ACADEMIC INFORMATION

          1.            Students in Criminal Justice need to be competent in reading and expressive skills.    Textbooks and additional reading assignments are typically at a college level of comprehension.  Therefore, students weak in reading may find that study requires substantial time.  Testing is designed to determine if students really understand the material, therefore they must be able to organize and clearly state information, both orally and in writing.

          2.            Students who are enrolled from semester to semester progressing consistently throughout the curriculum under which they entered remain under those specific guidelines.  Should any changes be instituted in the curriculum, such students have the option of changing to the new curriculum if they so desire.

          3.            Students who terminate enrollment for any reason (other than the summer term, which is not considered a regular term for enrollment) are then subject to whatever curriculum is in effect at such time as they may be readmitted to the program.  Should any deficits then exist, such students are under obligation to make up those deficits in order to qualify for graduation.

         4.           A minimum of 66.0 semester hour credits are required for graduation.  These credits are to be     obtained as follows:

Program Requirements: 18 hours

                                   Introduction to Criminal Justice (3.0)

                        Police Administration (3.0)

                        Criminology (3.0)

                        Correctional Systems (3.0)

                        Criminal Law I (3.0)

                        Criminal Evidence or The Judicial Process (3.0)

 General Education:         33 hours

English Composition I and II (6.0)

General Psychology (3.0)

Introduction to Sociology (3.0)

American Government (3.0)

State and Local Government (3.0)

Contemporary Mathematics (3.0)

Contemporary Moral Issues, Introduction to Philosophy or Ethics in Criminal Justice (3.0)

Introduction to Computers (3.0)

Public Speaking (3.0)

Approved Humanities Elective (3.0) 

               Electives:              15 hours

Two General Electives (6.0)

Three Approved Electives (9.0)

            5.         The Criminal Justice program requires that all Criminal Justice students make a grade of "C" or better in the required Criminal Justice courses.  A cumulative GPR of "C" is necessary for graduation.  Students are reminded that only a grade of "C" or better is for students to be admitted transferable to other institutions and many four year colleges require a cumulative GPR of 2.5 in order.

          6.            Department status is not affected by the number of hours carried each semester, as long as the student remains enrolled.  Certain other offices however, such as Veterans Affairs or Financial Aid, may require students to maintain certain course loads in order to remain eligible for benefits.

          7.            Attendance in class is strictly regulated.  A mandatory minimum attendance of 75% of all class meetings is required by Midlands Technical College for all curriculum and Developmental Studies courses.  Individual departments or individual instructors however, may require even stricter attendance, as is the case within the Criminal Justice Program.  Students are advised to miss class only when absolutely necessary as attendance is a significant aid to learning.

            8.         Midlands Technical College has established procedures under which students may withdraw or be withdrawn by instructors from academic courses.  Prior to mid-term, a grade of "W" will be issued to students who withdraw from class or who are withdrawn by instructors due to excessive absences.  After mid-term, a grade of “W” or "WF" will be issued . A grade of "W" indicates that the student was passing at the time of withdrawal and a "WF" indicates a failing grade at the time of withdrawal.

            9.         Course outlines or syllabi are to be given to students at the beginning of each course for which they are enrolled.  These outlines include course objectives and requirements, testing information, reading assignments and attendance policies.  Students are held responsible for all material included in the course outline.

         10.          Please note that courses are offered regularly only in certain semesters.  It is recommended that students maintain the prescribed sequence.  If, however, the student attends part-time or must repeat a course and is consequently out of this recommended sequence, it is the responsibility of the student to plan, with the assistance of the advisor, course selections for future semesters.  This planning is imperative in order for the student to graduate at an anticipated date.

         11.          Criminal Justice research papers are to follow the APA publication style.  In addition to research papers, other forms of written work may be required such as journals, abstracts, book reports, annotated bibliographies, and reaction papers.  Students are encouraged to utilize the Writing Centers, which are available on both campuses.