Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Criminal Justice

Details

Field of Interest
Behavioral Science and Human Services
Degree Type
Associate in Arts (AA)
Academic Plan
Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Criminal Justice (DEG)
Academic Plan Code
8144
Effective Term
Fall 2025

Students at any Maricopa Community College may need to complete courses at more than one of our colleges.

Full-time Sequence

Full-time status is 12 credits to 18 credits per semester.

A list of additional requirements for this pathway map
Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC)

Students pursuing an Associate for transfer to a university or a MCCCD bachelor's degree should note the following changes to the Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC) requirements, effective Catalog Years 2026-27 and beyond. Students are strongly encouraged to visit with an academic advisor to assess whether transitioning to the Reimagined AGEC requirements aligns with educational goals and to ensure completion of all graduation requirements.

Effective Catalog Year 2026-27 and beyond, AGEC Requirements will include:

  • Oral Communication [OCM] (3 Credits)
  • Quantitative Reasoning [QNR] (3 Credits)
  • Institutions in the Americas [IAM] (3 Credits)

Effective Catalog Year 2026-27 and beyond, AGEC Requirements will no longer include:

  • Literacy and Critical Inquiry [L] (3 Credits)
  • Computers/Statistics/Quantitative Applications [CS] (3-5 Credits)
  • Cultural, Global, and Historical Awareness Areas [C, G, H] (0-3 Credits)
  • Subject Options -AGEC-S only (8 Credits)

For a full outline of the Reimagined AGEC Requirements, please visit Maricopa’s AGEC Webpage.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
AJS101 Introduction to Criminal Justice Critical course Gateway course SB 3
ENG101 or
ENG107		 First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL Critical course FYC or FYC 3
MAT14+ College Mathematics OR Higher approved general education course in the Mathematical Applications [MA] area MA 3–6
FYE101 or
FYE103		 Introduction to College, Career and Personal Success or Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success 1–3
AJS109 or
AJS113 or
AJS200 or
AJS212 or
AJS225 or
AJS230 or
AJS240 or
AJS270 or
AJS275		 Substantive Criminal Law or Criminal Justice Crime Control Policies and Practices or Current Issues In Criminal Justice or Juvenile Justice Procedures or Criminology or The Police Function or The Correction Function or Community Relations or Criminal Investigation I Consult with an academic, faculty, or program advisor to select 3 to 12 credits of coursework from the following. Refer to the MCCCD University Transfer Partner website for more information about your transfer-specific requirements. None or SB or None or SB or None or None or SB or None 3

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
COM100 or
COM110 or
COM225 or
COM230		 Introduction to Human Communication or Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking or Small Group Communication COM Requirement SB or SB or L or SB 3
ENG102 or
ENG108		 First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL FYC or FYC 3
CRE101 College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment L 0–3
AJS109 or
AJS113 or
AJS200 or
AJS212 or
AJS225 or
AJS230 or
AJS240 or
AJS270 or
AJS275		 Substantive Criminal Law or Criminal Justice Crime Control Policies and Practices or Current Issues In Criminal Justice or Juvenile Justice Procedures or Criminology or The Police Function or The Correction Function or Community Relations or Criminal Investigation I Consult with an academic, faculty, or program advisor to select 3 to 12 credits of coursework from the following. Refer to the MCCCD University Transfer Partner website for more information about your transfer-specific requirements. None or SB or None or SB or None or None or SB or None 3
Elective General Elective 0–3

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
CS Computer/Statistics/Quantitative Application CS 3
SG or
SQ		 Natural Sciences General or Natural Sciences Quantitative Recommend FOR105 or FOR106. SG or SQ 4
AJS109 or
AJS113 or
AJS200 or
AJS212 or
AJS225 or
AJS230 or
AJS240 or
AJS270 or
AJS275		 Substantive Criminal Law or Criminal Justice Crime Control Policies and Practices or Current Issues In Criminal Justice or Juvenile Justice Procedures or Criminology or The Police Function or The Correction Function or Community Relations or Criminal Investigation I Consult with an academic, faculty, or program advisor to select 3 to 12 credits of coursework from the following. Refer to the MCCCD University Transfer Partner website for more information about your transfer-specific requirements. None or SB or None or SB or None or None or SB or None 3
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design Recommend selecting a course that satisfies the Global [G] or Historical [H] awareness area. HU 3
Elective General Elective 0–3

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
AJS123 Ethics and the Administration of Justice AHM, HU 3
SQ Natural Sciences Quantitative Recommend FOR105 or FOR106. SQ 4
AJS109 or
AJS113 or
AJS200 or
AJS212 or
AJS225 or
AJS230 or
AJS240 or
AJS270 or
AJS275		 Substantive Criminal Law or Criminal Justice Crime Control Policies and Practices or Current Issues In Criminal Justice or Juvenile Justice Procedures or Criminology or The Police Function or The Correction Function or Community Relations or Criminal Investigation I Consult with an academic, faculty, or program advisor to select 3 to 12 credits of coursework from the following. Refer to the MCCCD University Transfer Partner website for more information about your transfer-specific requirements. None or SB or None or SB or None or None or SB or None 3
Elective General Elective 0–3

Part-time Sequence

Part-time status is 11 credit hours or less.

A list of additional requirements for this pathway map
Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC)

Students pursuing an Associate for transfer to a university or a MCCCD bachelor's degree should note the following changes to the Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC) requirements, effective Catalog Years 2026-27 and beyond. Students are strongly encouraged to visit with an academic advisor to assess whether transitioning to the Reimagined AGEC requirements aligns with educational goals and to ensure completion of all graduation requirements.

