Go to nashuacc.edu/programs for even more details about this and other NCC programs and certificates.
The Criminal Justice Certificate is available 100% on-campus or online. This certificate is designed to prepare students for careers in Law Enforcement, the Court System, or Corrections. In addition, graduates of the certificate program may continue their education in undergraduate programs in Criminal Justice, Criminology or Homeland Security.
For those already in service the program provides professional development for career advancement purposes. Students with a certificate in Criminal Justice qualify for employment in city, county, and state criminal justice agencies, and in the rapidly-growing private industrial security field.
Requirements & Considerations
Please note that dropping from a required program course may mean that the student will be out of sequence in program course offerings which may delay graduation. Students who begin the program in the spring semester or who need developmental course support should recognize that it may take longer to complete the program.
It is also important to note that many protective services careers have health and fitness requirements as well as other specific expectations. Individuals who have had difficulty with the law depending upon the nature of the problem may not be employable. Applicants who have any questions should discuss their concerns with an advisor prior to enrolling in this program.
Criminal Justice technical standards have been implemented to provide students with guidance and information relative to skills and essential functions needed to ensure successful completion of the program. These standards are furthermore reflective of industry requirements which are crucial for success in the profession. These standards are intended to serve as a guide regarding the legal, physical, emotional, psychosocial, and intellectual expectations within the profession. These standards further ensure that students will exhibit the emotional stability required to exercise sound judgement, to accept guidance and direction from superiors and/or faculty staff and to maintain professional interpersonal relationships with fellow students and personnel in the field. Meeting these standards does not guarantee success in this program or guarantee employment in this field upon graduation but nonetheless are required.
Students in the Criminal Justice Program are advised that to participate in the internship program and to gain employment in the criminal justice field, that they must be free of criminal convictions. It is now mandatory that students complete a New Hampshire background check prior to assuming any internship duties. This check may require fingerprinting depending upon the provider. Fingerprinting can be done at one’s local police department or various state police or DMV locations. The student may incur fees in meeting these requirements. This process ensures the safety and security of the workplace environment as well as the protection of certain confidential and sensitive information.
- All students are required to exercise and maintain high ethical, legal, and moral standards of the criminal justice field or face being removed from the program.
- The safety of all our students is paramount. Students are required to maintain proper boundaries within the college while also demonstrating the ability to consistently adhere to and practice the Code of Ethics of the college. Failure to do so could result in being removed from the program.
- A criminal check is the responsibility of students and is required as a condition of potential internships. Students must be mindful that comprehensive background checks are completed by potential employers for many careers in the criminal justice field. Applicants who have had complications with the law may not be employable. Prospective students with a criminal record or history that may affect their internship placement and/or potential employment opportunities are encouraged to discuss their career goals with a program coordinator or advisor prior to admission.
- Students must be mindful that basic health and fitness requirements are essential for many professions in the criminal justice field. Prospective students with special needs and/or limitations that may affect their internship placement and/or potential employability are encouraged to discuss career goals with a department/program advisor prior to admission.
- Strong interpersonal skills reflecting the ability to work in collaboration with others and the ability to interact appropriately with individuals from a variety of social, emotional, cultural, and educational backgrounds are essential qualities within the criminal justice field. These skills must be demonstrated in the classroom setting as well as in the workplace. Students and professionals within this field must have the ability to endure negative verbal and hostile views in potentially antagonistic situations while also maintaining composure during stressful and/or emergency situations. Also required is the ability to work independently and the aptitude to be a team player.
- Students must have effective communication skills demonstrating the ability to interact with populations of all ages and ethnicities. Strong conflict resolution skills and the ability to face emergency and volatile situations in a calm, non-defensive, rational and respectful manner are required. Students must be able to solicit information from individuals such as the questioning of victims or the interrogation of suspects and to convey information clearly and accurately.
- Students must be able to understand and follow written instruction and/or verbal direction.
- Students are required to have ample writing skills and the ability to formulate written reports and draft official documents.
- Students must demonstrate and maintain both organizational and time management skills, including the responsibility to consistently attend and participate in classes, field trips and internships.