Administration of Justice Studies
The Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Administration of Justice Studies provides in-depth preparation for students desiring to be practitioners or pursue continued education and advancement in several fields including local and federal law enforcement, the courts, corrections, security, and investigations. The program also provides criminal justice practitioners with the opportunity to complete the Certificate of Completion (CCL) in Administration of Justice as well as one of five Certificates of Completion (CCLs) in Corrections, Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Legal Studies, and Victimology. A transfer pathway in Criminal Justice is also available (Associate Arts (AA), Emphasis in Criminal Justice) as well as an Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Forensics and related Certificates of Completion. Additionally, a transfer pathway is also available for the Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) Public Safety Administration.
Details
Field of Interest
Behavioral Science and Human Services
Degree Type
Associate in Applied Science (AAS)
Academic Plan
Administration of Justice Studies (DEG)
Academic Plan Code
3181
Total credits required
61-65
Catalog Year
2024-2025
Effective Term
Fall 2023
Notes
Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses within the program.
What You'll Learn
This pathway map will help you gain the expertise needed to:
- Synthesize multiple sources of information to make timely assessments.
- Solve problems through logical and sound reasoning.
- Communicate orally, visually and in writing precisely, appropriately, and effectively to varied audiences.
- Communicate in the language common to the criminal justice system.
- Collaborate with diverse agencies, community representatives and individuals to achieve common goals.
- Apply the principles and processes of criminal and constitutional law, criminology theory, knowledge of the functions and components of the criminal justice system, and current issues to criminal justice operations.
- Utilize technology to collect, analyze and communicate data.
- Practice professional standards appropriate to the field of criminal justice.
- Subscribe to and practice ethical behavior appropriate to the field of criminal justice.
Successful completion of this degree may lead to employment in a variety of different occupations and industries. Below are examples of related occupations with associated Arizona-based annual median wages* for this program. Education requirements vary for the occupations listed below, so you may need further education or degrees in order to qualify for some of these jobs and earn the related salaries. Please visit with an academic advisor and/or program director for additional information.
Bailiffs
$40,920 Show expanded career information for Bailiffs
Correctional Officers and Jailers
$45,810 Show expanded career information for Correctional Officers and Jailers
Detectives and Criminal Investigators
$93,830 Show expanded career information for Detectives and Criminal Investigators
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
$97,840 Show expanded career information for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
$67,310 Show expanded career information for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
Public Safety Telecommunicators
$49,640 Show expanded career information for Public Safety Telecommunicators
Security Guards
$31,850 Show expanded career information for Security Guards
- Judicial Law Clerks
- Transit and Railroad Police
Course Sequence by Term
The following is the suggested course sequence by term. Please keep in mind:
- Students should meet with an academic advisor to develop an individual education plan that meets their academic and career goals. Use the Pathway Planner tool in your to manage your plan.
- The course sequence is laid out by suggested term and may be affected when students enter the program at different times of the year.
- Initial course placement is determined by current district placement measures and/or completion of 100-200 level course and/or program requirements.
- Degree and transfer seeking students may be required to successfully complete a MCCCD First Year Experience Course (FYE) within the first two semesters at a MCCCD College. Courses include FYE101 and FYE103. Course offerings will vary by college. See an academic, program, or faculty advisor for details.
- Consult with your faculty mentor or academic advisor to determine educational requirements, including possible university transfer options, for your chosen career field.
Full-time Sequence
Full-time status is 12 credits to 18 credits per semester.
Term 1
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Critical course Gateway course | SB | 3 | |||
| Critical course | HU | 3 | |||
| or | or | Critical course | FYC or FYC | 3 | |
| RE | Restricted Elective | See below | 3 | ||
| or | or | 1–3 |
Term 2
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | |||||
| 3 | |||||
| or | or | FYC or FYC | 3 | ||
| OR Any higher approved general education course in the Mathematics area | MA | 3–6 | |||
| OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment | L | 0–3 | |||
| or or or | or or or | recommended for transfer. | SB or SB or L or SB | 3 |
Term 3
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | |||||
| SB | 3 | ||||
| or AJS/EMT/FSC258 | or Victimology and Crisis Management | SB or C, SB | 3 | ||
| or | or | OR Recommended | SG or SQ | 4 | |
| RE | Restricted Elective | See below | 3 |
Term 4
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | |||||
| 3 | |||||
| RE | Restricted Elective | See below | 3 | ||
| RE | Restricted Elective | See below | 3–4 | ||
| Elective | Elective | 0–3 | |||
| Elective | Elective | 0–3 |
Restricted Electives
Complete twelve to thirteen (12-13) credits from the course options below. Some of these options fulfill requirements for one or more related certificates of completion (CCLs). Consult with an AJS faculty advisor, program director, and/or academic advisor to identify coursework that best aligns with academic and professional goals.
