The Criminal Justice Program is designed to develop law enforcement professionals, other criminal justice personnel and others who, after completion of the two-year program, will be prepared to continue their studies in fields such as police administration, public administration, legal studies, and management.
Upon successful completion of all program requirements, graduates will be able to:
- Discuss the field of criminal justice including police organization, administration and management systems.
- Demonstrate basic forensic procedures.
- State their ethical responsibilities for the field of criminal justice and for their role as an officer of the law.
- Communicate effectively in writing, verbal and electronic formats with particular emphasis on police reports.
- Apply problem solving skills to specific criminal justice situations.
- Discuss the social and psychological characteristics of offenders.
As defined by the American Bar Association, “A paralegal is a person qualified by education, training or work experience who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, governmental agency or other entity and who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible.”
The paralegal studies program at Union County College is designed to prepare graduates for a variety of paralegal job opportunities. The utilization of paralegals improves the efficiency, economy and availability of legal services. A paralegal performs substantive legal work under the direct supervision of an attorney.
Paralegals may not provide legal services directly to the public, except as permitted by law.
The Associate in Applied Science Degree Option will prepare students to enter the paralegal work force with the requisite skills or to transfer to a four-year institution to complete their baccalaureate degree.
The specific objectives of this program are that the student will be able to:
- Examine the roles played by paralegals in the American legal system, particularly the ethical regulations concerning the practice of law;
- Demonstrate critical thinking and problem solving skills;
- Effectively communicate with others in a diverse society, maintaining a professional manner and client confidence;
- Conduct legal research and other fact-gathering activities including client interviews and investigations using current and emerging technologies;
- Demonstrate the ability to write clearly and accurately according to the standards of the legal profession;
- Recognize the similarities and differences among the general areas of law;
- Discuss the basic tenets of the diverse subjects of law, define the legal terms related to these areas, and prepare the documents related to these specialties;
- Analyze and evaluate the relevant legal issues presented in various fact patterns;
- Prepare various documents in preparation for litigation and post-trial practice;
- Incorporate computer technology in law office management and data compilation systems.
Transfer Policy: Prospective students may transfer no more than 30 credits, and no more than 12 credits of legal specialty courses, into Associates in Applied Science degree program, and only with the approval of the Program Director.
The American Sign Language and Deaf Studies Degree Program is designed for individuals who do not have a college degree and are interested in the field of Deaf Studies, linguistics, communications, psychology, social work, rehabilitation, education of the Deaf and other related areas. The program provides a multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary approach in American Sign Language and Deaf Studies. Areas of scholarly pursuit include cultural and historical studies, linguistic examination, and literary analysis, as well as the study of the language in its conversational form. Graduates will be prepared for entry-level positions working with Deaf persons or transfer to four-year degree programs. This program can be completed either as a part-time or full-time student in a day or evening program.
Students are admitted to the ASL and Deaf Studies Program when they have demonstrated English competency and have satisfactorily completed the two semesters of the Pre-entry-level. Students are required to have satisfactorily completed ENG 101 and ENG 102 before taking ASL 201 (ASL 3) and ASL 205 (Linguistics of ASL).
Deaf and Hard of Hearing students are encouraged to participate in this program.
The American Sign Language-English Interpreting Program is designed for individuals who are interested in the field of American Sign Language-English Interpreting. The program provides a multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary approach of instruction. The five-semester program (after the pre-entry-level is completed) is designed to equip students with knowledge and skills for entry-level sign language interpreting. Areas of scholarly pursuit include cultural and historical studies, linguistic examination, and literary analysis, as well as the study of the language in its conversational form. The courses within the program are geared to preparing students for evaluation for certification through the National Association of the Deaf – Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf National Interpreters Certificate. Graduates will be prepared for entry-level interpreting positions working with Deaf persons or transfer to four-year degree programs. This program can be completed either as a part-time or full-time student in a day or evening program.
Students are admitted to the American Sign Language-English Interpreting Program when they have demonstrated English competency and have satisfactorily completed the Pre-entry-level courses of American Sign Language.
The specific objectives of this program are that the graduate must be able to:
- Demonstrate proficiency in the use of American Sign Language and English with members of the Deaf community.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the studies of American Sign Language as a distinct modern language, including scholarly pursuit of cultural and historical studies, linguistics, and literary analysis.
