Career Area: Education & Human Services
Program: Criminal Justice
Campus(es): Online
Criminal justice is, at its core, a human services field. The diverse members of this growing career field successfully combine a strong desire to help others with a powerful drive to create a more just society.
If you're planning a career in criminal justice with opportunities for advancement, the Criminal Justice Transfer Pathway Associate of Science degree at Minnesota State College Southeast is a great way to begin. Our faculty members have decades of combined experience in the three main components of the criminal justice system: law enforcement, the courts, and corrections.
Southeast's Criminal Justice Program prepared me for me future by giving me the opportunity to learn from instructors who were very knowledgeable and experienced in the field. I always felt supported during and after my journey at Southeast.
– Kylie D., Restorative Justice Coordinator
If you're planning a career in criminal justice with opportunities for advancement, the Criminal Justice Transfer Pathway Associate of Science degree at Minnesota State College Southeast is a great way to begin. Our faculty members have decades of combined experience in the three main components of the criminal justice system: law enforcement, the courts, and corrections.
Students in this 100% online program are well-prepared for further study toward completion of a bachelor's degree at a Minnesota State university. You'll transfer seamlessly with a flexible, affordable combination of criminal justice classes and the 40-credit Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC) package.
The Minnesota State College Southeast Criminal Justice Transfer Pathway AS is for current and future criminal justice professionals, taught by criminal justice professionals. Start your journey with us!
Apply now for admission to Minnesota State College Southeast
Transfer Pathways
The Criminal Justice Transfer Pathway AS offers students a powerful option: the opportunity to complete an Associate of Science degree with course credits that directly transfer to related bachelor's degree programs at Minnesota State universities.
The curriculum has been specifically designed so that students completing this pathway degree and transferring to one of the seven Minnesota State universities enter the university with junior-year status.
All courses in the Transfer Pathway associate degree will directly transfer and apply to the designated bachelor’s degree programs in a related field.
The Criminal Justice Transfer Pathway (AS) degree transfers to the following 4-year degree programs:
Transfer University | 4-Year Degree Name |
|---|---|
Bemidji State University | Criminal Justice, BS |
Metropolitan State University | Criminal Justice, BA |
Minnesota State University, Mankato | Criminal Justice-Law Enforcement, BS |
Minnesota State University, Moorhead | Criminal Justice, BA |
Southwest Minnesota State University | Law Enforcement Administration, BAS |
St. Cloud State University | Criminal Justice, BA |
Winona State University | Criminal Justice-Law Enforcement, BS |
Cluster/Pathway
Cluster: Law, Public Safety, Corrections and Security
Pathway: Law Enforcement Services
Recommended high school classes and basic job/program skills
Courses
Associate of Science Degree General Requirements for Criminal Justice Transfer Pathway
Download the Criminal Justice Transfer Pathway Associate of Science Degree/Planning Worksheet
A minimum of 60 semester credits.
A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0.
A minimum cumulative MnTC GPA of 2.0.
A minimum of 20 semester credits applied toward the degree must be taken at Minnesota State College Southeast.
Completion of the specific degree requirements below.
Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC) Requirements - A minimum of 40 credits to complete the MnTC required 6 goal areas for the AS degree. A MnTC course may satisfy more than one goal area; however, the credits only count once.
