DEPT. OF PSYCHOLOGY, SOCIOLOGY & CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Degree Programs

A.A. Criminal Justice Studies

Students engage in Criminal Justice Studies through a variety of multi-disciplinary options to prepare students with the analytical skills necessary for the complex challenges confronting criminal justice professionals. Students engage in scholarly research, court projects and other relevant activities to merge the theoretical concepts with a working knowledge of the criminal justice system and the law within a meaningful context. Criminal Justice students study under the leadership of seasoned professionals with earned doctorate degrees and significant criminal justice experience in prosecution, law enforcement, corrections, social services and the forensic sciences.

Students can choose from two options:

• Collegiate Officer Program (C.O.P.) Option
• Law/Justice

Collegiate Officer Program (C.O.P.) Option

The Collegiate Officer Program, known as C.O.P. Option, is a specific combination of academic courses and police skills training which leads to eligibility for peace officer certification upon graduation. The Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training (CLEET) is the agency designated by Oklahoma law to administer all aspects of peace officer certification including regulations for law enforcement training. The C.O.P. Option has been certified by CLEET as an equivalent substitute for CLEET Basic Peace Officer Academy. The C.O.P. Option offers graduates the flexibility to pursue an RSU bachelor degree by applying the AA:CJS C.O.P. Option degree as a minor course of study or pursuing online courses with core subjects in human relations/administrative studies topics relevant to law enforcement.

CLEET requires C.O.P. Option to provide instruction in ten separate subject areas designated as either:

Each of the ten subject areas contains CLEET learning objectives. Learning objectives are the laws, concepts and proficiencies taught during CLEET Basic Peace Officer Academy. The learning objectives are disbursed throughout academic courses comprising the AA:CJS degree plan:

• Introduction to Criminal Justice
• Criminal Law I
• Community Relations
• Criminalistics
• Criminal Procedures and CLEET Skills Courses

CLEET requires these courses be taken in a designated sequence and must be taken at RSU (i.e., not subject to transfer). CLEET Skills courses are restricted to C.O.P. Option students.  C.O.P. Option students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0, score a “B” or higher in First Aid and a “C” or higher in all other core courses.

Minor in Criminal Justice-Collegiate Officer Program (COP)

A minor requires completion of at least 18-24 designated credit hours of course work outside the student's major field, including a minimum of 9 upper-division credit hours, and may have a required core. The same courses may not be used to fulfill the requirements for both a major and a minor.