Criminal Justice

Woman being sworn in at courtPolice Line - Do Not Cross at incident scene

Associate of Arts

64 credit hours

This program is designed to equip graduates, whether potential and incumbent criminal justice system employees or graduates intent on transferring to a bachelor degree program at ENMU, with a comprehensive knowledge of the governmental structures, limitations, and theoretical underpinnings of the American criminal justice system. This curriculum can serve as a terminal occupational degree program for students seeking immediate employment in the private sector or in government agencies at the local, state, or national level. The balanced liberal arts emphasis, which includes the study of law, criminal justice, social sciences, humanities, behavioral sciences, natural sciences and general education courses, can apply towards a bachelor degree in Criminal Justice or other majors at several of New Mexico’s four-year state universities.

Students who have successfully completed: 1) a N.M. Department of Public Safety basic or NMDPS-approved satellite police certification training academy or 2) the U.S. Border Patrol Basic Training Program (USBPI), the Federal Air Marshal Basic Training Program (FAMTP), or the Land Management Basic Police Training Program (LMPT), or 3) military occupational specialties or Air Force career classifications U.S. Army 95B, or 31B; U.S. Marine Corps 5811; U.S. Air Force 3PO51, or 3PO91; U.S. Navy Master at Arms, or NEC 9545 (completed NAVEDTRA 14137) will receive credit for CJUS 1110 and CJUS 2360 upon provision of an official transcript. Students who have successfully completed the N.M. Department of Corrections correctional officer basic training academy will receive credit for CJUS 1110 and CJUS 2225 upon provision of an official transcript.

Upon program completion students will be able to:

  • Describe the historical development, roles, interrelationships, and criminal justice system functions of agencies, actors, structures, and operations of criminal justice agencies.
  • Identify and describe major national measures of crime and major theories on causes of criminality.
  • Explain functions of criminal laws, Constitutional limitations on laws, and application of laws in criminal courts.
  • Identify current trends in crime, police techniques, offender sentencing, corrections practices, and offender reintegration.

To learn more about the program requirements, click on the links below:

Criminal Justice AA
Criminal Justice AA Pathway