Criminal Justice
Available in State College, Altoona, and Lewistown
The Criminal Justice program at South Hills will launch you on a career in the field of justice—from law enforcement to corrections to advocacy. The program is designed to be very hands-on, combining theory with practice and application. The CJ program provides students with an understanding of the criminal justice system and the socio-economic factors that impact the field. As a South Hills Criminal Justice student, you will learn investigative techniques, basic security skills, and the criminal legal process/procedures for the Pennsylvania court system, as well as the basics of criminal and family law. Students even receive training to earn Oleoresin Capsicum Aerosol Training (OCAT - pepper spray) and Practical and Tactical Handcuffing (PATH) certifications.
Our Criminal Justice graduates are working in careers as local and state Law Enforcement Officers and Deputies, Juvenile Justice Center Professionals, Corrections Officers, Private Security Guards, Loss Prevention Managers, and Victim Advocates.
CJ Graduates Can Earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Only Two Years with St. Francis University!
South Hills students graduating with the Associate in Specialized Business in Criminal Justice are eligible for a bachelor degree completion program in Behavioral Science through St. Francis University Office of Adult Degree & Continuing Studies.
Finish your Bachelor of Science degree in Behavioral Science in only two years or less through online, weekend, and evening classes in State College or Altoona. South Hills students will be guaranteed acceptance with a 2.0 GPA and up to 64 credits from our CJ program will automatically transfer into the program. Students and alumni may transfer in additional credits through military or other colleges as applicable, accepting up to 98 credits. The customizable curriculum allows you to take as few or as many classes as you want so you can balance work, family, and life. Financial aid is available to those who qualify. This program can also be completed fully online.
For more information about Bachelor's degree completion, visit the St. Francis website or call the Office of Adult Degree & Continuing Studies at 814-472-3012.
Complete Course List
Criminal Justice Course List for 2018-19
This program information appears in the 2018-19 school catalog. Click here to download all course descriptions.
| Term | Course # | Course Name | Credits | Clock Hours | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Term | GE183 | Business English 1 | 4 | 60 | ||
| LE119 | Family Law for CJ | 2.5 | 36 | |||
| CJ123 | Introduction to Criminal Justice | 5 | 60 | |||
| CJ125 | Introduction to Law Enforcement | 4.5 | 48 | |||
| GE213 | Oral Business Communications | 2 | 24 | |||
| PD110 | Professional Development | 2 | 24 | |||
| CJ128 | Sociology for CJ | 4 | 48 | |||
| First Term Totals: | 24 | 300 | ||||
| Second Term | LE118 | American Constitutional Law | 4.5 | 48 | ||
| GE180 | Applied Psychology | 3 | 36 | |||
| GE184 | Business English II | 4 | 60 | |||
| LE120 | Intro to the Law of Torts | 3 | 36 | |||
| CJ122 | Introduction to Corrections | 5 | 60 | |||
| CP283 | Microsoft Office | 4 | 60 | |||
| Second Term Totals: | 23.5 | 300 | ||||
| Third Term | CJ225 | Criminal Investigations | 3 | 36 | ||
| CJ227 | Criminology | 5 | 60 | |||
| CJ124 | Introduction to Criminal Law | 5 | 60 | |||
| GE181 | Introduction to Statistics for CJ | 3 | 36 | |||
| CJ126 | Introduction to Victimology | 4.5 | 60 | |||
| CJ232 | Terrorism & Homeland Security | 3 | 36 | |||
| Third Term Totals: | 23.5 | 288 | ||||
| Fourth Term | CJ119 | An Introduction to the PA Criminal Justice Handbook | 3 | 36 | ||
| CD104 | Career Development I | 2 | 24 | |||
| CJ224 | Criminal Evidence | 3 | 36 | |||
| CJ226 | Criminal Procedures | 5 | 60 | |||
| CJ120 | Forensic Science | 3 | 36 | |||
| CJ127 | Rehabilitation of the Offender | 3 | 36 | |||
| GE182 | Writing for CJ | 4.5 | 60 | |||
| Fourth Term Totals: | 23.5 | 288 | ||||
| Fifth Term | CD105 | Career Development II | 2 | 24 | ||
| CJ233 | Criminal Justice Capstone Project | 4 | 60 | |||