CORE GOAL AREAS:
Goal 1 Communication (Three courses) - 9 credits
ENGL1215 - College Writing 1 (3 credits)
ENGL2525 - College Writing 2 (3 credits)
COMM1218 College Speech OR COMM1228 Interpersonal Communications
Goal 2 Critical Thinking (met when 40 MnTC credits satisfying all 10 goal areas have been completed)
Goal 3 Natural Science (Two science courses from at least two different subject areas. One course must have a traditional lab and the other must have a traditional lab or lab-like experience.) - 6-8 credits
Goal 4 Mathematical/Logical Reasoning (One course) - 3 credits
MATH1230 Introduction to Statistics
Goal 5 History and the Social and Behavioral Sciences (Three courses from at least two different subject areas) - 9 credits
PSYC1110 Introduction to Psychology (3 credits)
SOCS1110 Introduction to Sociology (3 credits)
See restricted elective below (3 credits)
Goal 6 The Humanities and Fine Arts (3 courses from at least two different subject areas) - 9 credits
HUMA1125 Moral Problems (3 credits)
Additional Goal 6 courses (6)
THEME GOAL AREAS:
Goal 7 Human Diversity (One course/Satisfied by SOCS1110) - 3 credits
Goal 8 Global Perspective (One course) - 3 credits
Goal 9 Ethical and Civic Responsibility (One course/Satisfied by HUMA1125) - 3 credits
Goal 10 People and the Environment (One course) -3 credits
Restricted Elective: (select one course from the following Goal 5 options to satisfy Elective B: Stratification course):
SOCS2525 Social Deviance (3 credits)
SOCS2545 Diversity and Social Change (3 credits)
Total minimum credits to complete the MnTC ten goal areas: 40 credits
In addition to completing the MnTC, the remaining 20 credits will include:
CJSP1102 Introduction to Criminal Justice (3 credits)
CJSP1220 *Police and Community (3 credits)
CJSP1230 Introduction to Corrections (3 credits)
CJSP2104 Introduction to Criminology/Criminal Behavior (3 credits)
CJSP2110 *Juvenile Justice/Delinquency (3 credits)
CJSP2205 Criminal Law and Procedures (3 credits)
INSP1525 Career and Educational Planning (1 credit)
HLTH elective (1 credit)
*Satisfies Elective A (Contemporary social issues course)
Cost
| Approximate Tuition/Fees: | $12,932 |
|---|---|
| Minimum Tool Cost: | N/A |
| Books/Supplies: | $620 |
| Estimated Total: | $13,552 |
Career Opportunities
Corrections Officers
Correctional Treatment Specialist
Human Services positions
Local Police Departments
Probation Officers
Security Officers
State and Federal Agencies
Use the MN DEED Career and Education Explorer Data Tool to learn about wages, job growth, and much more in this career field.
Outcomes
Program graduates will be able to:
Understand how the criminal justice system works and how public opinion influences policies for responding to crime
Understand the numerous components of criminal justice system
Understand the causation of friction between community and police such as political influence, corruption, policy/law discretion, and discriminatory acts
Understand the sociological, psychological and biological perspectives on the causation of crime and criminal behavior
Understand hiring practices, training evolutions, subcultures, attitudes and orientation of criminal justice professionals
Highlights
Experienced instructors in a supportive learning environment
Exploration of the roles of law enforcement, courts, and corrections agencies
Completion of the MnTC and core criminal justice courses
100% online
Instructors
Gregory Cady
M.S., Criminal Justice, St. Cloud State University
B.E.S., Sociology and Criminal Justice, St. Cloud State UniversityGreg Cady began teaching at Minnesota State College Southeast as an adjunct instructor in 2004, moving to a full-time tenure track position in 2007. Prior to joining the teaching team, he dedicated 18 years in various positions within the criminal justice profession in California and Minnesota. Greg is a retired commissioned officer from the U.S. Navy with 30 years of service.
Tamra Graham
J.D., William Mitchell College of Law M.A., American University B.A., Music, University of Alaska-Anchorage Tamra Graham was a President's Scholar at William Mitchell College of Law. She has worked in both the public and private legal sectors. Since 2005, she has taught political science, philosophy, and criminal justice courses at Southeast. She was raised in Alaska and enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, reading, and many outdoor activities, including geocaching.
Travis Volkman
Travis Volkman began teaching at Southeast in 2013 as an adjunct instructor. Travis brings with him over 14 years of law enforcement experience, having been employed in various rolls of the criminal justice system. Travis is the Field Training Program Coordinator for the Goodview, MN Police Department and is assigned as an Investigator and Computer Forensics Examiner with the Minnesota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. In addition to providing presentations about internet crimes against children, Travis teaches an online child exploitation class at Winona State University.
Tammy Wherley
M.A., Health and Human Services Administration, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota B.A., Sociology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire Tammy Wherley has been an adjunct instructor at Southeast for many years. She began her career at the in 1997 as a Correctional Officer at Minnesota Correctional Facility-Red Wing, Minnesota's only state operated juvenile facility. She held various positions from Case Manager to Associate Warden of Administration at MCF-Oak Park Heights, MCF-Lino Lakes, and MCF-Stillwater, then returned to MCF-Red Wing as the Associate Warden of Operations in 2017.
Amy Whitcomb
M.S., Psychology, Western Illinois University
B.A., Psychology, Iowa Wesleyan College
A.A., Southeastern Community College, West Burlington, IowaAn Iowa native, Amy Whitcomb has been teaching psychology since 1999, and began teaching at Minnesota State College Southeast in the fall of 2010. In the past, she has done counseling and social work, but decided she loved teaching far more than trying to save the world. While she is interested in most areas of psychology and criminal justice, social psychology and criminology are her favorites. In her spare time, she likes reading true crime accounts, watching true crime shows, listening to opera and classic rock, and spending time with her children. She has become an excellent cook, but remains unfulfilled by it.