Criminal Justice (BS)

10_criminal_justice

Departmental Admission Requirements

There are no specific admission requirements for this degree plan. 

The Change Major Request form can be found under the Academic Progress tile on ULink.


Soaring Scholars Program-Accelerated BS-MS in Criminal Justice

Students apply during the first or second semester of their Junior year (usually when they have earned between 60-75 hours) and must have a 3.0 GPA at the time of application.

Students interested in applying to the BS/MS Criminal Justice Soaring Scholars program should follow the application process outlined in the Soaring Scholars Application Checklist; minimum requirements for the BS/MS in Criminal Justice Soaring Scholars program are also listed there.

Admission to a Soaring Scholar program does not guarantee admission into the associated master’s degree program.  Soaring Scholar students must apply to the associated graduate program in their last semester, before graduating with the bachelor’s degree, to be considered for the Accelerated Master’s graduate program. They must meet all the requirements for admission to the graduate program at the time of application to be admitted. Learn more about the graduate admissions process and admission requirements for the Criminal Justice Master’s program (insert unique URL for each program).

General Education Requirements

General Education Requirements *31
The following courses are required by the program and can satisfy the respective General Education Requirement:
Introduction to Criminal Justice - SB (or CJ 201 or CJ 202)
Quantitative Analysis in Criminal Justice - QR

*All degrees require the completion of the University-wide General Education Program (link provided above).  Some General Education requirements may be met in the requirements for the major or supporting coursework, in which case additional electives may be required to complete the minimum hours for the degree.

College/School Requirements

Arts & Sciences Requirements
GEN 100Student Success Center First Year Experience1
or GEN 101 Arts & Sciences First Year Experience
Foreign Language 16-8
Electives in Humanities or Natural Sciences at 300 level or above 26
WR—two approved courses at the 300 level or above 3
Minimum Total Hours13-15

Program/Major Requirements

Department of Criminal Justice - Required Core Courses
CJ 200Introduction to Criminal Justice - SB 43
CJ 201Introduction to Law Enforcement - SB 43
CJ 202Introduction to Corrections - SB 43
CJ 305Theories of Crime and Behavior 3
CJ 306Criminal Procedure3
CJ 325Criminal Justice Research Methods 3
CJ 326Quantitative Analysis in Criminal Justice - QR 43
CJ 360Juvenile Justice3
CJ 395Criminal Law and Evidence3
CJ 485Criminal Justice Senior Seminar - CUE, WR 53
Minimum Total Hours30
Supporting Courses
Criminal Justice Electives (see approved list below) 624
Minimum Free Electives 721-23
Minimum Total Hours for Graduation121
Culminating Undergraduate Experience (Graduation requirement)
Requirement fulfilled by completing:
Criminal Justice Senior Seminar - CUE, WR 5

 Students must have a minimum of 50 hours at the 300 level or above.

