonprofit settings. The associate’s degree in Criminal Justice prepares graduates for entry-level careers as police officers, corrections officers and court supportive services. In therapeutic environments, there are positions as counselors, youth specialists or juvenile detention officers. Many opportunities also exist in corporate security, retail security operations, and security technology.
5 Top Reasons
To Study Criminal Justice at RCC:
- FACULTY: Learn from instructors who have advanced academic degrees and extensive experience in all aspects of the criminal justice field.
- VALUE: Affordable tuition for a quality education. Scholarships, financial aid.
- CONVENIENT: Many courses are offered online; flexible course scheduling.
- TRANSFER: Agreements with four-year colleges offer seamless transitions. This curriculum meets the core requirements for baccalaureate degrees in criminal justice or the social sciences.
- SUPPORT: Small class sizes, individual attention, free tutoring.
Opportunities at Rockland Community College:
RCC’s Criminal Justice instructors are active or retired professionals with extensive work experience in all aspects of the field of criminal justice. Students have opportunities to intern with various agencies in order to apply and add to their academic learning. Courses are offered with great scheduling flexibility, during the day, evening and weekend, with many also available online.
Program Goals:
The goal of the program is to provide students with an accessible, responsive learning environment that facilitates the achievement of educational, professional, and personal goals by offering quality higher education and training in an atmosphere that embraces academic excellence, diversity and innovation.
Student Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the core components of the criminal justice system: police, courts, and corrections
- Recognize the importance of ethics and ethical behavior in the achievement of justice
- Identify the differences in how juveniles and adults are treated in the criminal justice system
- Demonstrate an understanding of the key legal concepts and/or U.S. Supreme Court decisions that are the foundation of our criminal justice system
- Evaluate the investigative and public policy implications of crime and terrorism in our diverse communities