Prepare for a career serving your community with an Associate of Arts (AA) degree in Criminal Justice from San Juan College. This two-year degree provides a strong foundation in law enforcement, courts, corrections, law, and professional ethics.
Take classes online, in person or a combination of both while developing practical skills you can use in the workplace or at a four-year university. Whether you're beginning college, changing careers or already working in the criminal justice field, SJC can help you take the next step toward your goals.
Why Study Criminal Justice?
Criminal justice professionals play an important role in public safety and their communities. By studying criminal justice, you'll learn how law enforcement, courts, and corrections work together and how decisions within the criminal justice system affect individuals, families, and communities.
A Criminal Justice AA can prepare you for several career paths or provide a foundation for continued education. You'll also develop skills that are valuable across many professions, including communication, critical thinking, problem-solving, cultural awareness, and ethical decision-making.
If you're interested in law enforcement, corrections, probation and parole, court services, victim advocacy, or other areas of public service, a criminal justice degree can help you begin preparing for your future.
Why Earn a Criminal Justice Degree at San Juan College?
Learn Online or In Person
Choose the learning environment that works for you. Criminal Justice courses at SJC are offered both online and in person, giving you flexibility as you balance college with work, family and other responsibilities.
Gain Real-World Experience
Go beyond the classroom through service learning and field experiences with criminal justice agencies in our community. You'll have opportunities to see how criminal justice professionals apply what you're learning in real-world settings.
SJC Criminal Justice students have completed experiences with organizations such as:
- Farmington Police Department
- San Juan County Sheriff's Office
- Municipal Compliance
- 11th Judicial District Court
- 11th Judicial District Attorney's Office
- Juvenile Probation
These experiences can help you better understand career options, connect with professionals, and prepare for your next step after graduation.
Learn from Faculty Connected to the Field
Learn from instructors who understand how criminal justice works beyond the textbook. Your courses combine academic concepts with practical perspectives on policing, courts, corrections, and community supervision.
With smaller classes and individualized support, you'll have opportunities to connect with your instructors and get help as you work toward your educational and career goals.
Prepare for a Career or Transfer
The Criminal Justice AA gives you options. After graduation, you can pursue opportunities in the criminal justice field or continue your education at a four-year college or university.
The degree provides a strong starting point for bachelor's degree programs in areas such as criminal justice, criminology, sociology, psychology, and legal studies.
Affordable Option
Because of SJC's low tuition rates, a two-year Criminal Justice degree is a great investment for you. You'll be ready to start a career right away or use it as a stepping stone for more education. You may also qualify to get your criminal justice degree tuition-free through the NM Opportunity and Lottery Scholarships.
Transfer Options
The Criminal Justice AA can prepare you to continue your education at a four-year college or university. Students may pursue bachelor's degrees in criminal justice, criminology, sociology, psychology, legal studies or related fields.
SJC Criminal Justice students have plans to transfer to:
- The University of New Mexico
- Western New Mexico University
Contact an academic advisor for more details about how you can transfer. They will help you coordinate and plan your courses so you can have a smooth transfer process.
Learn More About the Transfer Process
What You'll Learn in the Criminal Justice AA
Build an understanding of the criminal justice system while developing practical skills for the workplace and continued education.
You'll study core areas of criminal justice, including:
- Policing
- Courts
- Corrections
- Law
- Professional ethics
Throughout the program, you'll also develop skills in:
- Critical thinking and decision-making
- Communication
- Ethical reasoning and professionalism
- Legal and procedural knowledge
- Cultural awareness and community relations
- Problem-solving
- Research and analysis
Criminal Justice AA Curriculum
Real-World Criminal Justice Experience
Put what you learn into practice through service learning and field experiences with local criminal justice agencies.
These experiences give you an opportunity to learn more about policing, courts, corrections and community supervision while seeing how professionals work within the criminal justice system. You'll gain a better understanding of different career paths and the day-to-day realities of working in the field.
Careers and Outcomes
A Criminal Justice AA can help prepare you for entry-level positions in the criminal justice field or provide a foundation for additional education required for certain careers.
Career paths you may explore include:
- Law enforcement officer
- Probation or parole officer
- Surveillance officer
- Victim advocate
Criminal justice education can also lead toward careers in areas such as corrections, court services, juvenile justice, security, and other local, state, or federal agencies. Some positions may require additional education, training, certification, or experience.
Next Steps
To enroll in the Criminal Justice AA program, you must first apply to San Juan College. It's easy, and you can apply online at any time!
If you are already a student at San Juan College, talk to your advisor about our Criminal Justice AA program. You can also discuss your transfer options.