Approved Criminal Justice Electives
A minimum 15 hours must be in Criminal Justice
Criminal Justice Occupational Courses and Learning
Career Development and Cultural Intelligence - D1, SB
Introduction to Digital Forensics and Media Analysis
Criminal Justice Prior Learning Assessment (PLA)
Court Administration
Sex Crimes
Crime and the Media
Forensic Science and Investigative Techniques
Harm Reduction and Public Safety
Private Security Management
Community Corrections
Introduction to Cyber Investigations
Law Enforcement Administration
Social and Restorative Justice
Criminal Court Procedures
Legal Issues in Corrections
Institutional Corrections
Crimes Against Older Adults
Crime Victims and Victimization
Drugs and Crime
Computer Applications in Criminal Justice
Organized Crime
Behavioral Analysis of Violent Crime
Violence in the United States
Environmental Crime
Comparative Criminal Justice - WR
Human Trafficking
Computer and Electronic Crime
Internship
Correctional Rehabilitation
Police Administration
Law and Police Administration
Police Organizational Behavior
Police and the Community
Directed Studies
Special Topics in Criminal Justice
Criminal Justice Honors Thesis - WR
Crime and Criminal Justice in Film
International Terrorism
Crime Analysis
Managing Conflict, Change, and Justice
Seminar in Juvenile Justice Issues
Gangs in the United States
Domestic and Family Violence
Capital Punishment - WR
Corporate and Financial Crime - WR
Serial and Mass Murder
Race and Gender in Criminal Justice - WR
Introduction to Homeland Security
Managing Organizational Performance
Trauma Informed Policing
Criminal Justice Leadership - WR
International Service Learning: Criminal Justice Seminar
Seminar in Criminal Justice
Ethics in Criminal Justice - WR
Approved Program Related Electives
Students may supplement the required 15 hours of CJ electives with 9 additional hours from the CJ list above or from the list below.
Sex, Gender and Culture
Race, Culture, Identity
The Human Skeleton
Nationalism, Violence, and the State
Skeletal Forensics
Human Behavior and the Social Environment I
Social Welfare Policy I
Diversity, Oppression and Social Justice Practice
Argument In Everyday Life
Persuasion
Group Process
Organizational Communication
Introduction to Interpersonal Communication
Newswriting - WR
Communication and Gender
The Influence of Media
Introduction to Urban Communication
Introduction to Intercultural Communication - D2, SB
Mass Communication Law
Advanced Organizational Communication - WR
Economic Geography
Urban Geography
Population Geography
Introduction to Mapping and Geospatial Technologies
Introduction to Spatial Statistics
Sustainable Human Environments - WR
Applications Development for GIS
Honors Approved Social Science Seminars
Legal Lynchings: A Survey of Race, Law, and the American Justice System
Urban Ritual Violence
The History of the Civil Rights Movement, 1900 to Present
Politics, Political Violence and Black Resistance
Politics of Black Male Identity in Post-Modern America
Black Political Thought: Africa to Afrocentricity
Politics of the Black Community - D1, SB
Race and Economics
Civil Rights and the Law I
Civil Rights and the Law II
Racism and Sexism - D1, SB
The Black Power Movement
Peace, Justice & Conflict Transformation
Mediation & Conflict Transformation
Peace, Justice & Conflict Transformation
Basic Mediation & Conflict Transformation
Service Learning in Peacebuilding
Urban Political Economy
Comparative Urban Politics
Urban Politics
State Government
Constitutional Law
Constitutional Law
Judicial Politics
Race, Law and Politics - D1, SB
Gender, Sexuality & Law
Civil Rights and the Law II
Public Administration
Public Policy - SB
Black Politics & Democracy - D1, SB
International Law - WR
American Foreign Policy
Law, Diplomacy and Power: The Foreign Relations of the U.S.
National and International Security: Issues and Policies
Terrorism
Brain and Behavior
Life Span Developmental Psychology
Foundations of Psychopathology
Psychology of Diversity
Social Psychology
Personality
Drugs and Behavior
Forensic Psychology
Topics in Social Change: Social Sciences
Topics in Social Change: Social Sciences - WR
Hip-Hop and Social Movements - WR
Modern American Social Movements
Globalizing Inequalities - WR
Social and Restorative Justice
Lectures in Social Change
Social Change Community Internship
Social Change
Advanced Topics in Social Change: Social Sciences
Advanced Topics in Social Change: Social Sciences - WR
Managing Conflict, Change, and Justice
U.S. Social Justice Movements of the 20th Century
Critical Social Theory
Urban Sociology
Social Theory - WR
Diversity and Inequality
Sociology of Families
Sociology of Deviant Behavior
Motherhood and the Law
Black Women and the Criminology System
Mental Health and Illness
Sexual Assault and the Legal System
Domestic Violence
Sex, Gender and Culture
Introduction to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Studies
Gender, Sexuality & Law
Motherhood and the Law
Racism and Sexism - D1, SB
Sexual Assault and the Legal System
Domestic Violence
U.S. Social Justice Movements of the 20th Century
1

Completion of the second semester of a single foreign language; hours will vary depending on language taken

2

In addition to courses counted toward General Education

3

May be incorporated into other degree requirements

4

Fulfills General Education requirement.

5

Fulfills 3 hours of the 6 hour 300+ WR requirement.

6

Criminal Justice electives must be from approved departmental list at the 300 level or above. A minimum of 15 hours must be in Criminal Justice, but may not exceed 30 hours

7

Students who satisfy General Education Requirements by courses defined by the program will require additional electives to complete the minimum hours for the degree.