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | |||||
| 3 | |||||
| AJS/FSC139 | Emergency Response to Terrorism | Fulfills the requirements for the Homeland Security (5322N) | 3 | ||
| AJS/FSC147 | Emergency Preparedness | Fulfills the requirements for the Homeland Security (5322N) | 3 | ||
| AJS/FSC148 | Fundamentals of Emergency Management | Fulfills the requirements for the Homeland Security (5322N) | 3 | ||
| AJS/FSC149 | Hazard Mitigation | Fulfills the requirements for the Homeland Security (5322N) | 3 | ||
| Fulfills the requirements for the Victimology certificate (5392N) | 3 | ||||
| Fulfills the requirements for the Homeland Security (5322N) | 3 | ||||
| Fulfills the requirements for the Legal Studies certificate (5966N) | 3 | ||||
| Fulfills the requirements for the Corrections certificate (5776N), the Law Enforcement certificate (5987N), and the Legal Studies certificate (5966N) | 3 | ||||
| Fulfills the requirements for the Legal Studies certificate (5966N) | 3 | ||||
| Fulfills the requirements for the Corrections certificate (5776N) and the Victimology certificate (5392N) | 3 | ||||
| SB | 3 | ||||
| Fulfills the requirements for the Corrections certificate (5776N) and the Law Enforcement certificate (5987N) | 3 | ||||
| Fulfills the requirements for the Crime Scene Investigation (5964) and Fingerprint Identification and Photography (5010N) | 1 | ||||
| Any AJS Administration of Justice Studies course not listed under Required Courses area | 3 |
Part-time Sequence
Part-time status is 11 credit hours or less.
Term 1
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Critical course Gateway course | SB | 3 | |||
| or | or | Critical course | FYC or FYC | 3 | |
| or | or | 1–3 |
Term 2
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Critical course | HU | 3 | |||
| OR Any higher approved general education course in the Mathematics area | MA | 3–6 |
Term 3
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | |||||
| or | or | FYC or FYC | 3 | ||
| OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment | L | 0–3 |
Term 4
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | |||||
| RE | Restricted Elective | See below | 3 |
Term 5
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| or or or | or or or | recommended for transfer. | SB or SB or L or SB | 3 | |
| 3 |
Term 6
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SB | 3 | ||||
| or | or | OR Recommended | SG or SQ | 4 |
Term 7
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| or AJS/EMT/FSC258 | or Victimology and Crisis Management | SB or C, SB | 3 | ||
| RE | Restricted Elective | See below | 3 |
Term 8
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | |||||
| RE | Restricted Elective | See below | 3 |
Term 9
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | |||||
| RE | Restricted Elective | See below | 3–4 |
Term 10
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elective | Elective | 0–3 | |||
| Elective | Elective | 0–3 |
Restricted Electives
Complete twelve to thirteen (12-13) credits from the course options below. Some of these options fulfill requirements for one or more related certificates of completion (CCLs). Consult with an AJS faculty advisor, program director, and/or academic advisor to identify coursework that best aligns with academic and professional goals.
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | |||||
| 3 | |||||
| AJS/FSC139 | Emergency Response to Terrorism | Fulfills the requirements for the Homeland Security (5322N) | 3 | ||
| AJS/FSC147 | Emergency Preparedness | Fulfills the requirements for the Homeland Security (5322N) | 3 | ||
| AJS/FSC148 | Fundamentals of Emergency Management | Fulfills the requirements for the Homeland Security (5322N) | 3 | ||
| AJS/FSC149 | Hazard Mitigation | Fulfills the requirements for the Homeland Security (5322N) | 3 | ||
| Fulfills the requirements for the Victimology certificate (5392N) | 3 | ||||
| Fulfills the requirements for the Homeland Security (5322N) | 3 | ||||
| Fulfills the requirements for the Legal Studies certificate (5966N) | 3 | ||||
| Fulfills the requirements for the Corrections certificate (5776N), the Law Enforcement certificate (5987N), and the Legal Studies certificate (5966N) | 3 | ||||
| Fulfills the requirements for the Legal Studies certificate (5966N) | 3 | ||||
| Fulfills the requirements for the Corrections certificate (5776N) and the Victimology certificate (5392N) | 3 | ||||
| SB | 3 | ||||
| Fulfills the requirements for the Corrections certificate (5776N) and the Law Enforcement certificate (5987N) | 3 | ||||
| Fulfills the requirements for the Crime Scene Investigation (5964) and Fingerprint Identification and Photography (5010N) | 1 | ||||
| Any AJS Administration of Justice Studies course not listed under Required Courses area | 3 |
Course Area Key
Gateway Course = Generally the first major-specific course in a pathway.
Critical Course = A course that is highly predictive of future success in a pathway.
- C = Cultural Diversity in the US
- FYC = First Year Composition
- HU = Humanities, Fine Arts, and Design
- L = Literacy & Critical Inquiry
- MA = Mathematics
- SB = Social-Behavioral Sciences
- SG = Natural Sciences General
- SQ = Natural Sciences Quantitative
Disclaimer
Students must earn a grade of C or better for all courses required within the program.
Course Sequence total credits may differ from the program information located on the MCCCD curriculum website due to program and system design.
View MCCCD’s for additional details regarding the requirements of this award .
At Maricopa, we strive to provide you with accurate and current information about our degree and certificate offerings. Due to the dynamic nature of the curriculum process, course and program information is subject to change. As a result, the course list associated with this degree or certificate on this site does not represent a contract, nor does it guarantee course availability. If you are interested in pursuing this degree or certificate, we encourage you to meet with an advisor to discuss the requirements at your college for the appropriate catalog year.