Effective Catalog Year 2026-27 and beyond, AGEC Requirements will include:

  • Oral Communication [OCM] (3 Credits)
  • Quantitative Reasoning [QNR] (3 Credits)
  • Institutions in the Americas [IAM] (3 Credits)

Effective Catalog Year 2026-27 and beyond, AGEC Requirements will no longer include:

  • Literacy and Critical Inquiry [L] (3 Credits)
  • Computers/Statistics/Quantitative Applications [CS] (3-5 Credits)
  • Cultural, Global, and Historical Awareness Areas [C, G, H] (0-3 Credits)
  • Subject Options -AGEC-S only (8 Credits)

For a full outline of the Reimagined AGEC Requirements, please visit Maricopa’s AGEC Webpage.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
AJS101 Introduction to Criminal Justice Critical course Gateway course SB 3
ENG101 or
ENG107		 First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL Critical course FYC or FYC 3
FYE101 or
FYE103		 Introduction to College, Career and Personal Success or Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success 1–3

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
MAT14+ College Mathematics OR Higher approved general education course in the Mathematical Applications [MA] area MA 3–6
AJS109 or
AJS113 or
AJS200 or
AJS212 or
AJS225 or
AJS230 or
AJS240 or
AJS270 or
AJS275		 Substantive Criminal Law or Criminal Justice Crime Control Policies and Practices or Current Issues In Criminal Justice or Juvenile Justice Procedures or Criminology or The Police Function or The Correction Function or Community Relations or Criminal Investigation I Consult with an academic, faculty, or program advisor to select 3 to 12 credits of coursework from the following. Refer to the MCCCD University Transfer Partner website for more information about your transfer-specific requirements. None or SB or None or SB or None or None or SB or None 3
COM100 or
COM110 or
COM225 or
COM230		 Introduction to Human Communication or Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking or Small Group Communication COM Requirement SB or SB or L or SB 3

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
ENG102 or
ENG108		 First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL FYC or FYC 3
CRE101 College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment L 0–3
Elective General Elective 0–3

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
AJS109 or
AJS113 or
AJS200 or
AJS212 or
AJS225 or
AJS230 or
AJS240 or
AJS270 or
AJS275		 Substantive Criminal Law or Criminal Justice Crime Control Policies and Practices or Current Issues In Criminal Justice or Juvenile Justice Procedures or Criminology or The Police Function or The Correction Function or Community Relations or Criminal Investigation I Consult with an academic, faculty, or program advisor to select 3 to 12 credits of coursework from the following. Refer to the MCCCD University Transfer Partner website for more information about your transfer-specific requirements. None or SB or None or SB or None or None or SB or None 3
CS Computer/Statistics/Quantitative Application CS 3

Term 5

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 5
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
AJS109 or
AJS113 or
AJS200 or
AJS212 or
AJS225 or
AJS230 or
AJS240 or
AJS270 or
AJS275		 Substantive Criminal Law or Criminal Justice Crime Control Policies and Practices or Current Issues In Criminal Justice or Juvenile Justice Procedures or Criminology or The Police Function or The Correction Function or Community Relations or Criminal Investigation I Consult with an academic, faculty, or program advisor to select 3 to 12 credits of coursework from the following. Refer to the MCCCD University Transfer Partner website for more information about your transfer-specific requirements. None or SB or None or SB or None or None or SB or None 3
AJS123 Ethics and the Administration of Justice AHM, HU 3

Term 6

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 6
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
SQ Natural Sciences Quantitative Recommend FOR105 or FOR106. SQ 4
AJS109 or
AJS113 or
AJS200 or
AJS212 or
AJS225 or
AJS230 or
AJS240 or
AJS270 or
AJS275		 Substantive Criminal Law or Criminal Justice Crime Control Policies and Practices or Current Issues In Criminal Justice or Juvenile Justice Procedures or Criminology or The Police Function or The Correction Function or Community Relations or Criminal Investigation I Consult with an academic, faculty, or program advisor to select 3 to 12 credits of coursework from the following. Refer to the MCCCD University Transfer Partner website for more information about your transfer-specific requirements. None or SB or None or SB or None or None or SB or None 3

Term 7

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 7
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
SG or
SQ		 Natural Sciences General or Natural Sciences Quantitative Recommend FOR105 or FOR106. SG or SQ 4
Electives General Electives 0–3

Term 8

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 8
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design Recommend selecting a course that satisfies the Global [G] or Historical [H] awareness area. HU 3
Elective General Elective 0–3

General Electives

Select additional courses 100-level or higher to complete a minimum of 60 semester credits but no more than a total of 64 semester credits. Consult with an AJS faculty advisor, program director, and/or academic advisor to identify coursework that best aligns with academic and professional goals.

Students may be required to complete a language course at the elementary or intermediate level or demonstrate proficiency through this level as indicated by assessment. Refer to the MCCCD University Transfer Partner website for more information.

At Maricopa, we strive to provide you with accurate and current information about our degree and certificate offerings. Due to the dynamic nature of the curriculum process, course and program information is subject to change. As a result, the course list associated with this degree or certificate on this site does not represent a contract, nor does it guarantee course availability. If you are interested in pursuing this degree or certificate, we encourage you to meet with an advisor to discuss the requirements at your college for the appropriate catalog year.