Program Overview

Criminology and Criminal Justice, Bachelor of Science

This degree provides students with the opportunity to engage in diverse coursework to increase knowledge and analytical skills appropriate for a variety of career paths. These career paths include work in an area of the public justice system, such as police, courts, corrections, regulatory agencies, and environmental protection, or in community-based programs related to crime prevention, rehabilitation, and victim assistance, as well as pursuit of further education in graduate or law school.

Requirements

To receive a bachelor's degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete at least 120 units of credit that minimally includes a major, the general studies requirements, and university requirements as listed below.

• All of Northern Arizona University's general studies, junior-level writing, and capstone requirements.
• All requirements for your specific academic plan(s).
• At least 30 units of upper-division courses, which may include transfer work.
• At least 30 units of coursework taken through Northern Arizona University, of which at least 18 must be upper-division courses (300-level or above).
• A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 on all work attempted at Northern Arizona University.

Major Requirements

This major requires 54 - 60 units distributed as follows:

• Criminology and Criminal Justice Common Coursework: 36 units
• Minor Requirement: 18 - 24 units

Criminology and Criminal Justice Common Coursework

• CCJ 101, CCJ 250, CCJ 345W, CCJ 355 (12 units)
• Select from the following which meet the senior capstone requirement (3 units):
  • CCJ 450C, CCJ 475C, CCJ 480C
• CCJ coursework appropriate for your career aspirations and educational interests, in consultation with your advisor.
  • You may include up to 6 units of individualized study, such as CCJ 408, CCJ 466, CCJ 485, or CCJ 497. (21 units)
• You may apply up to 15 units of criminology, criminal justice, or administration of justice coursework taken at other institutions toward your Bachelor of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice at Northern Arizona University.

Minor Requirements

You must complete a minor of at least 18 units from those described in this catalog. In consultation with your advisor, you should select a minor that is appropriate for your career aspirations and educational needs. Your minor advisor will advise you about this part of your academic plan.

Accelerated Bachelor's to Master's Program

This program is available as an Accelerated Undergraduate/Graduate Plan wherein a student may start a master's degree while simultaneously completing their bachelor's degree.

• Students enrolled at the Flagstaff campus for both undergraduate and graduate programs are eligible to complete the Bachelor of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice and start a Master of Science in Applied Criminology at NAU.
• A total of 9 units will be shared between the plans:
  • CCJ 605, CCJ 606 (6 units)
  • 3 units selected from:
    • CCJ 450C, CCJ 475C, CCJ 480C
• Students must apply to the master's program by the graduate program's application deadline, meet all admissions requirements listed in the policy Accelerated Bachelor's to Master's Programs, as well as the admissions requirements for the specified master's plan to be considered for admission.

Student Learning Outcomes

The undergraduate degree program in Criminology and Criminal Justice (CCJ) combines foundational knowledge of criminal justice with a critical understanding of its institutions, processes and operations. CCJ students learn how social forces influence lawmaking, approaches to criminal justice, perceptions and experiences of justice; and how, in turn, criminal justice trends influence society.

• Identify the key stages of criminal justice processes and at each stage locate the core institutions involved and the key roles performed by those who inhabit them.
• Summarize and differentiate the major theories about crime, criminalization and victimization and then apply theories to critically analyze contemporary injustices.
• Describe the differences between popular perceptions of criminal justice institutions and the lived realities of victims, criminals and justice workers.
• Recognize how social forces affect the perception and pursuit of justice in the U.S. and around the world.
• Critically assess how power and privilege impact law making and law enforcement.
• Use criminal justice theories, methods or investigative techniques to assess patterns of crime, criminalization and victimization and to establish justification for a course of action.
• Through written or oral communication describe differential impacts on diverse members of society and provide sustained, focused justifications for the value of diversity for a more just society.
• Apply collaborative skills, ethical reasoning, analytic skills and knowledge about crime and justice to address an injustice, advance causes of justice.
• Pursue advanced professional training and/or a meaningful justice-related career.

Career Specializations

This degree provides the knowledge and analytical skills appropriate for the following career/academic specializations:

• Law enforcement, corrections, and security
• Legal and criminal investigation
• Victim services and assistance
• Human rights and global justice
• Legal and court justice
• Justice in politics, media, and popular culture
• Southwest and Native American justice