Administration of Justice
Associate of Arts (AA) Administration of Justice · Las Positas College · 2026-2027 Catalog
Overview
The Las Positas College Administration of Justice program offers courses that lead to an Associate in Arts degree. It also prepares students academically for the POST Basic Peace Officer Academy for students seeking full-time employment in law enforcement. The degree program prepares students for transfer to a four-year college or university while the Basic Peace Office Academy program prepares students for direct job entry with a California law enforcement agency.
Career Opportunities
Career opportunities in AJ include: Municipal or Special District Policy Officer, County Deputy Sheriff, FBI Agent*, DEA Agent*, Game Warden, Highway Patrol Officer, State Narcotics Agent, Lawyer*, Forensic Specialist*, Probation Officer*, Parole Agent, and a host of other careers and jobs. (*Denotes a four-year degree requirement for that position.)
Program Learning Outcome(s)
Upon completion of this program, students will be able to:
- Compare and contrast the different components and sub-components of the American criminal justice program; interpret criminal law statutes; differentiate between civil law and criminal law; investigate a scenario and create a police report utilizing proper investigative and evidentiary procedures and understand ethical leadership in a law enforcement agency.
- Be academically prepared for a California Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission basic training academy and prepared for transfer to a four year degree program.
Administration of Justice (AA): Program Requirements
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core: (18 Units) | ||
| AJ 50 | Introduction to Administration of Justice | 3 |
| AJ 54 | Investigative Report Writing | 3 |
| AJ 60 | Criminal Law | 3 |
| AJ 61 | Evidence | 3 |
| AJ 63 | Criminal Investigation | 3 |
| AJ 70 | Community Relations | 3 |
| List A: Select Two (6 Units) | ||
| AJ 55 | Introduction to Correctional Science | 3 |
| AJ 59 | Child Abuse in the Community | 3 |
| AJ 64 | Police Patrol Operations | 3 |
| AJ 66 | Juvenile Procedures | 3 |
| AJ 89 | Family Violence | 3 |
| ANTR 13 | Introduction to Forensic Anthropology | 3 |
| CNT 68 | Digital Forensics Fundamentals | 3 |
| PSYC C1000 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 6 | Abnormal Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 12 | Life-Span Psychology | 3 |
| SOC 1 | Principles of Sociology | 3 |
| SOC 3 | Introduction to Race and Ethnicity | 3 |
| SOC 6 | Social Problems | 3 |
| Total Units for the Major | 24 | |
| Additional General Education and Elective Units | ||
| See the Las Positas College General Education (LPC-GE pattern or the California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC) pattern for a listing of areas and courses. Double counting courses in GE and the major is permissible. The number of units that may be double counted will depend on the entry point to the degree program, the optional course(s) taken, and the GE pattern selected. Elective units must be degree applicable. Consult with an adviser or a counselor to plan the courses necessary to achieve your academic goal. | 36 | |
| Total | 60 | |