About This Program

​​​​​​​​​The Criminal Justice program prepares students for a career in such areas as law enforcement, corrections, probation/parole, homeland security, loss prevention, and crime and intelligence analysis. DMACC also offers Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics through our IT department. 

To earn a Criminal Justice AAS or Criminal Justice Transfer Major AA degree, a student must complete the course requirements and maintain a 2.0 grade point average.

Skills and Abilities Needed

  • Ability to get along with people
  • Possess maturity and emotional stability
  • Be in good physical health including sight and hearing
  • Self discipline to work with situations which may contradict your personal values
  • Ability to deal with emergencies
  • Function well under stress
  • Ability to function effectively in a political environment
  • Possess strong writing skills

Mission

The Criminal Justice Program's mission is to meet the needs of the citizens of the State of Iowa and their criminal justice agencies. This is accomplished by:

  • Providing students with a broad-based liberal arts education to help prepare them for the rigors of the criminal justice profession.
  • Preparing students for entry level positions in various criminal justice professions including law enforcement, corrections (including probation and parole), homeland security, crime analysis and private security/loss prevention.
  • Helping to establish partnerships between DMACC and area federal, state, county and municipal criminal justice agencies.
  • Providing a foundation for AA or AAS degree students to continue their education at 4-year academic institutions.
  • Enhancing knowledge about the criminal justice field.

Program Entry Requirements

Students may start fall semester, spring semester or summer term.

Earn College Credit in High School

High school students can earn Criminal Justice class credit at DMACC Career Academies at our Ames Center, Ankeny Campus, Newton Campus, Perry Center, and Southridge Center.  Criminal Justice classes may also be offered at your high school. ​

About the Program:

Career Examples
What You'll Do
Core Job Skills
Average Salary

Criminal Justice Career Examples

  • ​Law Enforcement
  • Corrections
  • Probation/Parole
  • Homeland Security
  • Crime Scene Investigation
  • Crime and Intelligence Analysis
  • Loss Prevention
  • Private Security
  • Fraud Investigations

What You'll Do

  • Participate in small and large group discussions
  • Work through scenarios individually and within a group
  • Practice crime scene processing skills
  • Research topics of interest and present to a group
  • Practice investigative interviewing, report writing, and testifying
  • Meet criminal justice professionals and visit various agencies
  • Craft current resume and participate in mock interviews

Core Job Skills

  • Ability to get along with people
  • Possess maturity and emotional stability
  • Be in good physical health including sight and hearing
  • Self-discipline to work with situations which may contradict your personal values
  • Ability to deal with emergencies
  • Function well under stress
  • Ability to function effectively in a political environment
  • Possess strong writing skills

Average Salary (Iowa)

  • TBD per year

​Employment in the criminal justice field is highly dependent upon one's character and background. Students who have a criminal history may complete the program of study, but it is NOT likely that they will find employment in the criminal justice field, and students with a criminal history may NOT be eligible for an internship, which is required for the AAS degree.