(Bachelor of Science Degree)
Criminal justice is the study of crime, its causes, and its effects on society. It is concerned with preventing and deterring criminal behavior, rehabilitating the offender, and providing a system where justice and rights are served. Graduates of the program have opportunities in a variety of criminal justice fields including policing, law, probation, juvenile services, private security, public administration/planning, counseling, research, and regulatory enforcement.
In addition to entry level employment opportunities, graduates may pursue advanced study in fields such as public administration, criminal justice and criminology, management, and law.
Total credit hours required for degree: 120
Learning Objectives
A student who graduates from the program will be able to demonstrate the following orally and/or in writing:
- Identify the main stages of the criminal justice process and the agencies responsible for administering justice
- List and discuss at least five main schools of criminological theory related to crime causation and control
- Complete a major public policy problem paper to demonstrate critical thinking and information application related to the discipline
- Present specific examples on how technology is applied to criminal justice operations
- Prepare and execute a research project using the basic tenets of research design
- Use the case study method to show how ethical issues impact decision making
- Use the case study method to show how diversity relates to criminal justice operations and policy in a global environment
- Apply statutory and case law to legal problems that occur in the field
Special Requirements
Students in criminal justice are required to achieve a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale) across major, major-related, major elective, and major concentration courses by the first semester of their junior year and to maintain that average thereafter.
Return to: