Criminal Justice

This program critically examines the social, cultural and individual-level factors which impact crime rates and the formal social control mechanisms (e.g., the police, the courts, and the penal system) charged with reducing these rates.

Classification: Major, Minor
Degree: Bachelor of Arts

The total number of courses required for the major is 15 (46-48 semester hours). The minor requires 6 courses (18 semester hours).

Required Courses

Major Required Courses

All of the following (28-30 sem. hrs.)

  • CRIM 116 Law and Society (3 sem. hrs.)
  • CRIM 202 Introduction to Criminal Justice Systems (3 sem. hrs)
  • CRIM 203 Correctional Institutions (3 sem. hrs.)
  • CRIM 304 Criminology (3 sem. hrs.)
  • CRIM 390 Internship in Criminal Justice (2-4 sem. hrs.)
  • CRIM 401 Senior Research Seminar (4 sem. hrs.)
  • MATH 151 Elementary Statistics (3 sem. hrs.)
  • PHIL 240 Ethics, Equality, and Justice (3 sem. hrs.)
  • SS 394 Research Methods for the Social Sciences (4 sem. hrs.)

Two of the following (6 sem. hrs.)

  • CRIM 201 Juvenile Justice (3 sem. hrs.)
  • CRIM 285/385 Special Topics (3 sem. hrs.)
  • CRIM 303 Comparative Systems in Social Control (3 sem. hrs.)
  • CRIM 305 Critical Issues in Criminal Justice (3 sem. hrs.)
  • CRIM 306 Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence (3 sem. hrs.)
  • CRIM 399 Independent Study (3 sem. hrs.)

Additional CRIM courses approved by the academic adviser may count as electives in the major.

Four of the following (12 sem. hrs.)

  • ANTH 302 Anthropology of Violence (3 sem. hrs.)
  • BUS 305 Legal Environment of Business (3 sem. hrs.)
  • POLS 155 American Politics (3 sem. hrs.)
  • POLS 360 The U.S. Judiciary (3 sem. hrs.)
  • PSY 101 General Psychology (3 sem. hrs.)
  • PSY 227 Abnormal Psychology (3 sem. hrs.)
  • PSY 235 Forensic Psychology (3 sem. hrs.)
  • PSY 242 Addiction (3 sem. hrs.)
  • PSY 347 Cognitive Psychology (3 sem. hrs.)
  • SOC 151 Principles of Sociology (3 sem. hrs.)
  • SOC 228 Social Problems (3 sem. hrs.)
  • SOC 235 Social Deviance (3 sem. hrs.)
  • SOC 277 Social Inequality (3 sem. hrs.)

Additional courses approved by the academic adviser may count as interdisciplinary connections in the major.

Minor Required Courses

All of the following (12 sem. hrs.)

  • CRIM 116 Law and Society (3 sem. hrs.)
  • CRIM 202 Introduction to Criminal Justice Systems (3 sem. hrs.)
  • CRIM 203 Correctional Institutions (3 sem. hrs.)
  • CRIM 304 Criminology (3 sem. hrs.)

Two additional courses related to criminal justice and approved by the academic adviser.

Other Areas of Study