Diploma in Criminal and Social Justice
Campus
- Vernon
- Penticton
Legend:
- Full program offered
- Partial program offered
Credential
Diploma
Delivery options
Full-Time, Part-Time
- International students eligible
Tuition and fees
2024-25: $4,674.02 per year
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This program is student loan eligible. View Financial Aid & Awards
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Fees listed are for first year (two semesters) for a typical, full-time student taking 5 courses per semester. Depending on the courses selected fees may vary.
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Fees include all mandatory fees: Activity fee, Health & Dental, Student Association fee, Education Technology fee, Development fee.
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All amounts are approximate and are subject to change.
Program details
The Criminal and Social Justice program, based at Okanagan College's Penticton campus, will provide students with an Arts-based criminal and social justice education. It is a two-year, four-semester program in which students will take a variety of criminal and social justice related courses in Sociology, Psychology, Political Science and Criminology, as well as elective Arts courses of personal interest. Some fields of inquiry may include indigenous studies, gender studies, race and ethnicity, globalization and poverty.
É«É«É«ÇéƬ will graduate from this two-year program with a Diploma in Criminal and Social Justice and transfer into degree opportunities at other institutions in British Columbia and elsewhere, or they can move directly into the workforce, as there is growing labour demand in the field of criminal and social justice.
É«É«É«ÇéƬ exit the program with a solid, practical understanding of criminal and social justice issues in Canada and the world, as well as the academic skills of analytical reasoning, critical thinking, communication, and information retrieval that will be applied to their future profession and academic pursuits.
The Diploma in Criminal and Social Justice is an excellent starting point for further study in Criminology, Sociology, and Psychology. Key points of transfer for graduates are:
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Simon Fraser University, Bachelor of Arts, Criminology
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Justice Institute of B.C., Bachelor of Law Enforcement Studies
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Royal Roads University, Bachelor of Arts, Justice Studies
This program is intended primarily to provide students with the education necessary for further study. After transfer and additional study, career options include:
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Corrections Officer
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Community and Probation Control Officer
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Forensic Psychologist
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Victim’s Assistance Worker
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Youth Advocate
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Police Officer
This diploma can only be completed in full at the Penticton campus. First-year Criminology courses are offered at the Vernon, and Salmon Arm campuses but a number of specialized courses and second year courses are only offered at the Penticton campus.
For more information, book an appointment with an Education Advisor.
| Campus | Start date | Schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Penticton | Jan. 06, 2025 | |
| Penticton | Sep. 03, 2025 | |
| Vernon | Sep. 03, 2025 | Limited courses offered, program can only be completed in Penticton |
| Vernon | Jan. 04, 2026 | Limited courses offered, program can only be completed in Penticton |
| Penticton | Jan. 05, 2026 |
Admission requirements
Regular Applicants: A regular applicant will be a secondary graduate or a secondary school student, or its equivalent, who has or who will complete the requirements for senior secondary graduation, or its equivalent, not less than one month prior to commencement of classes for the semester to which admission is sought - either fall or winter. The following minimum entrance requirements will apply to regular applicants:
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B.C. secondary school graduation, or equivalent.
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English 12 with minimum 60% or .
É«É«É«ÇéƬ with a passing grade of less than 60% in English 12, English 12 First Peoples or TPC 12 will be admissible to the first year of the program, subject to the following conditions:
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Registration is restricted to courses for which the student satisfies the prerequisites. Registration in first-year English courses is, therefore, prohibited.
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Successful completion of the English entrance requirements within the first year of studies. This may be done in one of the following ways:
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Successful completion of English 12, English 12 First Peoples or TPC 12 or an equivalent course with a minimum grade of 60%. This may be done concurrently through the College's Adult Basic Education Program or by completing an equivalent course through a distance education program.
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Mature Applicants: A mature applicant will be at least 19 years of age and will not have attended secondary school on a full-time basis for a minimum period of one year.
Secondary graduation is waived for mature applicants. The English entrance requirements, as stated above, must be satisfied prior to admission. Admission may be granted on the condition that the entrance requirements will be completed prior to the commencement of classes for the semester to which admission is sought - either fall or winter.
Program outline
Year 1
Semester 1
Year 2
Semester 3
Semester 4
Additional information
View the official Calendar details and policies
Learn more about the department
View the Tuition and fees page
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