Criminal Justice A.A. (Transfer)
The criminal justice field offers many exciting and rewarding career opportunities. While people may associate criminal justice with traditional law enforcement jobs, such as local police forces, the field also offers career options in agencies that oversee parole and probation, corrections, and juvenile justice at the local, state and national levels. Whichever career path you choose, this profession allows you to have a direct and positive impact on individuals’ lives and on society as a whole.
Our ProgramOn The Job
Program Benefits
Skills You Will Need
Skills You Will Learn
Growth Potential & Estimated Salaries
Financial Assistance
Faculty
Please refer to the catalog for curriculum requirements.
Our Program
You may have known you wanted to be in law enforcement since grade school. Maybe you want to follow in the steps of family members to continue a tradition of police officers in your family. Or maybe you want to change jobs, start a new career. At FCC, you can identify the best path—police or detective work, governmental agency, parole or corrections—that will allow you to utilize your skills and pursue your interests.Frederick Community College offers the:
- Associate of Arts degree in Criminal Justice for students interested in transferring to a four-year college to pursue a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. FCC has transfer agreements with Frostburg University, Mount St. Mary's University and UMUC, where many of our graduates choose to complete their bachelor’s degree.
- Certificate in Corrections – a program designed to help correctional officers improve work-related skills and advance within criminal justice careers.
On the Job
Criminal justice associate’s degree graduates pursue careers in law enforcement and corrections. Bachelor’s degree graduates can work as probation and parole agents, federal law enforcement officers and in juvenile services.Program Benefits
- Study in small classes of 15-30 students.
- Learn from criminal justice professionals—police officers, judges, lawyers and correctional officers—who bring real-world experience to the classroom.
- Visit the local detention center and courts to talk directly with professionals in the field.
Skills You Will Need
- Ability to think quickly in sometimes volatile situations
- Ability to solve problems with patience and creativity
- Ability to communicate clearly and effectively both orally and in writing
- Ability to adapt to all types of situations
Skills You Will Learn
- Technical skills and procedures involved in law enforcement, including rules of arrest and criminal law
- Insight into psychological and sociological origins of human behavior
Growth Potential and Estimated Salaries
Openings in police services jobs are expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations. Police and sheriff’s patrol officers can earn a starting salary of around $30,000 in the Frederick area. State police positions begin in the mid $40,000 range, as do jobs with local and federal governments. Overtime is expected in this field and can significantly increase annual salaries. Protective services and corrections jobs are expected to grow at the same rate as the average occupation. Entry-level positions in this area average from $26-38,000 annually.Financial Assistance
FCC provides a tuition payment plan for students who wish to spread payment over several months. Scholarship and loan assistance is available for eligible students. In addition to general scholarships and loans, the following scholarships are available to criminal justice students:Michael D. Boyd Scholarship
The McCauley Group and J. Scott & Debra McCauley Endowment Fund
W. Allen Yingling, Jr. Memorial Endowment Scholarship Fund
Faculty
Mary Rolle, program manager for Criminal Justice, is an experienced social science professor and criminal justice professional with outstanding credentials. Other faculty members have real-world police and correctional expertise. They take a personal interest in helping you achieve your career goals. Expect small classes and extensive hands-on experience.