Program Overview

Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice

The bachelor’s degree program in criminal justice is designed to prepare undergraduate students for careers in law enforcement, the legal system, non-profit organizations, corrections, restorative justice, and victim advocacy. It covers a broad array of subjects, including the criminal justice system, criminology, law enforcement practices, criminal law, and ethics. Students explore the causes of crime, understand the functions of police and courts, and learn how to engage with diverse communities. This program combines theoretical knowledge with practical skills, often including hands-on experiences like internships and fieldwork. Graduates can pursue a variety of career paths, such as becoming police officers, detectives, probation officers, victim advocates, analysts, researchers, or working in private security, federal agencies, or legal studies. Many prelaw students choose criminal justice for their undergraduate degree.

Program Details

• The program is available in-person at the Lawrence Campus and can also be completed online.
• The B.A. in Criminal Justice follows university admission requirements for freshman and transfer students.
• The School of Professional Studies strongly encourages students to contact an academic advisor prior to applying for admission to develop a personalized degree completion plan.

Degree Requirements

• Core 34 General Education: 34 hours
• BA Requirement - World Language Course Sequence: 12-18 hours
• Students must demonstrate fourth-semester proficiency in a single non-English language, or third-semester proficiency in a first non-English language and first-semester proficiency in a second non-English language.
• Criminal Justice Core Courses:
  • CRIM 300: Introduction to Criminal Justice (3 hours)
  • CRIM 310: Theoretical and Historical Foundations of Criminology (3 hours)
  • CRIM 320: Research Methods and Data Driven Decision Making in Criminal Justice (3 hours)
  • CRIM 330: Policing (3 hours)
  • CRIM 340: Courts and Sentencing (3 hours)
  • CRIM 370: Incarceration Alternatives, Rehabilitation and Re-Entry (3 hours)
  • SOC 362: Prison, Punishment, and Society (3 hours)
• Concentration: 12 hours
• Capstone Course:
  • CRIM 499: Capstone in Criminal Justice (3 hours)
• Upper Division Elective Hours: 9 hours
• Overall Elective Hours: 23 hours
• Total Hours: 114-120 hours

Concentrations

Crime & Intelligence Analysis

• Required Course: CRIM 365: Crime and Intelligence Analysis (3 hours)
• Students must take the required CRIM course and one additional CRIM course plus two additional courses from the list of electives:
  • CRIM 366: Spatial Analysis of Crime
  • CRIM 465: Crime, Place, and Prevention
  • CRIM 466: Evidence-Based Policing Approaches
  • CRIM 498: Criminal Justice Internship
  • GEOG 358: Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
  • ITEC 314: Fundamentals of Applied Data Analytics
  • ITEC 404: Fundamentals of Data Visualization
  • ITEC 406: Data Mining and Intelligence
  • ITEC 412: Predictive Analytics and Forecasting
  • POLS 325: Intelligence Analytics
  • POLS 345: Counterintelligence
• Total Hours: 12 hours

Crime Scene Investigation

• Required Course: CRIM 355: Crime Scene Investigation (3 hours)
• Students must take the required CRIM course and one additional CRIM course plus two additional courses from the list of electives:
  • CRIM 455: Criminal Procedure
  • CRIM 456: CSI Field Study
  • CRIM 498: Criminal Justice Internship
  • BTEC 520: Forensic Techniques I
  • ITEC 429: Digital Forensics
• Total Hours: 12 hours

Critical Criminology

• Required Course: SOC 160: Social Problems and American Values (3 hours)
• Select three additional courses:
  • SOC 120: Crime and Society
  • SOC 324: Being Deviant in America
  • SOC 342: Sociology of Immigration
  • SOC 343: American Racial and Ethnic Relations
  • SOC 355: Protest, Activism, and Dissent
  • SOC 360: Sociology of Social Control
  • SOC 425: Sociology of Global Health
  • SOC 461: Competing Perspectives on Crime and Deviance
  • SOC 462: Violence and Society
  • SOC 463: Sociology of Surveillance
• Total Hours: 12 hours

Global Crime

• Required Course: CRIM 375: Terrorism and Homeland Security (3 hours)
• Students must take the required CRIM course and one additional CRIM course plus two additional courses from the list of electives:
  • CRIM 376: Drug Cartels and Trade
  • CRIM 475: Human Trafficking Investigations
  • CRIM 476: Piracy on the High Seas
  • CRIM 498: Criminal Justice Internship
  • GIST 482: Transnational Terrorism
  • ITEC 426: Cyber Defense and Countermeasures
  • ITEC 429: Digital Forensics
  • ITEC 450: Social and Professional Issues
  • POLS 325: Intelligence Analytics
  • POLS 345: Counterintelligence
  • POLS 471: Politics of Human Trafficking
  • SOC 342: Sociology of Immigration
• Total Hours: 12 hours

