Officials at Southwestern Community College in Iowa have announced that the school will expand its course options for students interested in adding an advanced degree in criminal justice to their resumes in order to work in the law enforcement, security and legal fields. The college recently added additional criminal justice courses for the fall 2011 semester, and said it will continue to expand the program with new classes that include constitutional law, introduction to computer forensics, criminology and juvenile delinquency. Jane Bradley, SWCC vice president of instruction, said the courses will be offered at the Creston campus and the Osceola Center with an associates of arts transfer plan available for criminal justice majors who want to add a 4-year degree to their resume. "Most often employment opportunities in the criminal justice arena require a 4-year degree," Bradley explained. "By having these introductory criminal justice classes in their associate of arts degree plans, students will be more prepared when it’s time to transfer." A number of local law enforcement professionals will teach the courses, including Clarke County magistrate Kristian Lehmkuhi. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that job opportunities for police officers and detectives are expected to grow by 10% through 2018. |