Criminal Justice Transfer Pathway Information

This program equips students with the technical skills to begin their careers in the criminal justice field. In addition to the technical courses, general education courses develop students to be more prepared to deal with social issues that confront them in the performance of their duty. The curriculum has been adapted to include contemporary areas such as homeland security and community policing.

Department of Criminal Justice and Ohio Basic Peace Officer Training

Student Learning Outcomes

Student will be able to:

• Demonstrate the ability to make ethical decisions.
• Apply basic criminal law to various situations.
• Apply U.S. Constitution and principles of evidence in search and seizure situations.
• Demonstrate appropriate oral communication during stops and arrests.
• Effectively record, report and document incidents.
• Demonstrate correct procedure in various situations (stops, arrest, affidavits, etc.).
• Identify the fundamental steps of a criminal investigation.
• Properly process crime scenes.
• Become familiar with different societal backgrounds (social, economic, sexual orientation, race, religious, etc.).

Employment Opportunities

With an ever-increasing demand for well-educated police and corrections personnel, graduates can expect to find employment in state and local law enforcement agencies, juvenile and adult corrections and probation and parole, as well as in private and public security agencies. 

Police work can be dangerous and stressful because officers pursue and apprehend persons who break the law and then either issue citations or give warnings, depending on the nature of the crime. Officers spend a good deal of their day writing reports and maintaining records that will be needed if they testify in court.

Education requirements for police officers range from a high school diploma to a college degree. Job opportunities are most favorable for graduates with an associate’s degree or higher who also possess bilingual skills with training in police science or military police experience.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

• Employment is expected to grow 10 percent nationally through 2018 due to population growth.
• Median annual wages for police and sheriff’s officers was $51,400 in 2008, with the middle 50 percent earning between $38,800 and the $64,900.
• Earnings for this profession frequently exceed the stated salary because of payments for overtime, which can be significant.

Student Advisement

Students who have or acquire a felony conviction or a conviction regarding drugs, weapons, domestic violence or moral turpitude will find employment in the criminal justice field extremely unlikely.

Transfer Information

Students planning to continue their education at a four-year college or university will find that Owens Community College courses readily transfer to most institutions. Students should tailor their Owens program as closely as possible to the requirements at their four-year school of choice. Meet with an Advisor for more information.