Criminal Justice Pathway (full-time) | Homeland Security
Associate in Science Degree
Meta-Major: Public Safety
Specialization: Homeland Security
Catalog: 2025 - 2026
Planning Your Degree Pathway
This document outlines the courses needed to complete your Associate in Science (A.S.) degree and prepare you for employment in a specialized career upon degree completion. These courses include general education requirements as well as courses specific to your field. Please connect with your Student Success Coach if you need introductory coursework, have earned college credit, industry certifications, have completed an articulated program at a technical college, or would like to modify when you take certain courses and/or how many courses you take in a term. A Success Coach can also provide guidance on how to transition or transfer to a bachelor's degree program at Valencia or another Florida state college in case you decide to earn a bachelor's degree in the future.
Additional Degree Requirements
- Introductory Coursework: Required courses based on placement tests including developmental education
- Civic Literacy Exam: must satisfy Florida Civic Literacy Exam or appropriate scores in AP or CLEP exams
- Grade Point Average (GPA): Need to maintain 2.0 or higher for both Overall GPA and Valencia GPA
- Valencia Residency: Must complete at Valencia at least 25% of the college-level credits required for a degree
* Class has a prerequisite
+ Class requires “C” grade or higher
^ Course may require a specific grade for transfer institution
GESC General Education Student Choice
- Classes fill quickly, make plans with the Class Schedule Search for early registration
- For registration instructions, review our How-To Videos
- Meet with your Student Success Coach to create an education plan.
Sample Term-by-Term Plan | Full-Time (12+ credits)
Introductory Coursework
| Courses | Credits |
|---|---|
Term 1
| Courses | Credits |
|---|---|
| ENC 1101 - Freshman Composition I+* | 3 |
| CCJ 1010 - Criminology | 3 |
| Math Core*+ | 3 |
| CCJ 1020 - Intro to Criminal Justice+ | 3 |
Term 2
| Courses | Credits |
|---|---|
| PSY 2012 - General Psychology or SYG 2000 - Introductory Sociology | 3 |
| CCJ 2452 - Criminal Justice Administration* | 3 |
| Humanities Core | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
Term 3
| Courses | Credits |
|---|---|
| CJL 2102 - Criminal Evidence and Procedures | 3 |
| DSC 1006 - Intro to Homeland Security | 3 |
| POS 2041 - U.S. Government+ | 3 |
| CJE 2600 - Criminal Investigation+ | 3 |
Term 4
| Courses | Credits |
|---|---|
| CJC 2000 - Intro to Corrections | 3 |
| CCJ 2053 - Ethics in Criminal Justice*+ | 3 |
| CJL 2100 - Criminal Law | 3 |
| Science Core | 3 |
Term 5
| Courses | Credits |
|---|---|
| CCJ 2358 - Criminal Justice Report Writing: Capstone* | 3 |
| DSC 2242 - Transportation and Border Security | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| DSC 2590 - Intelligence Analysis and Security Management | 3 |
Pathway-Specific Information
- Taking DSC 1006, DSC 2242, and DSC 2590 will result in the student receiving the Homeland Security Technical Certificate.
- If a student has taken a higher-level math; speak with a Student Success Coach.
Program Electives
No Program Electives
General Education Course Requirements
Courses listed below are 3 credit hours each unless otherwise stated.
See key for the meaning of symbols
See pathway-specific information
Communications Requirements
These courses need to be completed with a C or higher.
- ENC 1101 – Freshman Composition I*+
Humanities Core (3 Credits)
Select one of the following Humanities courses.
- ARH 1000 – Art Appreciation
- HUM 1020 – Introduction to Humanities
- LIT 1000 – Introduction to Literature
- MUL 1010 – Music Appreciation
- PHI 2010 – Philosophy
- THE 1000 – Introduction to Theater
Math Core (3 Credits)
These courses need to be completed with a C or higher.
Select one course from core
- MAC 1105 – College Algebra*+
- MGF 1130 – Mathematical Thinking*+
- MAC 2311 – Calculus with Analytic Geometry I*+ (4 Credits)
- STA 2023 – Statistical Methods*+
Science Core (3 Credits)
Select one of the following Science courses.
- AST 1002 – Astronomy
- BSC 1005 – Biological Science
- BSC 1005L – Lab in Applied Biology (1 credit)
- BSC 1005C – Biological Science Combined w/ Lab (4 credits)
- BSC 1010C – General Biology I (4 credits)
- BSC 2085C – Anatomy and Physiology I (4 credits)
- CHM 1020 – Chemistry in Everyday Life
- CHM 1045C – General Chemistry with Qualitative Analysis I* (4 credits)
- ESC 1000 – Earth Science
- EVR 1001 – Introduction to Environmental Science
- GLY 2010C – Physical Geology (4 credits)
- OCE 1001 – Introduction to Oceanography
- PHY 1020 – Conceptual Physics*
- PHY 2048C – General Physics with Calculus I* (4 credits)
- PHY 2053C – College Physics I with Algebra and Trigonometry* (4 credits)
Social Sciences (3 Credits)
Select one of the following Social Science Courses. These courses need to be completed with a C or higher.
- AMH 2010 – U.S. History to 1877+
- AMH 2020 – U.S. History 1877 to Present+
- POS 2041 – U.S. Government+
Financial Aid Notice
Federal Financial Aid will only pay for courses for the required Associate in Science Degree. Work closely with your assigned Student Success Coach to verify the degree on your record and to develop a customized plan that includes the required classes each term.
Career ready? Let's check!
- Resume and Cover Letter
- Employment Readiness
- Practice Interview and Job Shadowing
- Internships