Description
Criminal justice is a demanding career requiring exceptional skills and knowledge. This programme is directed at criminal law practitioners such as lawyers, forensic and police investigators; public policing as well as the private security industry. Security and risk management, although there are many generic issues, distinguishes itself from related fields of study such as social control, the criminal justice system and community safety. Security and risk control practice is fast becoming a specialised field of study in safety and security in South Africa. Law enforcement investigators, analysts and response officers should be able to manage the primary and secondary functions within the sphere of policing in the public and private policing environment.
Students will be required to integrate core knowledge into society and effectively execute their functions. There is a definitive escalating demand for professionally trained, practically orientated and knowledgeable law enforcement officers in the public and private sector. This demand calls for a higher level of knowledge and competence regarding a series of legal subjects as well as procedures and processes which are vital for effective policing and maintaining a safe society.
This programme is career directed. Law enforcement practitioners are capacitated to establish a private enterprise in the field of security. Apart from following a career as a private law enforcement officer, successful candidates will also be able to articulate to related fields of study such as criminology, policing, traffic and metropolitan police services. Students studying towards this programme will find that the acquisition of the numerous competencies in the programme will add value to their understanding of any of these sectors and functioning in the work place.
Career Options
Students could pursue a career as:
- South African Police Officer
- Private Security Officer
- Investigation, Auditing and Security Manager
- Risk Manager
- Criminologist
- Criminal Justice officer
- Intelligence Officer
Admission Requirement
The minimum entry requirements for the Higher Certificate in Criminal Justice are:
- A National Senior Certificate (NSC) with Higher Certificate endorsement, or
- A National Certificate Vocational (NCV) at NQF Level 4 with Higher Certificate endorsement, or
- Amended Senior Certificate (ASC), with Higher Certificate endorsement, or
- A Senior Certificate (SC), with University Exemption or Higher Certificate endorsement, or
- Foreign School leaving Certificate that complies with minimum admission requirements for Higher Certificate study as gazetted by the Matriculation Board (The Matriculation Board will do equivalency evaluation) Alternative admission requirements
- Senate discretionary admission
- Mature Age (45 years of age): conditions apply
- Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
- Candidates over the age of 23 at registration or during their first year of attendance who have attained a Senior Certificate with at least 40% in at least four Higher Grade or Standard Grade subjects, at least three of which were passed simultaneously, one of which is a Higher Grade subject and one is English.
Additional Requirements
- Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy and English at NQF level 4 or equivalent
- Foreign applicants whose first language is not English, may be required to provide proof of proficiency in English prior to admission to the programme
Lyceum may require appropriate combinations of subjects and levels of achievement for certain qualifications.
Articulation
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) processes and Credit Accumulation and Transfer (CAT) are articulation mechanisms. The institution reserves the right to conduct a formal assessment for purposes of CAT. An evaluation will be conducted to recognise prior learning. This evaluation may or may not be based on a form of formal assessment and can include a portfolio of evidence submission. These mechanisms are in line with the HEQSF as envisaged in the NQF Act 67 of 2008 and the CHE “Policies on the Recognition of Prior Learning, Credit Accumulation and Transfer, and Assessment in Higher Education” published by the CHE in August 2016.
The final approval for applications in respect of CAT and RPL is subject to academic vetting in terms of applicable legislation and institutional policies.
Enquire at your nearest Lyceum Branch Office for more information regarding the awarding of subject credits (Credit Accumulation and Transfer – CAT) towards Lyceum Qualifications.
Study materials are largely supplied in digital format only. Printed copies can be ordered at the prescribed tariffs.
Assessment
Assessments consist of two assignments (formative assessment) and a final examination (summative assessment) for each subject. The two assignments consist of an online multiple-choice (MCQ) assignment and an application-based assignment.
NB: Make sure you upload assignments before the submission date in the required format. Assessments that are not submitted onto the portal (myClass) will not be accepted.
Your final mark for each subject will be calculated as follows:
Assignment contributes 60% towards the final mark
Examination contributes 40% towards the final mark
NB: Lyceum does not allow students to bank assignment marks. Students must complete assignments for the academic cycle in which they wish to write exams.
Cycle 1 constitutes a cohort of students whose modules were registered between 1 April and 30 October.
Cycle 2 constitutes a cohort of students whose modules are/will be registered between 1 November and 31 March.
Certification
Upon successful completion of your programme, you will receive a certificate depicting: – Diploma in Criminal Justice and an academic transcript. These documents will be issued at the annual graduation ceremony, couriered to the nearest branch or posted to you, provided that your account is in order.
NB: Certificates cannot be issued to the students before a graduation ceremony.
The student’s responsibility is to ensure they meet all the programme requirements before issuing a qualification.