Criminal Justice (BA/BS)

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Program Information

All courses must be passed with a “C-” (1.7) or better to be counted in the major.
No more than six (6) credits of internship (CJ 4890 ) can be counted toward the CJ major. Up to 12 credits can be counted toward the student’s overall degree total. All CJ majors are encouraged to complete an internship.
No more than 21 transfer credits can be counted toward the major.

Bachelor’s Degree Type: Arts or Science Requirement (12* or 16** Credits)

Select one degree type from either Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science:

Bachelor of Science (BS) Degree Requirement (12 Credits*)

Bachelor of Science Degree - Math or Science minimum requirement 12 Credits

* Note: A portion of the BS requirements may be met by fulfilling the General Education Core and Breadth Areas. Consult your Student Success Advisor for details.

or

Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree Requirement (16 Credits**)

Bachelor of Arts Degree - Foreign Language Requirement 16 Credits

** Note: One semester of a foreign language may also fulfill the General Education Humanities requirement. The 16 credits may be fulfilled by taking four semesters of a foreign language or by testing out of a language and purchasing the credits. Consult your Student Success Advisor for details.

General Education Requirement (28+ Credits)

See General Education for course options.

Core Course Requirements (12+ Credits)
Breadth Area Requirements (16+ Credits)

Criminal Justice Curriculum (42 Credits)

Core Requirements (18 Credits)

CJ 1010 - Introduction to Criminal Justice 3 Credit(s) [GE Social/Behavioral Sciences]
CJ 1330 - Criminal Law 3 Credit(s)
CJ 2500 - Research Methods in Criminal Justice 3 Credit(s)
CJ 3270 - Criminological Theory 3 Credit(s)
CJ 4200 - Ethical Issues in CJ 3 Credit(s)
CJ 4990 - Criminal Justice Capstone 3 Credit(s)

Criminal Justice Electives (24 Credits)

Complete 24 credits, at least 15 of which must be upper-division credit.
All CJ classes not included in the core count as CJ electives.
The following courses may be taken as CJ elective credit:
- POLS 3120 - Courts 3 Credit(s)
- POLS 3510 - Constitutional Law 3 Credit(s)
- PSY 2300 - Abnormal Psychology 3 Credit(s) *
- PSY 4530 - Forensic Psychology 3 Credit(s) *
- PSY 4550 - Drugs and Behavior 3 Credit(s) *
- SOC 3500 - Deviance 3 Credit(s)
- SOC 3610 - Juvenile Delinquency 3 Credit(s)

Note

* These courses require PSY 1010 - General Psychology as a prerequisite. The Department highly recommends students take PSY 1010 as part of their free electives or as their General Education Social and Behavioral Sciences Breadth Area.

Free Electives and University Requirements

Students’ total free elective credit is determined by their General Education courses taken, degree type selected (if applicable), additional credits earned, and any additional math or other prerequisite courses needed. Some students and/or programs may not have any free electives.

For a bachelor’s degree, students must earn

A minimum of 120 total credits;
A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 in both SUU coursework and combined transfer/SUU coursework;
40 upper-division credits , 20 of which are earned from SUU (students may need to select additional upper-division courses not included in their major requirements in order to reach this minimum 40); and
30 credits completed through SUU.

Total Credits, BA/BS Degree: 120

Program Learning Outcomes

Students will recognize the basic legal, constitutional, ethical, and moral challenges confronting criminal justice personnel.
Students will demonstrate effectiveness in written and oral communication.
Students will employ critical and creative thinking individually as well as a member of a team.
Students will identify the functions, operations, and challenges of the U.S. Criminal Justice System, including law enforcement, courts, and corrections.