Inclusive Criminal Justice Populations

• Required: CRIM 385: Victim Rights and Advocacy in Criminal Justice (3 hours)
• Students must take the required CRIM course and one additional CRIM course plus two additional courses from the list of electives:
  • ABSC 100: Introduction to Applied Behavioral Science
  • ABSC 360: Drugs, Addiction, and Behavior
  • ASLD 311: Introduction to Deaf Studies
  • ASLD 312: Intersectionality and Deaf Communities
  • ASLD 313: Social Justice and Allyship with Deaf Communities
  • CRIM 386: Critical Communications in Criminal Justice
  • CRIM 388: Wrongful Convictions: Causes and Consequences
  • CRIM 485: Juvenile Behavior, Delinquency, Justice, Rehabilitation
  • CRIM 486: Child and Elder Abuse, Neglect, and Advocacy
  • CRIM 487: Drugs, Mental Health, and Homelessness in Criminal Justice
  • CRIM 498: Criminal Justice Internship
  • HSCI 450: Epidemics, Pandemics, and Pestilence
  • HSES 308: Drugs and Diseases in Society (requires instructor approval)
  • SPLH 430: Communication in Autism
• Total Hours: 12 hours

Law and Society

• Required Course: LWS 330: Introduction to Law & Society (3 hours)
• Elective Courses - Choose 3 of the following:
  • CRIM 388: Wrongful Convictions: Causes and Consequences
  • CRIM 420: Ethical Issues and Decision-Making in Criminal Justice
  • CRIM 455: Criminal Procedure
  • CRIM 498: Criminal Justice Internship
  • LWS 333: The Pursuit of Rights: Law, Democracy & Power
  • LWS 494: Topics in Law & Society:
  • PUAD 333: Hard Choices in Public Administration:
  • SOC 355: Protest, Activism, and Dissent
• Total Hours: 12 hours

Leadership and Ethics in Public Service

• Required Course: CRIM/SPAA 400: Leadership for Justice Practitioners (3 hours) or PUAD 432: Conducting the People's Business Ethically
• Elective Courses - Choose 3 of the following:
  • CRIM 405: Corruption in the Criminal Justice System
  • CRIM 410: Racial Justice and the Criminal Justice System
  • CRIM 420: Ethical Issues and Decision-Making in Criminal Justice
  • CRIM 466: Evidence-Based Policing Approaches
  • CRIM 498: Criminal Justice Internship
  • PUAD 333: Hard Choices in Public Administration:
  • PUAD 401: Administration of Justice
  • PUAD 408: Collaboration in Public Administration
  • PUAD 435: Generating, Allocating and Managing Public Resources
  • PUAD 436: Managing People in Public Organizations
  • PUAD 441: Public Service Leadership
• Total Hours: 12 hours

Degree Plan

Freshman

• Fall:
  • Core 34: English (SGE)010 (3 hours)
  • Core 34: Math and Statistics (SGE)030 (3 hours)
  • 1st semester language (B.A. requirement) (5 hours)
  • Elective (4 hours)
• Spring:
  • Core 34: Communications (SGE)020 (3 hours)
  • Core 34: English (SGE)010 (3 hours)
  • Core 34: US Culture (SGE)070 (4 hours)
  • 2nd semester language (B.A. requirement) (5 hours)

Sophomore

• Fall:
  • Core 34: Social and Behavioral Sciences (SGE)050 (3 hours)
  • Core 34: Arts and Humanities (SGE)060 (3 hours)
  • Core 34: Arts and Humanities (SGE)060 (3 hours)
  • 3rd semester language (B.A. Requirement) (3 hours)
  • Elective (3 hours)
• Spring:
  • Core 34: Natural and Physical Sciences (SGE)040 (4 hours)
  • Core 34: Social and Behavioral Sciences (SGE)050 (3 hours)
  • 4th semester language (B.A. requirement) (3 hours)
  • Core 34: Global Culture (SGE)070 (3 hours)
  • Elective (2 hours)

Junior

• Fall:
  • CRIM 300: Introduction to Criminal Justice (3 hours)
  • CRIM 310: Theoretical and Historical Foundations of Criminology (3 hours)
  • CRIM 320: Research Methods and Data Driven Decision Making in Criminal Justice (3 hours)
  • 300+ Concentration Course (3 hours)
  • Elective (3 hours)
• Spring:
  • CRIM 330: Policing (3 hours)
  • CRIM 340: Courts and Sentencing (3 hours)
  • 300+ Concentration Course (3 hours)
  • 300+ Elective (3 hours)

Senior

• Fall:
  • SOC 362: Prison, Punishment, and Society (3 hours)
  • 300+ Concentration Course (3 hours)
  • 300+ Elective (3 hours)
  • Elective (3 hours)
• Spring:
  • CRIM 370: Incarceration Alternatives, Rehabilitation and Re-Entry (3 hours)
  • CRIM 499: Capstone in Criminal Justice (3 hours)
  • 300+ Concentration Course (3 hours)
  • Elective (3 hours)

Learning Outcomes

At the completion of this program, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate a thorough and all-encompassing grasp of the criminal justice system, encompassing its historical development, legal structures, and institutional constituents.
• Demonstrate awareness of ethical considerations and social justice implications within the criminal justice system through critical assessment, including recognizing diverse perspectives and acknowledging the cultural influences that shape these dynamics.
• Conduct scholarly research and analysis to integrate theory, data, and legal perspectives, forming data-driven solutions to challenges within the criminal justice system.
• Demonstrate proficiency in communicating intricate issues to diverse audiences through the use of various communication modalities.