Criminal Justice, B.S.

The College of Science and Society BS in Criminal Justice degree allows students interested in pursuing a career in criminal justice to develop expertise in the international dimensions of public safety.

The Criminal Justice program requires 39 semester credit hours including 27 credit hours in the program core, 15 credit hours of coursework among any Criminal Justice courses as their major electives’ requirement of Criminal Justice programs. Students are required to complete 120 credit hours to graduate. Internships can be arranged through the chair of Criminal Justice program.

Interested students also have the option of earning a master’s degree in Criminal Justice and Human Security by completing a fifth year of study beyond the normal years. Internships with law enforcement agencies are also available.

Learning outcomes

The BS in Criminal Justice has the following learning outcomes:

• Students will demonstrate the progressive acquisition of the oral, written critical think­ing skills needed to succeed in graduate level study as well as the required skills for careers in domestic and international security;
• Students will be able to identify the essential elements of criminal justice;
• Students will be able to articulate the impor­tance of human security and explore its im­pact on domestic and international security;
• Students will be able to describe the role played by religious, ideological, and cultural views; ethnic and tribal identities; and eco­nomic status in rationalizing criminal behav­ior;
• Students will demonstrate an understanding of the role played in criminal behavior by so­cioeconomic inequities and societal injustice, resulting from domestic and non-domestic events;
• Students will be able to comment on the role played by non-state actors in areas such as the identification of norms, the acceptability of violence and terrorism in promoting policy changes and in preventing crime.