Corrections
(Code 152)
Associate in Applied Arts and
Sciences or
Associate in Arts
Academic Department: Criminal
Justice
This program prepares students to serve as adult corrections officers in prisons and
jails, counselors in halfway houses, and probation or parole officers. It also serves to
enhance the skills of people already employed in correctional settings.
Corrections officers are charged with safekeeping of people who have been arrested, are
awaiting trial, or who have been tried and convicted of a crime and are sentenced to serve
time in a correctional institution. The Correctional Officer Training Act requires that
certain specific college courses and academy training are necessary to certify individuals
as correctional officers. Students are advised to discuss specific requirements with the
GRCC Corrections Training Coordinator before enrolling.
Probation and parole officers work in community settings and with the courts in
counseling and monitoring the activities of sentenced and paroled offenders. Most
jurisdictions require a bachelor's degree as a condition of employment for parole and
probation officer jobs. Students interested in such work should discuss transferability of
Community College work to baccalaureate degree-granting institutions with the GRCC
Corrections Training Coordinator before enrolling in the program.
The job outlook for corrections officers continues to be very favorable. Students in
Corrections may qualify for either the Associate in Applied Arts and Sciences degree or
the Associate in Arts. Those who wish to earn the AA should take care that they meet the
communication, humanities, social science and natural science requirements for that
degree.
The following scheme is presented as a guide only. Courses may be taken in any order,
as long as all requirements (including prerequisites) are met.
Suggested sequence
First Year
| First Semester |
Credits |
| BA 101 Business and Technical English 1 OR |
|
| EN 100 College Writing ** OR |
|
| EN 101 English Composition 1 ** |
3 |
| CJ 105 Introduction to Corrections # |
3 |
| CJ 115 Client Growth and Development # |
3 |
| CJ 140 Juvenile Delinquency |
3 |
| Natural Science Elective ** |
4 |
First Semester Earned Credits: |
16 |
|
|
| Second Semester |
Credits |
| BA 102 Business and Technical English 2 OR |
|
| EN 102 English Composition 2 ** |
3 |
| CJ 110 Introduction to Criminal Justice |
3 |
| CJ 145 Juvenile Corrections |
3 |
| CJ 281 Criminal Justice Internship 1 OR |
|
| CJ 285 Criminal Justice Practicum 1 OR |
|
| CJ 270 Issues in Corrections |
3 |
| PE 156 First Aid |
1 |
| SP/CJ 122 Spanish for Criminal Justice |
3 |
Second Semester Earned Credits: |
16 |
Second Year
| Third Semester |
Credits |
| CJ 216 Client Relations in Corrections # |
3 |
| CJ 221 Correctional Institutions # |
3 |
| CJ 237 Legal Issues in Corrections # |
3 |
| CJ 245 Substance Abuse |
3 |
| CJ 282 Criminal Justice Internship 2 OR |
|
| CJ 286 Criminal Justice Practicum 2 OR |
|
| CJ 270 Issues in Corrections |
3 |
| PE 140 Personal Defense |
1 |
Third Semester Earned
Credits: |
16 |
|
|
| Fourth Semester |
Credits |
| CJ 243 Methods of Interviewing |
3 |
| CJ 246 Alcohol Use and Abuse |
3 |
| PS 110 Survey of American Government |
3 |
| Humanities Elective ** |
***3 |
| Natural Science Elective ** |
4 |
Fourth Semester Earned Credits: |
16 |
|
|
Total Credits (for AAAS) |
64 |
Total Credits (for AA) |
66 |
** Students matriculated for the Associate in Arts degree should take EN 100 or EN 101,
and EN 102; BA 101 and BA 102 will not fulfill requirements for the AA. The AA degree also
requires 8 credits of natural science (one course of which must include a laboratory) and
8 credits in humanities.
*** Must be at least 5 credits for students matriculating for the AA degree.
# These courses meet the minimum academic program requirements mandated by the Michigan
Correctional Officers Training Council (MCOTC) under Public Act 415.