Criminal Justice

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Build a strong foundation for your bachelor’s degree! Our program sets you on the right track to a bachelor’s in criminal justice or criminology. You will create a solid foundation to study:

  • Policing techniques
  • Courtroom operations
  • Correctional methods
  • Political science
  • Social science

We make transferring easy. Our program transfers smoothly into programs at Missouri State University and Southern State University. This allows you to jump straight into their criminology programs. You can also find work with just your associate degree! Work in entry-level jobs in criminal justice and human services. Get the foundation you need and move forward in your career or education!

Dr. Amy Shelley
Behavioral Sciences Department Chair
417-447-6688

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Accreditation

OTC is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org), an accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Our current accreditation status with the HLC is displayed on the page linked below. Our next comprehensive evaluation will be in 2030-2031. View more information on OTC accreditation.

Program Outcomes

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General Admissions to Ozarks Tech

Admission to Ozarks Technical Community College is open to all individuals who can benefit from its educational programs. A focus of the college mission is on the academic, career and personal goals of the student. OTC may admit you as a First-Time student just completing their high school, GED or HiSET requirements or as a Transfer student coming from another institution finishing up a certificate or degree. For more information, visit OTC Admissions.

Wondering how you’re going to pay for college? At OTC, we believe that cost shouldn’t be a barrier to earning a degree. Our staff will work with you to make a financial plan. To browse the resources available to you, see paying for college.

 

At Ozarks Tech, we want your transfer process to be easy. We accomplish this goal through articulation agreements. These agreements are an official partnership to match coursework between schools. This gives you a more seamless transition from Ozarks Tech to a four-year institution.

We have established an agreement for this program. This will simplify the transfer of your credits to partner schools. To understand how this degree will transfer, review the current articulation agreements. Be sure to consult with your transfer school to ensure you’re on the right path toward completing your four-year degree.

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COSTS & OPTIONS

CREDENTIAL TYPE
PROGRAM
FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO:
LENGTH OF PROGRAM
COST*

Associate of Arts

Criminal Justice
  • Transfer to a four-year institution to pursue a bachelor's degree in criminal justice, criminology or related field
  • Find work in entry-level criminal justice and human service positions

60 credit hours
4 semesters

$10,640.00*
to
$14,360.00*

Short-Term Training

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Accelerate your career with OTC's short-term training courses. Gain valuable skills in as little as just weeks and unlock new opportunities for success. View courses. 

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PROGRAM DETAILS

Clicking on the options below will provide overview information, course sequences (when applicable), and specific course descriptions. To see a full catalog of all the offerings at OTC, visit catalog.otc.edu.

Criminal Justice (A.A.)*

A.A. Degree: 60 Hours

The Associate of Arts in Criminal Justice provides a directed path of study for transfer to institutions offering baccalaureate and degrees in Criminal Justice and Criminology.  The degree also provides the academic background required to secure entry level employment options in a variety of criminal justice and human service positions.

CORE 42 is a statewide general education course of study intended to ensure that all graduates possess a common core of college-level skills and knowledge. CORE 42 specifies the basic competencies and knowledge areas that all students completing degrees at a Missouri public institution of higher education must complete. CORE 42 is comprised of dozens of courses distributed across five knowledge areas. These courses are designated with a Missouri Transfer (MOTR) course number, which guarantees the one-to-one transfer of these courses among all Missouri public institutions of higher education. Please refer to MDHE Core Transfer Curriculum for detailed information on CORE 42 courses.

All knowledge areas below, designated with the CORE 42 logo, indicate all courses in that area have been evaluated and provided a MOTR number for transfer to all Missouri public institutions of higher education.

OTC math courses approved with CORE 42 designation (MTH 128, MTH 128S, MTH 130, MTH 130S, MTH 138) have guaranteed transfer to all Missouri public higher education institutions.  Any math course with a CORE 42 prerequisite will satisfy the math general education credit.  The higher level math courses may not have direct transfer to all four-year universities.  Students should check with their receiving institution for transferability of these courses.

Any course with an approved MOTR number or additional hours from a MOTR approved course can be utilized to fulfill the Core electives requirement.  Credit received from an OTC course may be greater than the MOTR transfer equivalency.  The additional credit provided form OTC for a MOTR approved course will move the additional credit to the Core electives (e.g. CHM 160 at OTC = 4 credit hours, MOTR equivalency = 3 credit hours; additional 1 hour moved to Core electives).
 

The A.A. Criminal Justice degree at OTC requires the completion of 60 credit hours.  The 3 elective hours for this category can consist of any course numbered 100 or higher from any area of study that a student is eligible to enroll.  For the most accurate transferability of a course, a student should contact the institution to which they plan to transfer.

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*Notices and Disclaimers

*Costs displayed are based on current tuition and fee rates for the program’s required credit hours, as approved by the OTC Board of Trustees, and are subject to change without notice. Estimates reflect both in-district and out-of-district residency rates. Actual costs, degree completion time, and credit requirements may vary based on residency, prior credits, elective courses, program updates, and enrollment factors. For additional information on attendance costs, visit Cost of Attendance, tuition and fees or contact us at 417-447-6900.

**Graduation rates vary by individual. For details on program enrollment, retention, exam/certification, and employment rates, visit Student Outcomes / Student Right-to-Know. Some careers on this list may require additional education and training. For program-specific accreditation visit OTC Accreditation.