ST. PAUL — Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson filed a lawsuit Tuesday against two colleges, accusing the schools of misleading criminal justice students about their ability to land a job in their field and transferring credits to other institutions.

Swanson contends the Minnesota School of Business and Globe University try to attract prospective students who want to become police officers, but don’t offer the educational requirements to become a licensed police officer under Minnesota law. The schools, which are under common ownership, aren’t regionally accredited and don’t offer a program approved by a state standards board.

“Going to college has long been a way for people to try to make a better life for themselves. The schools exploited this dream for some students, who are now saddled with debt,” Swanson said in a statement.

The schools called the lawsuit “an unnecessary enforcement action” that only serves to hurt the interests of the schools’ students and graduates. The schools said in a statement that they have fully cooperated with the attorney general’s investigation.