| CJ234 | Criminal Procedures II | 3 | 36 | |||
| Elective | 3 | 36 | ||||
| CJ229 | Emergency Procedures | 2 | 24 | |||
| GE178 | Human Relations in the Workplace | 2.5 | 36 | |||
| CJ121 | Human Rights Issues in Criminal Justice | 3 | 36 | |||
| CJ230 | Juvenile Delinquency | 4.5 | 60 | |||
| Fifth Term Totals: | 24 | 312 | ||||
| Elective Choices | CJ228 | Drugs, Crime and Criminal Justice | 3 | 36 | ||
| CJ231 | Media and Criminal Justice | 3 | 36 | |||
| Sixth Term | CD200 | Career Preparation | 0.5 | 10 | ||
| CJ236 | Criminal Justice Internship | 11 | 330 | |||
| CJ235 | Specialized Certifications for CJ | 2.5 | 36 | |||
| Sixth Term Totals: | 14 | 376 |
Careers in Criminal Justice
With two years of hands-on training and strong skillsets, our Criminal Justice graduates are prepared for a variety of career options, including:
- Local Law Enforcement Officer
- Corrections Officer
- Juvenile Justice Center Official
- Loss Prevention Specialist
- Private Security Guard
- Sheriff’s Deputy
- State Law Enforcement Officer
- Victim Advocate
Each student completes a summer-long internship before graduation, providing real world experience. We have placed interns at locations including:
- Centre County Correctional Facility
- Centre County Sherrif’s Office
- Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office
- Clinton County Correctional Facility
- Huntingdon County Emergency Management Agency
- Lewistown Borough Police Department
- State Correctional Institution at Houtzdale
- State Correctional Institution at Rockview
- State College Police Department
- Tiadaghton Valley Regional Police
- Trough Creek Forestry Camp
South Hills Criminal Justice graduates are well-trained and in demand for their knowledge and work ethics. Some of the many locations employing our graduates include:
- Abuse Network
- Centre County Sheriff’s Office
- Centre County Correctional Facility
- Central Counties Youth Center
- Centre County Youth Service Bureau/Stormbreak
- Clearfield County Prison
- Clinton County Correctional Facility
- Elk County Prison
- Payton and Associates
- Pennsylvania State Police
- State Correctional Institution at Rockview
- St. Moritz Security Services
Meet the Faculty
Jennifer Stover
Program Coordinator / Instructor
State College Main Campus
Jennifer Stover has been a Criminal Justice instructor since 2008 and currently serves as the Coordinator of the Criminal Justice program. She is an advisor to the second-year Criminal Justice students and is the advisor for the Community Outreach & Public Service (C.O.P.S.) Club at South Hills. Jennifer is certified as an instructor in Practical and Tactical Handcuffing (PATH) and Oleo Capsicum Aerosol Training (OCAT).
Jennifer is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. She began her employment in the criminal justice field working with the Lycoming County District Attorney’s Office and the Lycoming County Drug Task Force before becoming an Investigator for the Inspector General’s Office. During her years of employment, Jennifer loved the criminal justice field which led her to decide to share her passion through teaching. She then earned her Master’s Degree in Education before joining the South Hills team.
John McCullough
Adjunct Instructor
State College & Lewistown Campuses
John McCullough has been an instructor in the Criminal Justice program since 2008. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from Ursinus College and a Master’s degree in Social Service from Bryn Mawr College School of Social Work.
He has worked in two federal and four state prisons in the following positions: Social Worker, Director of a drug program, Director of Treatment, Deputy Superintendent (Camp Hill and Rockview), Superintendent (Houtzdale), Supervising Superintendent (Houtzdale, Huntingdon, Smithfield, and Cresson), and Deputy Secretary for the Western Region of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. He also taught part-time at Penn State in the Administration of Justice program.
Sarah Stoltz
Adjunct Instructor
State College Main Campus
Sarah graduated magna cum laude from Mount Aloysius College in 2005. She then earned her Juris Doctor in 2009 from Penn State, The Dickinson School of Law.
