Criminal Justice, B.S. (A, L)

Print Degree Planner (opens a new window) |

The Criminal Justice major provides students with the background for understanding crime, its causes, the criminal justice system response to crime, as well as researching crime.

Criminal Justice Major

The Criminal Justice major provides students with the background for understanding crime, its causes, the criminal justice system response to crime, as well as researching crime.

REAL Curriculum

The Criminal Justice major fulfills the A and L requirements for the REAL curriculum. The courses required for the major focus on cultural and behavioral analysis through examining how cultural beliefs can contribute to crime, and how behaviors are defined as criminal based on social considerations. The courses also focus on applied learning concepts by exposing students to opportunities to learn investigative, law enforcement, and correctional concepts they are likely to use in a criminal justice career. Students need majors and/or minors to fulfill the R and E areas to complete the REAL Curriculum requirements.

REAL Foundational Requirements

Foundational Writing (3 Credits)

ENGL 111 - Principles of College Composition (GE)

Foundational Math (3 credits)

REAL Cornerstone Requirements

Writing Intensive (WI) Courses (6 credits)

Writing Intensive courses are denoted below with a (WI). Two writing intensive courses are required to graduate, with at least one at the 300- or 400-level.

General Education Requirements

General Education courses will be denoted below with a (GE). Students are required to take at least 30 credit hours of general education designated courses within their degree requirements. The Criminal Justice major includes 12 general education credits.

Major Requirements (54 credits)

B.S. Requirements (6 credits)

Students should consult with their academic advisor as to which degree option best suits their needs.

The Bachelor of Science requirements for criminal justice majors consists of six to eight (6-8) credit hours chosen from courses designated as R courses outside of CRJU.

Required Coursework (48 credits)

Core Major Requirements (24 credits)

Other Major Courses (12 credits)

Four additional courses for a total of twelve hours of classes with a CRJU prefix are required. Core requirements for the criminal justice major, independent studies (CRJU 498), and internship hours (CRJU 484) do not satisfy this requirement. More than one CRJU 490 Seminar or CRJU 491 Forensic Seminar will count towards the twelve hours provided that the topic of the seminar varies.

Required Outside Coursework (12 credits)

Additional Degree Requirements

In order to graduate with a major in criminal justice, a letter grade of “C-” or higher must be earned in all “CRJU” prefix courses.

Open Credit Hours (64-66 credits)

These credits can be used to fulfill additional courses, majors, minors, and/or REAL Curriculum requirements, including Foundational Writing and Foundational Math.