The Criminal Justice - Law Enforcement program provides training in protecting lives and property, as well as preserving the peace while upholding the law. As a student in the Criminal Justice – Law Enforcement 2 program, you will learn:
- Patrol procedures for residential, commercial, and industrial areas
- Monitor traffic for safe and legal operations
- How to properly issue warnings, citations, and make arrests
- How to investigate accident and crime scenes
- How to carry out long-term investigations leading to the prosecution of criminal offenders
- Strategies to maintain the confidence of the public by displaying professional conduct
Graduates of this degree may need to have further training to enter certain Law Enforcement fields. Talk to your advisor about careers you may be interested in.
- Overview
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Is This Program for You?
If you are interested in making a difference in your community by providing safety, order and serving those in need, a career in law enforcement may be for you.
Students entering the Criminal Justice Law Enforcement 2 program should have the following skills and abilities:
- The ability to work professionally and respectfully with diverse populations.
- Strong written and oral communication skills
- Analytical thinking and problem solving skills
- Strong internal motivation and the ability to work independently
- Strong attention to detail with the ability to rapidly perceive and process information
- The ability to work in various work conditions, including inclement weather, holidays, nights and weekends
- Have a strong moral and ethical background that promotes public service
- Possess the necessary physical, medical, emotional and psychological conditions necessary to meet the requirements of the profession
- The ability to respond to emergency situations in a calm, focused and safe manner
- Remain objective and non-biased in interactions with the public
- Possess driving records and criminal history backgrounds that free of disqualifying offenses
Program Basics
- Associate degree, requiring a minimum of two years to complete.
- The majority of classes are offered face to face on campus. Some training sessions will be hosted during the evening and outdoors.
- Fall start.
- Financial aid available.
- Credit for prior learning may be available.
- Curriculum & Costs
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Cost of Attendance (COA) 25-26
Cost of Attendance (COA) is a total of all the usual expenses of being a student. The COA sets the maximum amount of financial aid a student can receive.
Category Amount Tuition and Fees $4,932 Living Expenses (Housing and Food) $10,305 Books and Supplies $1,463 Personal Expenses $3,065 Transportation $4,103 Charger Tech 360 Fee $700 Loan Fees $85 Yearly Total (Living Away from Home) $24,653 1 Semester Total (Living Away from Home) $12,327 Based on Wisconsin Residents.
Approximate school costs are for a full-time (12 credit) student over a semester span of 17 weeks.
Fees are legislated by the Wisconsin Technical College System Board.
These costs are estimates and are subject to change without notice.
- Admissions & Requirements
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Admission and Program Requirements
- Submit Application
Most programs admit students as applications are completed. For certain high-enrollment programs with limited space, applications are reviewed in order of residency and review dates. Programs currently in this category include Radiography, Electrical Power Distribution, Midwifery, Cosmetology, and Nail Technician. Learn more about our Admissions and Wait List Policy.Academic Preparedness Requirements
- Log in to your MySWTC account, go to My Profile → Document Center → All Programs to complete the following:
- Send your transcripts and scores to Southwest Tech: While not required, sending your transcripts and test scores helps us make sure your classes are the right fit. We consider any previous college credit you’ve earned, Accuplacer or ACT scores, high school GPA, or an assessment at your registration session. Submit your high school transcripts, college transcripts, and test scores by emailing admissions@swtc.edu, or mailing them to Southwest Tech, Attn: Admissions, 1800 Bronson Blvd, Fennimore, WI 53809
- Career Assessment Plan
Start your Student Success Plan by exploring your career interests, talking through your program choice, and confirming your path feels like the right fit. This step can be completed either by setting up a One-on-One Career Assessment Meeting with a recruiter or as part of your Student Success Plan Meeting with an advisor. Schedule a Student Success Plan Meeting by clicking “Make an appointment” with your program advisor. - Academic Map + Supports & Services Plan
Continue building your Student Success Plan by planning your courses, reviewing funding options, and connecting with resources. To complete this step, schedule a Student Success Plan Meeting by clicking “Make an appointment” with your program advisor.
- Submit Application
- Outcomes
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Program Outcomes
At the completion of the program, students are expected to be able to:
- Recognize the personal demands required of police.
- Demonstrate proper police investigative procedures.
- Demonstrate effective communication with diverse populations.
- Understand legal principles and procedures to ensure justice.
- Apply Wisconsin statutes when analyzing criminal behavior.
- Demonstrate writing skills.
- Practice good personal fitness strategies.
- Practice effective team member attributes.
- Career Opportunities
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The profession of law enforcement, also known as police science, is becoming very people-oriented. Law enforcement officers spend a great deal of time communicating and interacting with an increasingly diverse population. Officers are more active in community relations and crime prevention, and they must always be able to react immediately to any level of emergency. Criminal Justice—Law Enforcement 2 prepares graduates for careers as:
- Police officers
- Deputy sheriffs
- Security guards
- Bailiffs
- Correctional officers
Each of these careers may require special additional requirements and/or training.
Southwest Tech's Career Connections Center offers Services to assist students looking for job placement.
- Transfers
- Prior Learning
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Credit for Prior Learning
Experience Pays! You've Been There... You've Done That... Let's See If You Can Get Credit For It!
Credit for prior learning gives you opportunities to earn credit for college-level knowledge that you have already acquired. This may be the result of work or volunteer experiences, certifications, apprenticeships, military training, extensive self-instruction, or professional development. Credit for Prior Learning affords you the opportunity to accelerate the completion of your educational goals.
For more information on Credit for Prior Learning see our Credit for Prior Learning page.
At any time, you may Request Credit for Prior Learning.
Criminal Justice - Law Enforcement 2 Courses that may have Credit for Prior Learning options:
Course # Course Title Challenge Exam
(Demonstration)Challenge Exam
(Standard)CLEPCredentialPortfolio10-801-136 English Composition 1 CLEP Test - College Composition 10-801-196 Oral/Interpersonal Communication 10-809-196 Introduction to Sociology 10-809-198 Introduction to Psychology CLEP Test - Introduction to Psychology