Flight Plan

Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
FallHours
GEN 100
Student Success Center First Year Experience
or Arts & Sciences First Year Experience
1
ENGL 101 Introduction to College Writing - WC 3
CJ 200 Introduction to Criminal Justice - SB 3
General Education: Cardinal Core Natural Sciences - S 3
Foreign Language (students who take 3 credits will require additional elective credits) 3-4
General Education: Cardinal Core U.S. Diversity - D1 3
 Hours16
Spring
CJ 201 Introduction to Law Enforcement - SB 3
ENGL 102 Intermediate College Writing - WC 3
General Education: Cardinal Core Arts & Humanities - AH 3
General Education: Cardinal Core Natural Sciences with Lab - S & SL or B 4
Foreign Language (students who take 3 credits will require additional elective credits) 3-4
 Hours16
Year 2
Fall
CJ 202 Introduction to Corrections - SB 3
CJ 305 Theories of Crime and Behavior 3
General Education: Cardinal Core Arts & Humanities - AH 3
General Education: Cardinal Core Social & Behavioral Sciences Historical Perspective - SBH 3
General Education: Cardinal Core Oral Communication - OC 3
 Hours15
Spring
CJ 306 Criminal Procedure 3
CJ 325 Criminal Justice Research Methods 3
General Education: Cardinal Core Global Diversity - D2 3
General Free Elective 3
300+ Humanities or Natural Science Elective 3
 Hours15
Year 3
Fall
CJ 326 Quantitative Analysis in Criminal Justice - QR 3
CJ 360 Juvenile Justice 3
Criminal Justice Elective 3
300+ Humanities or Natural Science Elective 3
300+ WR Course 3
 Hours15
Spring
CJ 395 Criminal Law and Evidence 3
Criminal Justice Elective 3
Criminal Justice Elective 3
Criminal Justice Elective 3
General Free Elective 3
 Hours15
Year 4
Fall
Criminal Justice Elective 3
Criminal Justice or Program Approved Elective 3
Criminal Justice or Program Approved Elective 3
General Free Elective 3
General Free Elective 3
 Hours15
Spring
CJ 485 Criminal Justice Senior Seminar - CUE, WR (WR, CUE) 3
Criminal Justice or Program Approved Elective 3
General Free Elective 3
General Free Elective 3
General Free Elective (if needed) 2
 Hours14
 Minimum Total Hours121

The Flight Plan outlined above is intended to demonstrate one possible path to completing the degree within four years.  Course selection and placement within the program may vary depending on course offerings and schedule, elective preferences, and other factors (study abroad, internship availability, etc.). Please consult your advisor for additional information about building a flight plan that works for you.

Degree Audit Report
Degree Audit reports illustrate how your completed courses fulfill the requirements of your academic plan, and which requirements are still outstanding. Degree audits also take transfer credits and test credits into account. "What-if" reports allow you to compare the courses you have completed in your current academic plan to the courses required in another academic plan.  Should you have questions about either report, please consult with your academic advisor.

Flight Planner
The Flight Planner tool is available for you to create a personalized Flight Plan to graduation.  Advisors have access to review your Flight Planner and can help you adjust it to ensure you remain on track to graduate in a timely manner.

To create these reports:

  1. Log into your ULink account.
  2. Click on the Academic Progress tile.
  3. Select the appropriate report.
    1. To run a Degree Audit report, click on "View my Degree Audit."
    2. To create a What-if report, click on "What-if Advisement Report."
    3. To run a Flight Planner report, click on "Use My Flight Planner."

Click here to run a Degree Audit report, create a What-if report, or run a Flight Planner report.

Soaring Scholars Program-Accelerated BS/MS in Criminal Justice 

Criminal Justice majors who are considering pursuing a master's degree (MS) in Criminal Justice can speed up the process through the Soaring Scholars program. Students accepted into the Soaring Scholars program (Accelerated BS/MS program) can take four graduate courses (12 credit hours) as an undergraduate that would apply toward both the bachelor’s degree and the master’s degree. An additional benefit of the Soaring Scholars program is that those 12 credit hours would be charged at the undergraduate tuition rate. 

Interested students should apply to the Soaring Scholar's program during their Junior year (i.e., when they have accumulated 60-75 hours of credit). Applicants must have at least a 3.0 GPA at the time of application. This program is available to both on campus and online students.

Undergraduate students interested in participating in an accelerated dual bachelor’s/master’s degree offered through the university’s Soaring Scholar Program must first meet with their Academic Advisor to determine eligibility and apply to the program. Once accepted, students will receive an official admission letter outlining program policies and details. They will then work with their department and academic advisor to register for classes each semester, ensuring they meet the milestones and academic progress requirements of the Soaring Scholar Program. A Soaring Scholar student is considered an undergraduate student until their bachelor’s degree is conferred. In their final undergraduate semester, they are expected to apply for admission to their respective master's program. 

Accelerated BS/MS in Criminal Justice Option

Students accepted into the Soaring Scholar Program should select up to four (4) classes from the following list to count as Criminal Justice electives for the bachelor's degree and toward the master's degree: 

CJ 621The Criminal Justice System3
CJ 625Legal Aspects of Criminal Justice Management3
CJ 643Theories of Crime and Delinquency3
CJ 649Applied Statistics in Criminal Justice3
CJ 650Research Methods3