One of the best advantages of securing your 2-year Associates in Arts transfer degree in Criminal Justice (CRJ) is that you will be able to transfer up to 64 credits to your 4-year college of choice. In doing so, you will enter that college as a Junior and complete your 4-year degree in another two years. Upon graduating, you have many career paths you can follow. You can enter the police force, work as correctional officers, become a criminal investigator, or shift their focus to forensic science and work within CSI (crime scene investigation), just to name a few.
Bachelor's prepared students can also segway and study cyber security, online crimes or secure higher degrees (Masters, Doctorate) and work for state law enforcement agencies or federal agencies as high up as the CIA or FBI.
For CRJ majors considering entering the police force, they can expect earnings are around $67K in the U.S.,(pay varies based on location). Forensic Scientists (on average) make around $61K in the U.S., while private investigators make around $59K per year. CIA and FBI agents (on average) make around $59-$63 (entry-level), but the pay can expand as the years of experience increase and higher degrees earned.
Our Associate of Arts (AA) two-year degree is 60 credits.
All social and behavioral AA and AS degrees are backed and protected by Alabama Transfers (Learn More).
There are two tracks for Criminal Justice (CRJ) students. Know the difference.
Track 1 is highlighted on a different page. It is an AAS degree that is designed as a 2-year degree that leads to early entry into the workforce. CRJ courses taken under this degree are not transferable to 4-year colleges. However, general education courses are transferable.
Track 2 is a 4-year degree in Criminal Justice is highlighted on this page. This is the college-transfer track. Students take their first two years at Lawson State as Criminal Justice transfer students, and then they transfer up to 64 credits and complete their 4-year degree at the college of their choosing. In the end, they will have earned a Bachelors degree in Criminal Justice.
See the Alabama Transfer Course Guide. Click below.
As previously noted, Criminal Justice has two tracks. The AAS degree is a 2-year degree designed for individuals who are trying to enter the workforce early. This is NOT a transferable degree.
CRJ Transfer Option:
If you are interested in a Transfer Degee that would lead to your 4-year degree in Criminology, you would select a different degree altogether. To do so, you would complete your first 2 years at Lawson and then transfer your credits to a 4-year college and complete your Bachelor's degree. To follow the transfer track, opposed to AAS Criminal Justice track, follow one of the transfer degrees paths listed below.
Alabama Transfers
tlines what specific courses you need for each Social Science pathway (Area of Concentration). Click below to review your area of interest or to discover even more Social Science pathways that may be of interest to you.
Explore your Social Science Pathway and more career options via Alabama Transfers.
Want specific information related to Lawson State's programs and course listings outlined in the catalog? Click here.
Explore your options by looking into these related programs.
Birmingham Campus
Building "B"
3060 Wilson Road, SW
Birmingham, AL 35221
Ms. Kirsten Green, Criminal Justice Instructor
Email: kgreen@lawsonstate.edu
