Administration of Justice: Police Science

Certificate of Achievement Administration of Justice · Merritt College · 2026-2027 Catalog

Program Description

The Administration of Justice: Police Science Certificate of Achievement program provides practical and technical instruction to meet the requirements of law enforcement agencies at the local, state, and federal levels. The program is designed for those who are interested in careers in law enforcement with responsibilities of ensuring the security of human rights and maintaining social order according to the democratic system. Some responsibilities of law enforcement officers include enforcing laws, detecting, and arresting violators of the law, crime prevention, and protecting life and property.

A Certificate of Achievement will be awarded upon satisfactory completion of the 31-32 units specified for the certificate.

Career Opportunities

The program prepares students for positions such as police officer, deputy sheriff, state or federal patrol and investigative officer, correctional aide, security specialist, community service officer, police cadet, and reserve officer, as well as manager and supervisor in these individual fields. Placement may depend on job availability and the successful completion of an entrance examination.

Learning Outcome(s)
  1. Identify and summarize the Constitutional Amendments of Special Significance to the American System of Justice
  2. Summarize the historical development of policing in America and the characteristics of each stage/era.
  3. Explain chain-of-command and paramilitary management structure.
  4. Analyze the issues and challenges faced in policing including but not limited to police subculture, stressors, civil liability, professionalism, and ethics.
CourseTitleUnits
Required Courses:31-32
Core Courses:21
ADJUS 21Introduction to Administration of Justice3
ADJUS 22Concepts of Criminal Law3
ADJUS 23Principles and Procedures of the Justice System3
ADJUS 24Legal Aspects of Evidence3
ADJUS 25Community Relations3
ADJUS 57Report Writing for Public Safety Personnel3
HLTED 1Exploring Health Issues3
Choose One:3
PSYC C1000Introduction to Psychology3
PSYCH 10Psychology and Life: Basic Principles3
Choose One:3
SOC 001Introduction to Sociology3
SOC 2Social Problems3
Choose One:4-5
ENGL C1000Academic Reading and Writing4
ENGL C1000EAcademic Reading and Writing5
ENGL C1002Introduction to Literature4

View in the original catalog

Machine-readable: Markdown · JSON