Dec 05, 2024

2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Criminology and Criminal Justice, B.S.

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The Criminology and Criminal Justice curriculum is designed to:

provide students with a comprehensive overview of the criminal and juvenile justice systems
encourage theoretical and informed inquiry into justice policies and criminal behavior
develop skills in research methodology and statistics
prepare students for professional careers in criminology and criminal justice, as well as provide a foundation for advanced studies

Experiential learning (internship) opportunities are available with various agencies. The application process must be completed prior to the semester when the experiential learning is to commence.

Degree Requirements

Institutional Degree Requirements

Program-Specific Degree Requirements: To be eligible for graduation, students majoring in Criminology and Criminal Justice must earn a 2.0 or higher in all CCJ courses and will be required to complete a standardized outcome assessment test.

General Education Requirement

First Year Seminar

FYS 100 First-Year Seminar 3 credit hours
FYS 102 Common Hour 0 credit hours

Foundations Requirements

Choose 3 credits of the following Global Citizenship courses or students have the option to complete this requirement by successfully completing 6 credits of the same foreign language:

ECO 200 Principles of Economics (Macro) 3 credit hours
G 100 World Regional Geography 3 credit hours
HIS 102 The West in the World 3 credit hours
PS 102 Contemporary Global Issues 3 credit hours

Disciplinary Perspectives Requirement

Choose 3 credits of the following Humanities courses:

FLM 216 Introduction to Film 3 credit hours
HIS 101 The Foundation of the West 3 credit hours
LIT 200 Introduction to Literary and Textual Studies 3 credit hours
PHL 221 Introduction to Philosophy 3 credit hours
PHL 238 Race, Gender, and Sexuality 3 credit hours crosslisted as WGS 238 Race, Gender, and Sexuality 3 credit hours

Choose 3 credits of the following Arts courses:

ART 101 Art and Visual Culture 3 credit hours
CRW 272 Introduction to Creative Writing 3 credit hours
MUS 186 Listening to Music 3 credit hours
THE 154 Introduction to Theatre 3 credit hours

Choose 3 credits of the following Social and Behavioral Sciences courses:

ECO 205 Economic Perspectives 3 credit hours
ENT 150 Introduction to Entrepreneurship 3 credit hours
MKT 100 Principles of Marketing 3 credit hours
PS 110 Introduction to Political Science 3 credit hours
PSY 100 General Psychology 3 credit hours
REC 101 Recreation and Leisure in Modern Society 3 credit hours
SOC 100 Introduction to Sociology 3 credit hours

Choose 3 credits of the following Natural and Physical Sciences courses:

BIO 204 Exploring Biology 3 credit hours
CHM 240 Perspectives on the Molecular World 3 credit hours
CHM 241 Perspectives on the Molecular World Lab 0 credit hours
G 151 Introduction to Physical Geography 3 credit hours
G 152 Introduction to Physical Geography Lab 0 credit hours
PHY 252 Science and Sustainability 3 credit hours

Constellation Requirement

The Constellation requirement is met when a student completes four courses from a minimum of three disciplines within the Constellation requirements. Students who transfer in 60 credits or more at the time of admission to the college will be waived from the Constellation requirement, except for Education majors. The waiver applies to the requirement for graduation but does not waive the credits to graduate; students need to meet the overall bachelor’s degree credit requirement.

Required Courses

Required Major Courses

CCJ 101 Introduction to Criminal Justice 3 credit hours
CCJ 110 Juvenile Delinquency 3 credit hours
CCJ 203 Ethical Issues in Criminal Justice 3 credit hours
CCJ 234 Law Enforcement 3 credit hours
CCJ 302 Criminal Law 3 credit hours
CCJ 310 Victimology 3 credit hours
CCJ 336 Judicial Process 3 credit hours
CCJ 337 Punishment and Corrections 3 credit hours
CCJ 360 Experiential Learning in Criminal Justice 3 credit hours
CCJ 369 Race and the Criminal Justice System 3 credit hours
CCJ 377 Criminal Justice Research Methods 3 credit hours
CCJ 378 Criminology 3 credit hours
CCJ 396 Criminal Justice Statistics 3 credit hours
CCJ 491 Senior Seminar 3 credit hours

Criminology and Criminal Justice Electives

Students must complete 12 credits of Criminology and Criminal Justice courses.

General Elective Courses

Students must complete 24 credits of free elective courses.

Suggested Course Sequence

Freshman Year (30 credits)

CCJ 101 Introduction to Criminal Justice 3 credit hours
FCO 105 Rhetorical Communication 3 credit hours
FYS 100 First-Year Seminar 3 credit hours
FYS 102 Common Hour 0 credit hours
Foundations course 3 credit hours
Foundations course 3 credit hours
Disciplinary Perspectives course 3 credit hours
Disciplinary Perspectives course 3 credit hours
Disciplinary Perspectives course 3 credit hours
Elective course 3 credit hours
Elective course 3 credit hours

Sophomore Year (30 credits)

CCJ 110 Juvenile Delinquency 3 credit hours
CCJ 203 Ethical Issues in Criminal Justice 3 credit hours
CCJ 234 Law Enforcement 3 credit hours
CCJ 310 Victimology 3 credit hours
Foundations course 3 credit hours
Foundations course 3 credit hours
Disciplinary Perspectives course 3 credit hours
Criminology and Criminal Justice Elective course 3 credit hours
Criminology and Criminal Justice Elective course 3 credit hours
Elective course 3 credit hours

Junior Year (30 credits)

CCJ 336 Judicial Process 3 credit hours
CCJ 337 Punishment and Corrections 3 credit hours
CCJ 369 Race and the Criminal Justice System 3 credit hours
CCJ 377 Criminal Justice Research Methods 3 credit hours
CCJ 396 Criminal Justice Statistics 3 credit hours
Criminology and Criminal Justice Elective course 3 credit hours
Elective course 3 credit hours
Elective course 3 credit hours
Constellation course 3 credit hours
Constellation course 3 credit hours

Senior Year (30 credits)

CCJ 302 Criminal Law 3 credit hours
CCJ 360 Experiential Learning in Criminal Justice 3 credit hours
CCJ 378 Criminology 3 credit hours
CCJ 491 Senior Seminar 3 credit hours
Criminology and Criminal Justice Elective 3 credit hours
Constellation course 3 credit hours
Constellation course 3 credit hours
Elective course 3 credit hours
Elective course 3 credit hours
Elective course 3 credit hours