Undergraduate

Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice

The Criminal Justice program introduces students to the theory and practice of the United States criminal justice system. The goals of the program include:

• Providing a professional education combined with an integrated liberal arts curriculum that teaches critical thought, analytical reasoning and scholarly writing
• Preparing students who wish to pursue careers which include federal, state and municipal law enforcement, professional human services, including counseling, probation and parole, corrections and the legal profession
• Providing students the opportunity to develop intellectual skills that will enable them to pursue lifelong learning

Students pursuing the Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice must satisfy the University Core Curriculum requirements, 11 required criminal justice courses, 3 additional criminal justice electives, 8 required courses from other departments, and a sufficient number of electives to total at least 120 credit hours. Students are encouraged to apply electives toward a minor or second major.

Degree Requirements

Elective Requirements
Any three additional Criminal Justice courses

Requirements in Other Departments

Two of the following:

Two courses from one of the following areas:
Political Science, Psychology, or Sociology

Two additional courses from the College of Arts and Sciences (Required skills courses, or their prerequisites, and other required support courses for the major, cannot be used to satisfy this requirement).

Criminal Justice 4 + 1 Program

This program allows exceptional undergraduate, criminal justice majors the opportunity to earn six graduate credits during their senior year and the remainder of the requirements for the master’s of science in criminal justice in a single, post-graduate year. This is an accelerated program for students who intend to study criminal justice full-time at the graduate level. Application to the program takes place in the student’s junior year. It is strongly recommended that students who are interested in this program speak with the graduate director of the Master’s of Science in criminal justice in their freshman or sophomore year to discuss admission requirements.

The Continuing Studies Program in Criminal Justice

This program is designed for people working in criminal justice or law enforcement or those who seek employment in such areas.

Total Major Credits - 42 credits

Required Courses (33 credits)

Major Electives (9 credits)
Any three additional Criminal Justice courses.

Requirements in Other Departments - 24 credits

Two of the following:

Two courses from one of the following areas: Political Science, Psychology, or Sociology

Three additional courses from the College of Arts and Sciences (Required skills courses, or their prerequisites, and other required support courses for the major, cannot be used to satisfy this requirement).

Core Curriculum - 30 credits

Includes two writing courses (including, Expository Writing or the equivalent); a Mathematics skills course; and at least one approved course from each of the following categories: Natural Science, Humanities, Fine Arts, and Social Science; and additional liberal arts electives for a total of 30 credits

Electives - 23 credits
Total Credits required to Graduate - 120 credits