Criminal Justice Major

Jennifer L. Huck	Associate Professor of Criminal Justice and Sociology
Rebecca Imes	Chair, Department of Communication, Criminal Justice and Sociology; Professor of Communication

The criminal justice major is designed to meet the needs of students considering a career in social justice with a specific focus on the criminal justice system, defendants within that system, and survivors of crime. The major has an interdisciplinary liberal arts focus, emphasizing social science knowledge, communication, and intellectual skills. We offer courses to help students understand the structure and philosophy of the American criminal justice system including the dimensions and causes of crime and delinquency, theories of crime prevention and control, and practical skills to encourage students to align their education with serving their communities. Specific attention is paid to societal reactions to crime, its survivors, the social construction of deviance, and crime prevention.

Learning Outcomes for Criminal Justice

Students successfully completing the major are expected to:

Demonstrate an understanding of the structure, philosophy and administration of the criminal justice system and its components of law enforcement, courts, and corrections.
Recognize structural inequalities and their influence on individuals within the criminal justice system including the harm formal punishment places on marginalized communities.
Describe and apply criminological theory to understand why individuals engage in crime, how criminals are created, and how policies connect to theoretical underpinnings.
Demonstrate the ability to explain and critique criminological research about social justice, criminal justice, careers within the justice system, and victims effectively in oral and written messages.

Core Courses (48 credits)

CRJ 103 - Introduction to Criminal Justice 4 Hour(s)
CRJ 212 - Criminology 4 Hour(s)
CRJ 499 - Capstone 2 Hour(s)
SOC 102 - Sociology of Social Problems 4 Hour(s)
SOC 266 - Methods of Social Science Research 4 Hour(s)

Three Electives from the Following:

CRJ 204 - Criminal Law 4 Hour(s)
CRJ 211 - Juvenile Delinquency 4 Hour(s)
CRJ 213 - Race and Ethnicity Studies in Criminal Justice 4 Hour(s) or
SOC 213 - Race and Ethnicity Studies in Criminal Justice 4 Hour(s)
CRJ 224 - Dynamics of Terrorism 4 Hour(s)
CRJ 229 - Understanding Violence 4 Hour(s)
CRJ 235 - Corrections and Community Advocacy 4 Hour(s)
CRJ 250 - Dissecting Truths of the Criminal Justice System 4 Hour(s)
CRJ 252 - Law Enforcement and Justice 4 Hour(s)
CRJ 291 - Special Topics in Criminal Justice 4 Hour(s)

Two Electives from the Following:

CRJ 332 - White Collar and Environmental Crime 4 Hour(s)
CRJ 340 - Victims and Victimology 4 Hour(s)
CRJ 345 - Women, Gender, and Crime 4 Hour(s)
CRJ 350 - Mental Health and Criminal Justice 4 Hour(s)
CRJ 391 - Special Topics in Criminal Justice 4 Hour(s)
CRJ 480 - Internship in Criminal Justice 2 or 4 Hour(s)

Required Support Courses

IDS 200 - Career and Job Placement 2 Hour(s)
POL 141 - Intro to American Politics 4 Hour(s)
ENG 188 - Reading and Writing in the Social Sciences 4 Hour(s)

Bachelor of Science Requirements

Bachelor requirements for this major may take SOC 114 instead of CMP 114 .

The requirements for a Bachelor of Science degree are:

CMP 112 - Computational Thinking I 4 Hour(s) and
CMP 114 - Computational Thinking II - Statistical Analysis Emphasis 4 Hour(s)
or
MAT 140 - Calculus and Its Applications 4 Hour(s) or higher and
CSC 110 - Problem Solving through Programming 4 Hour(s) or higher
ENG 170 - Writing Seminar 4 Hour(s)
Degree requirements cannot be waived.

Note:

Each major may have specific course sequencing requirements. For specific requirements, see “Required Support Courses” within each major