Criminal Justice, B.A.
Credits: 122
CIP Code: 430104
Program Description
The Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice is an interdisciplinary approach to the study of crime and justice. "Criminal Justice" refers to law enforcement, processes of the courts and corrections as a system for the administration of city, county, state and federal laws and procedures. The curriculum includes a broad range of study to meet the academic needs of both pre-professional students who plan future careers in the criminal justice field and those currently employed in criminal justice and juvenile justice systems. The courses are designed to give students an understanding of theory and the use of empirical data to solve practical problems. The criminal justice program focuses on the following: the interrelationship of the criminal justice system with other social institutions; crime prevention; the forms of crime and the classification of offenders; policing and crime control; the courts, probation and parole; rehabilitation treatment interventions and counseling programs; and qualitative and statistical methods in the measurement and analysis of crime. This foundation will prepare students for careers in criminal justice, including but not limited to law enforcement, and court administration, social services, and graduate study.
Admissions Requirements
Applicants to the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice must meet the General Admissions Requirements as published in this Catalog.
Student Learning Outcomes
Graduates of the Criminal Justice Program will be able to:
- Discuss theoretical concepts and perspectives of criminology in our society.
- Explain theoretical perspectives pertaining to criminal activities to inform the nature of crime, the historical and philosophical foundations of law enforcement agencies, criminal courts, and correctional institutions.
- Integrate constitutional due process guarantees with the management practices of law enforcement, prosecution, and corrections.
- Recognize the differences between crimes and other types of legal and moral wrongs and discuss the role of punishments and the effect that punishment has on the substantive criminal law and the law of criminal procedure.
- Examine and communicate the current research topics and policy in the area of criminal justice critically and objectively.
Degree Requirements
In addition to the General Degree Requirements as published in this Catalog, students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice must complete all required courses and electives in criminal justice with minimum final grades of “C”. The department requires that students with a major in criminal justice choose a minor. Many of our students minor in sociology, but a student may minor in any approved area. Ideally, the minor should be selected by the student’s sophomore year.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| CSCJ 201 | Intro. to Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CSCJ 310 | Criminology | 3 |
| CSCJ 388 | Sociological Theory | 3 |
| CSCJ 387 | Research Methods | 3 |
| CSCJ 337 | Statistics I | 3 |
| CSCJ 425 | Internship I | 3-6 |
| Minimum of eleven additional Criminal Justice courses numbered 300 and above. | 33 | |
| Required Cognate Courses | ||
| Complete one year of a modern foreign language of the following: | 6 | |
| Elementary Spanish | ||
or CFLF 101 | Elementary French | |
| Elementary Spanish | ||
or CFLF 102 | Elementary French | |
| CSCJ 425 | Internship I 1 | 3-6 |
| or CSCJ 426 | Internship II | |
| Criminal Justice Electives | ||
| Select six of the following: | 18 | |
| Criminal Investigation | ||
| Victimology | ||
| Criminal Justice Management | ||
| Statistics II | ||
| Intro. to Geographic Info. Sys | ||
| Race, Place and Space | ||
| Social Reseach Methods II | ||
| Comparative Systems Analysis | ||
| Corrections Process | ||
| Courts & American Judicial Pro | ||
| Juvenile Delinquency | ||
| Criminal Law | ||
| Seminar on Organized Crime.... | ||
| Special Topics I | ||
| Internship II | ||
| Race and Ethnicity | ||
| Social Stratification | ||
| Senior Project | ||
| Independent Study | ||
| Total Hours | 78-84 | |
- 1
Students seeking an internship must complete the internship application, which may be obtained from the Department of Sociology/Criminal Justice and a minimum of six (6) additional criminal justice and non-criminal justice electives numbered 300 and above, among which up to three of the above listed non-criminal justice courses must be included.
Free Electives
Some Acceptable Non-Sociology/Criminal Justice Electives for the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice Administration: 24 Credits
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| African Women Study (300 and 400 level courses) | ||
| CAWS 490 | Intro to Women's Studies | 3 |
| Political Science (300 and 400 level courses) | ||
| CPSC 313 | Urban Politics & Policy | 3 |
| CPSC 322 | International Relations | 3 |
| CPSC 361 | Political Theory I | 3 |
| CPSC 362 | Political Theory II | 3 |
| Religion (300 and 400 level courses) | ||
| CREL 361 | Culture and Religion | 3 |
| CREL 362 | Psychology of Religion | 3 |
| CPHI 431 | African American Philosophy | 3 |
| Philosophy (300 and 400 level courses) | ||
| CPHI 331 | Hist of West Phi: Afr to Pre | 3 |
| CPHI 362 | Soc & Political Philosophy | 3 |
| CPHI 431 | African American Philosophy | 3 |
| History (300 and 400 level courses) | ||
| CHIS 433 | History of Urban America | 3 |
| CHIS 450 | The Jim Crow South | 3 |
| Psychology (300 and 400 level courses) | ||
| CPSY 315 | Social Psychology | 3 |
| CPSY 318 | Industrial/Organizational Psy | 3 |
| CPSY 320 | Social/Personality Development | 3 |
| CPSY 330 | African-Centered Psychology | 3 |
| CPSY 358 | Human Sexuality | 3 |
| CPSY 371 | Experimental Psychology I | 3 |
| CPSY 372 | Experimental Psychology II | 4 |
| CPSY 385 | Abnormal Psychology | 3 |
| CPSY 410 | Organizational Behavior | 3 |
| CPSY 413 | Learning | 3 |
| CPSY 492 | Cooperative Educ Experience | 3 |
Note: Free Electives should be chosen in consultation with the advisor depending on the choice of minor or stackable credentials.
