Associate in Criminal Justice

This degree prepares students either to enter one of the many career fields in Criminal Justice or law enforcement or to transfer to four-year degree programs in Criminal Justice.  Students planning to transfer to a baccalaureate program in Criminal Justice should consult with their academic advisors and plan their courses in accordance with the transfer and articulation agreements which Spartanburg Methodist College has completed with colleges offering a baccalaureate degree in the discipline.  This degree relies upon a strong core of liberal arts and social science courses and includes criminal justice courses essential to the student’s success in the career field.  The following courses are offered in the Criminal Justice curriculum:

A total of 64 semester credit hours are required to graduate. Those must include the following credit hours:

• Criminal justice courses - 18 hours
• Social Science - 9 hours
• English - 6 hours
• Science - 4 hours
• Literature - 3 hours
• Mathematics - 3-4 hours
• Computer Science - 3 hours
• Religion - 3 hours
• Speech - 3 hours
• History - 3 hours
• Freshman/Sophomore Year Experience* - 3 hours
• Physical Education/Military Science* - 2 hours
• Electives - 4 hours

*Students who transfer to Spartanburg Methodist College with 24 or more credit hours from another accredited college or students who are classified as non-traditional students are exempt from these courss. Instead, the student must earn these 5 credits through elective courses. A health course must be substituted for the Physical Educaiton credits.

Program Highlights

• Recognizing the role of Forensics in the field of Criminal Justice today, SMC recently approved the addition of an Introduction to Forensics course for the program.
• Students who have completed the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy's Basic Law Enforcement Certification Class will receive, upon verification of their certification, 10 credit hours.
• The Criminal Justice Program at Spartanburg Methodist College provides an academic foundation to students who are interested in a career in the Criminal Justice field.