Feb 07, 2025  
2025-2026 Catalog 
    
2025-2026 Catalog

Criminal Justice Police Academy Certificate

Location(s): Public Safety Training Complex


Schoolcraft program code #CRT.00253

The Police Academy is restricted to students who are officially admitted to the program.

The criminal justice system is a highly specialized field. Law enforcement officers are employed by 40,000 local police agencies nationwide as well as county sheriffs’ departments. Law enforcement officers must be prepared to interact with the public in a position of responsibility and authority. Knowledge of the criminal justice system, including criminal law, police field operations, criminal investigation and human relations enhances the professionalism of the criminal justice system.

After completing the Police Academy (CJ 287), students may become certifiable by passing the MCOLES Certification Exam. Certification is valid for one year. Pre-service students, who are not employed by a law enforcement agency, must complete at least 41 credit hours of required course work in the Criminal Justice program for the associate degree before taking CJ 287. Students who already possess an associates degree or higher, or only require the credits earned in CJ 287 to complete their degree, are exempt from this requirement.

Students who satisfactorily complete all college and program requirements qualify for a certificate of completion.

Becoming a law enforcement officer requires candidates to meet certain psychological and physical requirements. Please review “Employment Standards for Michigan Law Enforcement Officers” available at www.michigan.gov/mcoles prior to beginning this area of study.

Not all courses are offered each semester. Students should work with an academic advisor to develop a schedule that will work for them. Students planning to transfer should check the transfer institution’s requirements/guides or discuss their options with an academic advisor.

NOTE:  Federal Financial Aid is not available for this program.

Sample Schedule of Courses


First Year


Fall Semester


  • Credits: 21
  • Course requires a special admissions process.  Contact the Public Safety Education office at 734-462-4306 for application requirements. 

Program Total Credits: 21 Credits


Programs Requiring Licensure


Federal regulations require Schoolcraft College to publicly disclose, for each educational program designed to meet the educational requirements for a specific professional license or certification required for employment in an occupation (or advertised as meeting a requirement for employment), information about whether program completion would meet those requirements in a state. These public disclosure requirements apply to all programs, regardless of their modality (i.e., on-ground, online, and hybrid programs).

Please see the disclosure related to the educational requirements for professional licensure and certification.