What should I take this
semester?
Students enrolling in the CJAA program are welcome to enroll in any course taught at GWC through an online or in-person format. We recommend you enroll in Counseling G103 - Educational Planning, and one other course that will meet your educational goals. Counseling G103 will help you identify campus policies, and plan your college courses through development of an individualized Student Educational Plan (SEP) to meet your Associate of Arts Degree requirements.
Please review the "What
Classes Must I Take?" section for a full list of courses.
Try to select coursework in General Education areas that you need to complete.
Is there a
time limit to complete the CJAA Program?
There is no time limit for the CJAA degree completion program.
How many classes
can I take in the CJAA Program?
Officers can take one class or up to 18 units in a semester. However, we recommend that officers working full-time register only for 6 units per semester. This is a good balance of both work and school hours. We also recommend that until officers complete Counseling G103 or the Matriculation steps and assessment, they consult with a GWC counselor for course selection (see “Online HelpDesk” on the CJAA website menu).
How long will
it take to receive my registration appointment once I have filled
out and submitted my application online?
As a general rule, you will receive
an e-mail response within 72 hours excluding weekends and holidays.
May I take
campus classes as well as online classes?
Yes, you may register for any combination of classes: Online, Online-Hybrid, or classes that meet in a traditional on-campus format.
Will my previous
Academy courses count towards my AA degree?
Yes, your police academy training applies toward your AA degree. There are 40 POST academies in California and they each consist of a minimum of 664 hours of training. However, most academies offer more than the minimum hours and the college unit value varies depending on the program/college affiliation. About 18 units is an average unit value for a CA police academy. Regardless of the amount of units your academy awarded you, those units will satisfy the Police Academy course requirement for the GWC Criminal Justice AA Degree once your transcript/POST Certificate/Training Record is evaluated by the GWC Counseling Division and Criminal Justice Division.
I took other
courses at a community college. How do these credits apply?
The coursework taken at other accredited
community colleges and colleges/universities will be evaluated
once a transcript is received. All degree applicable coursework
from regionally accredited colleges and universities will have
the units from those courses credited toward the total needed
for the CJAA degree. A more detailed transcript evaluation will
need to be completed to determine if specific courses meet general
education and/or transfer requirements.
To which department
do I have my transcripts from other schools sent?
Admissions and Records
Golden West College
15744 Golden West St
Huntington Beach, CA 92647
What if I have
a question for a Counselor?
Please submit a request to our Online
Helpdesk and select the "Counseling Information "
option, or contact Jimmy Nguyen or Karen Dickerson at cjaacou@gwc.cccd.edu.
How do I set
up a counseling appointment?
You may set up an appointment by phone
at (714) 895-8799. Be sure to identify yourself as a Criminal
Justice AA Degree Completion Program student.
Do I have to
come to campus to sign up and take the New Student Orientation?
You can complete this requirement and your educational plan by enrolling in the Counseling G103 online course during your first semester. We strongly suggest you take Counseling G103 to complete your matriculation requirements.
Should you elect not to take Counseling G103 online, you may complete the New Student Orientation online. To request a login name and password, please phone the Counseling Division at (714) 895-8799.
Can I register
for classes if my transcripts from other schools have not yet
been received?
Yes. However, if your transcripts contain
proof that you have fulfilled a certain course pre-requisite,
your transcripts must be on file at GWC before you will be able
to register for that course.
Can I obtain Admissions and Records forms online?
Yes: Admissions
& Records Forms.
