Criminal Justice

Students majoring in Criminal Justice take the first 60 credits at LaGuardia and the final 60 credits at John Jay. This means that when you successfully complete the first 60 credits and meet the College’s requirements for graduation, you not only receive an associate's degree from LaGuardia but are rewarded with the option of guaranteed admission to John Jay College. Once at John Jay, you will be on-track to complete your bachelor's degree in one of the CJA majors.

CJA students are automatically enrolled into the Bachelor of Science (BS) at John Jay. Students can change their major at any time once they are matriculating at John Jay.

You do not need to fill out a transfer application, and do not need to go to the transfer office. As a Criminal Justice major at LaGuardia you are part of the CUNY Justice Academy, a joint degree program with John Jay that guarantees your enrollment at John Jay once you have completed your Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice at LaGuardia. As you are nearing graduation from LaGuardia, you will receive an email from John Jay College asking you to confirm your intention to continue your studies at John Jay. The CJA team at John Jay College will then assist you with your transition to a bachelor’s degree program. You do not need to go to the transfer office. In the beginning of your last full semester at LaGuardia, simply register for “Intend to Graduate.” Next, email the CUNY Justice Academy Advisor, Frances Plata, to make an appointment during her office hours at LaGuardia: fplata@jjay.cuny.edu. In addition, a CJA advisor from John Jay is here on campus in the Social Science Department (C-459) every Thursday from 9 am -3 pm to assist you in making a seamless transfer once you have completed your degree at LaGuardia. For more information, visit the CJA Resources at John Jay College.

LaGuardia has also partnered with John Jay and the New York Police Department as part of a new initiative called APPLE Corps (Academic Preparation Program for Law Enforcement), to create pathways in the first two years of the Associate degree or the Bachelor's degree for students working toward public service careers at the NYPD.

Note: It is not recommended for students to transfer to John Jay College before completing their Associate’s degree at LaGuardia Community College. Students who do transfer early may lose credits, affecting financial aid and admission into a specific major at John Jay is not guaranteed.

In support of the LaGuardia’s mission to educate and graduate its students to become critical thinkers and socially responsible citizens, the College has undertaken a team approach toward advising, designed to support you in your major from orientation through graduation.

Your Advising Team is made up of faculty, professional and peer advisors. They will guide you at every step during your college career. They are ready to help you:

• Explore your major
• Select introductory and advanced courses
• Connect you with campus support services
• Prepare an educational and career plan

Visit the Advising page to learn more about when to get advised and how to prepare for an advising appointment, and check out the Advising Calendar for information sessions, events and more.

An AS or BS degree in Criminal Justice opens the door to a wide variety of career opportunities, including law enforcement, corrections, probation, parole, social work, forensics, firefighting, juvenile justice and court administration, just to name a few.

Employment prospects for criminal justice positions in New York City are growing at a faster than average rate. Moreover, 60 college credits satisfy the educational requirements for the vast majority of entry-level criminal justice positions in New York City, including police officer (60 credits), correction officer (39 credits), and firefighter (15 credits). Students seeking greater educational opportunities and exposure to a wider range of career choices including forensic science, forensic psychology, criminal justice administration, and international criminal justice are encouraged to earn their four-year degree.

A degree in Criminal Justice is the first step to obtaining work in a variety of careers, including:

Explore career possibilities on Career Connect.

Current Students
Log in to My LaGuardia to review your Degree Audit to find out what classes to take. Have questions about using Degree Audit? Visit LaGuardia's Degree Audit page for tutorials and how-to guides.

Prospective Students
Review the curriculum.

Please note: Students will be held to the program and degree requirements of the year that they enter the College, unless the student changes their major in a different academic year. In that case, the student will be held to the current year requirements as listed in the catalog. Learn more.

Degree Map
Use the Degree Map and DegreeWorks to assist in academic planning and creating your own graduation plan in ePortfolio. See a full list of Flexible Core courses on the Pathways page.

For information about this program’s retention and graduation rate visit the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment website page.