Students should also consider a double major in sociology, psychology, history, or political science.
General Education Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Area A: Humanities/Fine Arts | ||
| Select nine credits of the following: | 9 | |
| The Biblical Heritage | ||
or CPHI 105 | Critical Thinking | |
| History of the United States and Art Appreciation | ||
| Music Appreciation | ||
| Area B: Social/Behavioral Sciences | ||
| CPSC 219 | American Govern & Politics | 3 |
| CPSY 211 | General Psychology | 3 |
| Area C: Natural Science/Mathematics/Statistics | ||
| CPHY 102 | Physical Science | 3 |
| CMAT 104 | Finite Mathematics | 3 |
| Area D: Communication | ||
| CENG 105 | College Composition I | 3 |
| CENG 106 | College Composition II | 3 |
| CSTA 101 | Fundamentals of Speech | 3 |
| Area E: Financial/Technological | ||
| Select six credits of the following: | 6 | |
| Personal Finance and Principles of Macroeconomics | ||
| Principles of Economics | ||
| Info. Technology & Comp. App. | ||
| Total Hours | 36 | |
Criminal Justice, B.A.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Hours | |
| CSCJ 201 | Intro. to Criminal Justice (Required Major) | 3 |
| CENG 105 | College Composition I (Area D) | 3 |
| CGED 100 | First Year Seminar | 1 |
| CXXX | Area C | 3 |
| CXXX | Area D | 3 |
| CXXX | Area B | 3 |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| CXXX | Area B | 3 |
| CENG 106 | College Composition II (Area D) | 3 |
| CGED 101 | 1st-Year Seminar | 1 |
| CXXX | Area E | 3 |
| CXXX | Area A | 3 |
| CXXX | Area A | 3 |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Second Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| CXXX | Area A | 3 |
| CXXX | Area C | 3 |
| Minor | Minor Requirement/Minor Elective | 3 |
| Minor | Minor Requirement/Minor Elective | 3 |
| CFL | Spanish 101 or other Language (or higher) | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| CXXX | Area E | 3 |
| CSCJ 301 | Ethnographic Field Methods | 3 |
| Minor | Minor Requirement/Minor Elective | 3 |
| Minor | Minor Requirement/Minor Elective | 3 |
| CFL | Spanish 102 or other Language (or higher) | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| CSCJ 337 | Statistics I (Required Major) | 3 |
| CSCJ 387 | Research Methods (Required Major) | 3 |
| CSCJ 3XX/4XX | Major Elective (300 or 400 level) 1 | 3 |
| CSCJ 3XX/4XX | Major Elective (300 or 400 level) 1 | 3 |
| CSCJ 3XX/4XX | Major Elective (300 or 400 level) 1 | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| CSCJ 388 | Sociological Theory | 3 |
| Minor | Minor Requirement/Minor Elective | 3 |
| Minor | Minor Requirement/Minor Elective | 3 |
| CSCJ 3XX/4XX | Major Elective (300 or 400 level) | 3 |
| CSCJ 3XX/4XX | Major Elective (300 or 400 level) | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| CSCJ 3XX/4XX | Major Elective (300 or 400 level) 1 | 3 |
| CSCJ 3XX/4XX | Major Elective (300 or 400 level) 1 | 3 |
| CSCJ 3XX/4XX | Major Elective (300 or 400 level) 1 | 3 |
| CSCJ 3XX/4XX | Major Elective (300 or 400 level) 1 | 3 |
| CSCJ 3XX/4XX | Major Elective (300 or 400 level) 1 | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| CSCJ 425 or CSCJ 426 |
Internship I (Required Major) or Internship II |
3 |
| CSCJ 3XX/4XX | Major Elective (300 or 400 level) 1 | 3 |
| Free Elective 2 | 3 | |
| Free Elective 2 | 3 | |
| Free Elective 2 | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 122 | |