Justice Studies Degree Descriptions

There are four separate Justice Studies A.S. degrees available from SBCC. Each degree provides an area of emphasis that best suits the professional and/or educational interests of our students. Those degrees are:

1. Law Enforcement Emphasis, A.S. Degree

Focuses on the operations, philosophy, and ethics of police agencies. This degree is ideally suited for students interested in understanding the nature of law enforcement as it pertains to enforcing and detecting crime, investigations, apprehending law violators, preparing a case for trial, and crime prevention.

2. Legal Studies Emphasis, A.S. Degree

Focusing on law and legal studies, this degree is ideally suited for students interested in understanding the history, philosophy, ethics, and practice of the American legal system.

3. Criminology Emphasis, A.S. Degree

Focuses on the sociology and psychology of crime and the criminal mind. This degree is ideally suited for students interested in understanding the nature, extent, causes, and control of criminal behavior in both the individual and society.

4. Administration of Justice for Transfer

This degree provides the foundational knowledge in the Administration of Justice to students who want to earn a Baccalaureate Degree in Criminal Justice. As per California Education Code sections 66746-66749, students successfully completing an "associate degree for transfer" are guaranteed admission to a Criminal Justice program at one of the California State University (CSU) campuses. Such students will transfer with junior standing and be given priority consideration when applying to a particular program that is similar to the student's community college area of emphasis.