Mar 28, 2024  
2019-2020 General Catalog 
    
2019-2020 General Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Criminal Justice, AAS


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The Criminal Justice field offers many challenging career opportunities. Law Enforcement, Corrections, Judicial Services, and Forensic Laboratories are in need of qualified and trained personnel. Some of the duties in these career fields include investigations, traffic enforcement, evidence collection, inmate supervision, hunting regulation enforcement, correctional counseling, court services administration, and many more.

One of our programs strengths is the fact that many of our instructors are currently working or have worked in the Criminal Justice field. The ranks of our teaching staff have included a police chief, a chief deputy, a detective, criminal prosecutors, a former trooper, a correctional officer, and many other local Criminal Justice personnel. The Criminal Justice program can be taken as a diploma program when 30 core semester hours are completed or as an Associate of Applied Sciences or Associate of Arts degree when certain core semester hours are completed in accordance with each degree’s requirements.

Specific departmental requirements govern entry into all Criminal Justice careers. In the State of Iowa all certified law enforcement officials must first attend and successfully complete an accredited law enforcement academy. Iowa Central’s Criminal Justice Program will help prepare you for that challenge.

Indoor Simulated Firearms Range: Iowa Central Criminal Justice utilizes current state of the art Simunition firearms equipment that allows students the ability to learn basic firearms skills and tactics from qualified instructors on site. Students use two primary weapons systems: the Glock 17T and the DPMS AR-15T. These weapon systems utilize training marker rounds which are much like a “paintball” style round, but much more realistic. This training allows students the ability to experience practical hands-on skills that will help them in their future careers in the criminal justice system. These weapons systems are currently used by law enforcement and corrections training around the nation.

Iowa Law Enforcement Credit: Students who have graduated from the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy may receive up to 18 hours of Criminal Justice credit at Iowa Central Community College.

Program of Study: Criminal Justice is a two-year Associate of Applied Sciences Study Program offered at Iowa Central Community College. Students may enroll at any of the three centers for the general education portion of the program. The Criminal Justice program can be taken as a diploma program when 30 core semester hours are completed, or an Associate of Applied Science Study Degree program when 67 semester hours are completed.

Enrollment Date: Fall and/or Spring Semester
Minimum Required Credits: 67
Campus: Fort Dodge, Storm Lake, and Webster City
Department: Business
CIP#: 43.01070200

Program of Study


First Semester


Total Hours: 16


Total Hours: 18


Third Semester


Total Hours: 18


Fourth Semester


  • Criminal Justice Elective 3 credits
  • Criminal Justice Elective 3 credits
  • Humanities Elective 3 credits 1
  • Science Elective 3 credits 1
  • Social Science Elective 3 credits 1

Total Hours: 15


AAS Degree Total Hours: 67


Footnotes for Degree Requirements:


1 Required general education course.

2 Required elective course.

3 Institutional requirement.

4 May be substituted with a course from the same category on the General Education Course List  .

Non-Discrimination Policy


It is the policy of Iowa Central Community College not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age (employment), sexual orientation, gender identity, creed, religion, and actual or potential parental, family or marital status in its programs, activities, or employment practices as required by the Iowa Code §§ 216.6 and 216.9, Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. §§ 2000d and 2000e), the Equal Pay Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. § 206, et seq.), Title IX (Educational Amendments, 20 U.S.C. §§ 1681 - 1688), Section 504 (Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. § 794),  Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (34 CFR Part 110), and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. § 12101, et seq.).  

If you have questions or complaints related to compliance with this policy, please contact Kim Whitmore, Director of Human Resources, phone number 515-574-1138, whitmore@iowacentral.edu; or the Director of the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, Citigroup Center, 500 W. Madison, Suite 1475, Chicago, IL 60661, phone number 312-730-1560, fax 312-730-1576.

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