Before joining South Hills, Sarah served as a law clerk to the Honorable Pamela A. Ruest at the Centre County Court of Common Pleas. In addition to teaching, Sarah continues to practice law as a part-time Student Legal Services attorney at Penn State.
Louis Lombardi
Instructor
Altoona Campus
Lou Lombardi has been an instructor teaching at South Hills since 2010.
Prior to teaching at South Hills, Mr. Lombardi taught criminal justice courses at Penn Highlands Community College. Mr. Lombardi is a graduate of the Pennsylvania State University graduating with a B.S. degree in the Administration of Justice. Upon graduating from Penn State, Mr. Lombardi joined the New York City Police Department where he spent twenty years in the agency and rose to the rank of Police Captain. While in the NYPD, Mr. Lombardi attended law school and graduated cum laude from Brooklyn Law School. He currently is licensed to practice law in three states – New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
Venus Shade
Instructor
Lewistown Campus
Venus Shade is an instructor in the Criminal Justice program. Venus has a Bachelor of Science degree in Administration of Justice from Penn State and a Master's degree in Administration of Justice from Shippensburg University.
Venus has worked as a Probation Officer with Mifflin County Probation and Parole at the Mifflin County Correctional Facility, and she has served as Assistant Director of the Loysville Secure Treatment Unit and Director of Seven Mountains Academy Partial Hospitalization Program. Venus is married and has one son.
Venus's "I Am South Hills" Video
David W. Molek, Esquire
Adjunct Instructor
Lewistown Campus
Dave Molek graduated from Chief Logan High School, has a B.A. in Political Science from Saint Vincent College, and a J.D. from Dickinson School of Law. He is a U.S. Army veteran in Military Intelligence, was an Assistant Attorney General of the Commonwealth, former Mifflin County District Attorney, and practicing attorney for over 40 years.
Program Advisory Committees
| Member Name | Job Title | Company |
| Steven Godfrey | Drug and Alcohol Taskforce Supervisor | Department of Corrections, Quehanna Boot Camp |
| Zach Sayers | Corrections Officer | Centre County Correctional Facility |
| Josh Brown | Corrections Officer | SCI Rockview |
| Cassandra McCormack | Detective in Narcotics Enforcement Unit | Lycoming County Drug Task Force |
| Brittany Lewis | Probation Officer | Centre County Adult Probation |
| Andrea Fisher | CEO | Youth Service Bureau |
| Tina Baronio | Loss Prevention Supervisor | Kohl's |
| John Aston | Detective, Criminal Investigations Unit | State College Police Department |
| Member Name | Job Title | Company |
| Bernard Chatman | Owner | Kesytone Investigation & Security Specialists, LLC. |
| Cheryl Gonsman | Community Liaison | Family Services Incorporated |
| Missy MacIntyre | Blair County District Attorney's Office | |
| Robert Donaldson | Attorney | Law Office of Robert Donaldson |
| Sue Griep | Victim/Witness Coordinator | Blair County District Attorney's Office |
| Diana Rummell | Operations Manager | Gittings Protective Security, Inc. |
| Ashley Gehrdes | Program Specialist | Blair County Children & Youth Services |
| Member Name | Job Title | Company |
| David Barron | Judge | Mifflin County Court House |
| Joshua Garver | Warden | Mifflin County Correctional Facility |
| Craig Weston | Chief | Granville Township PD |
| Andre French | Sergeant | Mifflin County Reginal Police |
| Phil Lucas | Director | Mifflin County Office of Public Safety |
| Lisa Foltz Hubler | Mental Health Counselor | Mifflin County Correctional Facility |
| Jonathan Reed | Magisterial District Justice | Commonwealth |
| Alina Reed | Judicial Law Clerk | Mifflin County Government |
| Tom Stalnaker | Counselor/Work Release Coordinator | Mifflin County Correctional Facility |
| Dave Clemens | Chief | Lewistown Police Department |
For more information about our graduation rates, the median debt of students who completed the program, and other important information, please view the Criminal Justice Disclosures page on our website.
