Police Science AS Degree

The Police Science program provides training for careers in law enforcement as well as related fields in corrections, probation, security and community service. The program offers three levels of job-entry training, as well as an Associate’s Degree designed to enhance professional skills and qualifications. The job-entry training levels include the Reserve Police Officer Certificate of Achievement, Basic Peace Officer Certificate of Achievement and the Basic Correctional Officer Training Certificate of Achievement. These levels consist of the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certified Module III, Module II, and Module I Basic Peace Officer Training courses and the Correctional Peace Officer Standards and Training (CPOST) certified Basic Correctional Officer course. Satisfactory completion of the POST Training requirements for hire as a Level-III or Level-II or Level-I Reserve Peace Officer or the CPOST requirements for hire as a Correctional Deputy establishes eligibility for hire in the State of California.

With the BPOT 001-Module III (7 units) and BPOT 002-Module II (12 units) or BPOT 003-Module I (19 units), a Police Science Associate’s Degree is attainable with an additional 18 units of required courses, 18 units of General Education, 3 units of electives, and 2 units of Kinesiology activity courses.

With the BCOT 010 - Basic Correctional Officer Training Course  (16 units), a Police Science Associate’s Degree is attainable with an additional 18 units of required courses, 18 units of General Education, 6 units of electives, and 2 units of Kinesiology activity courses.

Basic Peace Officer Training and Basic Correctional Officer Training courses are non-traditional courses subject to state regulations prescribed by the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) and California Commission of Correctional Peace Officer Training (CPOST). Students desiring to enroll in any POST or CPOST certified training courses must be 18 years of age, possess a valid driver’s license, be fingerprinted and present a Department of Justice signed clearance letter to possess a firearm on the first day of class. There are also certain physical and moral character requirements. Students wanting to register for these courses at COD who are unsure if they meet the POST or CPOST requirements are urged to contact the Academy Director or Police Academy Manager prior to enrollment. Please refer to the COD website www.collegeofthedesert.edu for more detailed program information or call 760.346.8041 Ext. 3765 or 3083.

Learning Outcomes

Upon satisfactory completion of this program students will be able to:

  1. Prepare current and future law enforcement professionals for the dynamic challenges of succeeding in the field of law enforcement and the Criminal Justice System.
  2. Develop a sense of the basic requirements for success in the future.

Program Requirements

Course Code Title Units
Required Courses
BPOT 001Basic Peace Officer Training-Module III7
AND
BPOT 002Basic Peace Officer Training-Module II12
OR
BPOT 003Basic Peace Officer Training-Module I19
OR
BCOT 010Basic Correctional Officer Training16
CJ 001Introduction to Criminal Justice3
CJ 002Concepts of Criminal Law3
CJ 004Criminal Court Process3
CJ 006Criminal Investigation3
CJ 024Investigative Report Writing3
CJ 030Introduction to Corrections3
Electives
Select 3-6 units chosen from the following:
CJ 003Legal Aspects of Evidence3
CJ 005Racial Issues and the Police3
CJ 010Juvenile Procedures3
CJ 025Introduction to Homeland Security & Terrorism3
CJ 026Homeland Security and Intelligence Gathering3
CJ 095ACriminal Justice Work Experience ( (Maximum of 3 units may be used for work experience)1-3
COMM 009Intro to Interpersonal Communication3
COMM 013Small Group Communication3
COMM 017Intercultural Communication3
COMM 025Argumentation and Debate3
PSY 001General Psychology3
PSY 003Developmental Psychology3
PSY 029Abnormal Psychology3
SOC 001Introductory Sociology3
SOC 002Social Problems3
SOC 003Fundamentals of Statistics3
SOC 014Introduction to Race & Ethnicity3
ASL 001Elementary American Sign Language I5
SPAN 001Elementary Spanish I5
SPAN 021Spanish for Heritage Speakers I5
Kinesiology Activity Requirement
KINE 037Physical Training for the Public Safety Academy1
KINE 038Advanced Physical Training for Public Safety Academy1
Required Subtotal34-37
Elective Subtotal3-6
Kinesiology Activities2
COD General Education Pattern18
DEGREE TOTAL60

Note: With advisor approval, up to 19 units of any Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certified Basic Peace Officer Training Module I course may be substituted for some or all of the 19 units of required CJ courses.