Program Overview

Introduction to the Criminal Justice/Public Policy, BA/MPP Program

The Pathways Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice (BACJ)/Master of Public Policy (MPP) degree is designed for high-performing students to earn both degrees in an accelerated timeframe. This program is offered fully online, providing flexibility for students to schedule courses around family and work demands while engaging in criminal justice opportunities in their communities.

Program Overview

The BACJ/MPP degree program allows eligible students to count 12 credit hours towards both the BACJ and MPP degrees. To be eligible, students must have completed at least 75 credits with a minimum 3.5 grade point average (GPA) in the BACJ major and a 3.0 overall GPA, completed the undergraduate Core Curriculum, and met all other requirements.

Pathways Application Criteria

To apply for the Pathways BACJ/MPP program, students must:

• Be currently enrolled in the School of Public Affairs as an undergraduate Criminal Justice major
• Have completed the University of Colorado Denver's undergraduate core curriculum
• Have completed at least 60 undergraduate credit hours
• Have completed the following 12 credit hours in Criminal Justice or have an approved plan for enrolling in each class:
  • CRJU 1000: Criminology and Criminal Justice: An Overview (3 hours)
  • CRJU 2000: Professional Development in Criminal Justice (3 hours)
  • CRJU 2041: Criminological Theory (3 hours)
  • CRJU 3620: Applied Research and Data Analysis (3 hours)
• Have all transfer courses approved and accepted towards the major and degree at the time of application
• Have a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA
• Have a minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA in the Criminal Justice major

BACJ/MPP Program Matriculation

Students admitted to the Pathways BACJ/MPP program will work with their assigned undergraduate academic advisor to enroll in MPP-level courses each semester. They can complete up to 6 credit hours of MPP coursework per semester as an undergraduate and a maximum total of 12 graduate semester credits as an undergraduate BACJ/MPP student overall.

General Requirements

To earn a degree, students must satisfy all requirements in each of the three areas:

• CU Denver Graduation Requirements
• CU Denver Undergraduate Core Curriculum
• School of Public Affairs Graduation Requirements

Program Requirements

1. Students must complete all CU Denver, School of Public Affairs, and Criminal Justice degree requirements to earn their Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice degree.
2. Students seek full admission to the Master of Public Policy program during their final semester as an undergraduate student.
3. Students must maintain a 3.0 GPA overall in all graduate-level courses.
4. Students in the MPP program must successfully complete the MPP capstone or thesis.
5. Students must fulfill all college/school and major/program requirements.
6. The MPP will be conferred once the student has completed all requirements of the Master of Public Policy degree.
7. The School of Public Affairs reserves the right to rescind a BACJ/MPP student's admittance to the Pathways program if at any point the student's GPA falls below the requirements listed above.