On October 25th, 2023, I was granted the honor of joining Phi Theta Kappa, an honors society awarded to students who achieve a GPA average of 3.50. My membership number is 000021835146. 

This course is six weeks long and includes a two-week optional portfolio development workshop immediately following. The course also includes one free portfolio assessment. The course is taught on the Learning Counts Learning Management Server (LMS) and leads students through on how to identify college-level learning, how to align it with college courses, and how to build a portfolio to earn college credit. Students have six months from the start of PLA 100 to submit their first portfolio. The grading for the courses is Pass/Fail.

During my first semester at Eastern Gateway Community College, I enrolled in the PLA100 - Prior Learning Assessment Course. This course provided me with the opportunity to demonstrate my prior learning. I was able to showcase my technical training from high school, my completion of the Police Academy, as well as my experience with online e-learning and prior learning from other colleges. As a result of successfully completing this course, I was granted 33 credits towards my associates in Criminal Justice. Additionally, I received credits for the Sociology courses I had taken while attending Bucks County Community College and Lansdale School of Business.

A prerequisite course is required before taking an advanced course. Prerequisites are listed below course descriptions in the catalog. Some prerequisites can be bypassed through placement testing, ACT and SAT scores, Advanced Placement credits, and proficiency examinations. A co-requisite course is required to be taken simultaneously with another course. Co-requisite courses have skills or outcomes that support and enhance each other's learning. To ensure success, these courses should be taken in the same semester.

This course will cover various philosophies, theories, and principles of the American criminal justice system. We will examine the history and provide an overview of the criminal justice system, as well as analyze its components.

Through the Prior Learning Assessment (PLA), I earned PLA credits by proving my completion of multiple Criminal Justice courses. This highlighted my extensive prior training in the field, resulting in a three-credit award towards my associates.

This course delves into the laws governing policing, including those derived from the U.S. Constitution, U.S. Supreme Court rulings, and statutes enacted by Congress and state legislatures.

This course focuses on improving writing skills and teaching basic research skills. It emphasizes writing that is suitable for different situations and audiences, in terms of content, organization, tone, and style. Students will learn various strategies for composing, including brainstorming, free writing, clustering, drafting, revising, editing, and proofreading. They will be expected to produce a range of essays to demonstrate their skills and will also be introduced to library and online research methods. Additionally, students will be required to complete a short research paper using MLA documentation. It is possible that the course may involve participation in activities or events outside of the classroom that are relevant to the course objectives.

Statistics is a field that involves analyzing and interpreting data. It encompasses various aspects such as data collection, graphic representation, measures of central tendency and dispersion, probabilities, types of distribution, sampling, hypothesis testing, and elementary aspects of correlation.

This course offers students a comprehensive understanding of crime scene investigation techniques. Topics covered include scene search, recording, sketching, photographing, lineup procedures, and fingerprint processing. The course places particular emphasis on developing interviewing and interrogation skills.

Kent v. U.S.A., 383 U.S. 541

Interpersonal Communications is a course that aims to enhance students' communication skills and competence in interacting with others. By engaging in class exercises and reading materials, students will explore various aspects of interpersonal communication such as critical thinking, self-concept, perception, listening, verbal and non-verbal expression, emotional expression, conversational skills, personal relationships, intercultural communication, and conflict resolution. Additionally, students may be required to participate in outside classroom activities or events that align with the course objectives.

This introductory psychology course provides a comprehensive overview of human consciousness, senses, learning, memory, thinking, intelligence, development, and psychological disorders/treatment. It explores the contributions of historical and contemporary figures in the field, while also introducing students to the experimental and research methods used by psychologists. Outside classroom activities/events may be required to enhance understanding of course outcomes.

This course will focus on analyzing the contemporary problems within juvenile and adult penal institutions. We will examine prison subcultures, population control, and administration concerns. Additionally, we will study comparative penal systems, treatment approaches, and new alternatives to incarceration.

This course provides students with a thorough introduction to criminology, fostering critical thinking about the root causes of crime. Through an exploration of various theories, students will develop a comprehensive understanding of the complexities surrounding criminal behavior.

This course provides an introduction to the scientific study of human group behavior. It covers scientific research methods, the nature and functioning of culture and society, the influence of the social environment on individual behavior, and the interrelationships among social institutions such as family, education, religion, economics, and politics. Students may be required to participate in outside classroom activities or events that are relevant to the course outcomes.

This course provides a comprehensive study of American government, covering federal, state, county, and municipal systems. The focus is on the structure of the U.S. Constitution, the functions of the three branches of government, and the major founding documents. Students will also explore historical and contemporary research, its practical significance, and the development of their psychological vocabularies. Outside classroom activities/events may be required to enhance learning.

In Semester IV, I took the following courses: 

- POA112 Self Defense I (8 credits)

- POA113 Criminal Law (3 credits)

- POA115 Community Oriented Policing (3 credits)

- POA116 Physical Training I (1 credit)

- POA120 Technical Report Writing (4 credits)

In Semester V, I enrolled in the following courses: 

- POA110 Firearms (2 credits)

- POA111 NHTSA Standards (4 credits)

- POA114 Police Procedures (3 credits)

- POA117 Physical Training II (1 credit)

- POA118 Self Defense II (4 credits)

Additionally, I have earned 33 credits through the CJT998 Police Officer Prior Learning program.