Criminal Justice - Law Enforcement

Program Codes: ASCRJLE
Associate of Science

Introduction

Mercyhurst University’s Associate of Science in Criminal Justice with a Law Enforcement concentration program requires students to take a proscribed set of criminal justice courses as well as attend the Pennsylvania Act 120 Municipal Police Officers Basic Training Curriculum (i.e., police academy). The courses are designed to provide a basic understanding of the criminal justice system, to theorize why people commit crime, to analyze the role of law enforcement, and to examine the effectiveness of correctional systems. The police academy component provides students with practical and tactical components of law enforcement operations. This program spans three semesters of coursework, plus a semester and a summer session (i.e., 23 weeks) for the police academy. Therefore, students will be enrolled for four semesters and a summer session for degree completion.

Students who plan to pursue this degree should meet with their faculty advisor and academic counselor early in their course of study to plan out their courses to make sure they are on track to meet the requirements for the police academy. Students should regularly check the Municipal Police Academy website on the Mercyhurst main admissions page for more information, as it lists all of the pre-admission activities and background checks required for being accepted into the academy. Additionally, the fee schedule is outlined there as well. As a general rule, part of this process includes:

Complete the online Police Academy application
Attend an Information Session
Complete University Registration
Provide a physical examination form completed by a doctor certifying that they meet the physical requirements mandated by the MPOETC
Complete and pass a Pre-Entry Psychological and Reading Exam. Candidates must have a 9th grade minimum reading / comprehension level
Complete and pass a Pre-Entry Physical Abilities Assessment
Provide a Criminal History and Driving History meeting the requirements required by MPOETC
Pay tuition in full or make arrangements for financial aid with the University
Provide all necessary paperwork and complete all testing as described in the entry-level application before you can be accepted into the Academy

Students who fail to meet any of the pre-entry requirements for the police academy will not be accepted into the police academy. However, students are still able to complete their Associate of Science degree by completing the remainder of the required courses as outlined in the curriculum.

Upon successful completion of this degree program, students will earn an Associate of Science Degree in Criminal Justice and receive an Act 120 certification from the Pennsylvania Municipal Police Officer’s Education and Training Commission. Graduates will be eligible for entry-level positions in local, municipal, township, and/or county law enforcement agencies. Careers include positions in the public and private sectors as well as in safety and protective services.

Mission Statement

The Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice is dedicated to developing critical thinking, diversity appreciation, civic responsibility, leadership and social justice in our students. We prepare students for careers in law enforcement and in the helping professions, for leadership in criminal justice and community affairs, and for the pursuit of advanced degrees. Engaging students in sustained and civil conversations about the relationship between individual and community well-being is both an objective and a means for realizing other objectives. The vision of the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice is to provide associate degree students with a liberal arts background that will enable them to live rich and fulfilling lives, with the capability of personal responsibility, professional development and civic responsibility.

Program Outcomes:

Demonstrate knowledge of the historical context of the criminal justice system and profession.
Demonstrate synthesis, problem solving, and critical thinking skills.
Demonstrate basic knowledge of legal aspects of criminal justice operations.
Synthesize and apply basic knowledge of sociological issues affecting criminal justice.
Demonstrate exemplary written and communication interpersonal skills
Understand and demonstrate good investigative technique
Understand the differences and work effectively with diverse populations
Exhibit good situational awareness and judgement
Demonstrate the ability to correctly articulate high stress events
Demonstrate physical fitness, stamina, and fine motor skills related to the profession
Demonstrate and apply knowledge of professional skills for criminal justice positions.

Program Requirements:

Student progress and academic achievement are monitored and evaluated by the Department and the police academy while in the program. Students must earn an overall 2.0 GPA, along with a minimum cumulative GPA of a 2.0 in all Criminal Justice courses. While in the police academy, students are required to successfully complete numerous exams, covering 4 modules of training, with a minimum score of 80%. The faculty may request a meeting with students to review academic progress. Students who fail to meet or maintain the GPA requirements or the appropriate conduct standards will be subject to probationary status or removal from the Criminal Justice program.

Students must meet the regular degree requirements of the University, the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, and the police academy. Upon successful completion of the police academy, 22 credits will be applied to the associate degree in criminal justice program. To fulfill Associate of Science degree requirements, students must successfully complete a minimum of 61 credits to graduate. This is inclusive of the proscribed required criminal justice courses, REACH (A) courses, and police academy courses.

Law Enforcement Required Courses (33 Credits)

REACH (AS)

Mercyhurst - Associate Science REACH