- Explain the social and cultural characteristics of American Deaf Culture, general and diverse American culture.
- Identify and analyze the psychological and social factors affecting diverse populations within the Deaf community.
- State the ethical and professional standards of interpreters working in the field with Deaf and Hard of Hearing persons.
- Examine the types of interpretation and translation and the processes of interpretation, using theoretical models.
- Demonstrate the skills and process tasks of American Sign Language-English interpretation.
- Explain and analyze the field of interpretation from an historical perspective.
- Analyze contemporary issues in the field of interpreting and the Deaf community.
- Demonstrate effective written, spoken, and signed communication skills.
- Demonstrate the skills and motivation for continued self-education.
- Demonstrate critical thinking and problem solving skills, with emphasis on using community resources to solve specific problems.
- Analyze one’s rights and responsibilities as a professional and/or a citizen in a world community.
The Audio Production program is designed to provide students with a solid foundation for further study and employment in the growing field of Audio Production.
As a transfer program, the program provides a foundation in academic and general studies courses, which prepare students for further study at four-year programs in this discipline both locally and nationally.
Additionally, the program intends to create graduates with the requisite training and skills to begin working with industry standard equipment and software to compose and record their own compositions and compete for entry-level positions in the field.
Other Communications Degrees Include:
- Communications
- Film
- Game Design Creation
- Journalism
- Multimedia
- Public Relations
- Radio
- Television
Specifically, graduates must be able to demonstrate the ability to:
- recount the history of audio recording technology;
- in conducting research, understand the importance of qualifying source material, using time honored structures such as peer review and disciplinary standards;
- demonstrate an understanding of the recording industry as a business;
- a level of comfort and proficiency with standard productivity software such as Adobe Audition, Cubase SX and Pro Tools, as well as an understanding of the ways in which these tools are applied
- in the audio production field;
- the ability to understand and apply all phases of audio production in the contemporary music studio environment;
- identify the fundamental process and sequence involved in the production of audio composition;
- identify the different roles and responsibilities of the recording studio
- identify the historical development of musical performance;
- understand the essentials of audio engineering, the fundamentals of digital imaging and video editing for New Media applications.
The drama option will include the study of European and modern theater as both “text” and “event”, with reading, improvisation, field trips, playwrights, and directing used as techniques in the learning process. Students will also develop voice, body, and imagination through the art of acting and will put those skills to use in all forms of dramatic presentations.
Upon successful completion of all program requirements, graduates will be able to:
- Communicate effectively both orally and in writing
- Use technology for learning and research
- Analyze the history and elements of drama and theater acting
- Perform effectively as an actor in a specified scene
- Apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to situations involving theater
The Respiratory Care program is a two-year course of study leading to the Associate in Science degree in Respiratory Care. The course work can also be done on a part-time basis. Clinical instruction and training is provided by the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ), School of Health Related Professions. Hours for clinical practice may vary and travel to the clinical setting is the responsibility of the student. Respiratory care therapists are employed in the treatment, management, control, evaluation, and care of patients with deficiencies and abnormalities associated with the cardiopulmonary system.
Also note that a minimum GPA of 2.75 is required in first-year prerequisite courses in order to continue to the Respiratory Care (second year) course work.
The specific objectives of this program are that the graduate must be able to demonstrate as a new clinician:
- effective communication and interpersonal skills consistent with professional and employer expectations for a Respiratory Care Therapist;
- the ability to comprehend, evaluate, and apply information relevant to their role as Respiratory Care Therapists;
- the psychomotor skills that are consistent with professional and employer expectations for a Respiratory Care Therapist;
- the ability to function as a member of the Health Care Delivery team, providing patient care in a multicultural and ethnically diverse society.
SUGGESTED GRADES PRE-K-3 Option offered through Liberal Arts
For students who wish to prepare themselves for an Associate degree or wish to transfer and earn a baccalaureate degree in Early Childhood Education or Elementary Education.
Upon successful completion of all program requirements, graduates will be able to:
- Apply knowledge of psychological concepts to the learning behavior of children from Pre-K to Grade 3
- Analyze the characteristics of effective teaching behaviors and “best practices” in the teaching profession
- Describe the organization and funding of school systems
- Describe the roles of teachers, students, parents, administrators, and teacher associations in the U.S.
- Communicate effectively orally and in writing
- Demonstrate the skills and motivation for continued self-education
