• Criminal Justice Studies Major
• Criminal Justice Minor

In addition to the departmental degree requirements, a minimum of 50 hours in the University Core Curriculum must be met.

The major has not been formally approved yet.  This information is to be used as a guide only.  Please see an advisor in the Sociology Department.

Criminal Justice Studies Major

Prerequisites

All students, regardless of major are required to complete the University Core Curriculum.  As part of pre-CJS admission, students are required to successfully complete seven specific UCC courses within the UCC framework and receive a grade of "C" or better in each course. 

Required UCC courses ~ 21 hours listed below (50 hours total for UCC)

Must complete with at least a grade of "C" in each course

• ENG 101-Rhetoric and Composition I: Critical Thinking, 3 hrs.
• CMST 101-Introduction to Pulbic Speaking, 3 hrs. /OR/
  CMST 107-Inroduction to Interpersonal Communication, 3 hrs.
• MATH 108-Survey of Mathematics, 4 hrs. (OR higher)
• PHIL 201-Introduction to Ethics, 3 hrs. /OR/
  PHIL 312-Ethics in the Professions, 3 hrs.
• SOC 121-Principles of Sociology, 3 hrs.
• POLS 102-Introduction to American Politics, 3 hrs.
• ANTH 251-Peoples of Latin America, 3 hrs. /OR/
  ANTH 255-The Cultures of Asia, 3 hrs. /OR/
  CMST 317-Intercultual Communication, 3 hrs.

* NOTE:  SPAN 203 and SPAN 204 are strongly encouraged in place of humanities in the UCC.

39 Semester hours

Required Pre-CJS Major Courses ~ 12 hours

• CRIM 234-Introduction to Corrections, 3hrs.
• CRIM 244- Police & Society, 3 hrs.
• SOC 225-Criminology, 3 hrs.
• POLS 208-Law, Courts & Justice, 3 hrs.

Apply to CJS Program once all above requirements are met and with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5

Required CJS Major Courses ~ 15 hours

• Theory & Capstone Courses (6 hours)
  • CRIM 371-Criminologyical Theory, 3 hrs.
  • CRIM 475-Analyzing CJ Issues with GIS, 3 hrs.
    
    
• Research Sequence (6 hours)

Note: Students either take the Sociology Research Sequence or the Political Science sequence, but not a mix of both.

Sociology Research Sequence

• SOC 391-Introduction to Social Research, 3 hrs.
• SOC 392-Statistics for Social Research, 3 hrs.
  

Political Science Sequence

• POLS 331-Political Inquiry I, 3 hrs.
• POLS 332-Political Inquiry II, 3 hrs.

• Diversity Course select one for 3 hours
  • CRIM 331-Gender & Crime, 3 hrs. /or/
    SOC 421-Race & Ethnicity, 3 hrs. /or/
    SOC 431-Gender & Society, 3 hrs. /or/
    SOC 463-Wealth & Poverty, 3 hrs. /or/

Elective Courses ~ 12 hours (9 hours must be upper division)

• Policing:
  • CRIM 411-Criminal Enforcement Strategies: Evidentiary Problems
  • CRIM 412-Criminal Enforcement Strategies: Discretion
  • CRIM 370 Seminar--Policing Topic
    
    
• Law:
  • CRIM 302-Criminal Law
  • CRIM 370-Seminar-Law/Courts Topic
  • POLS 405-Constitutional Law
  • POLS 406-Constitutional Rights
  • POLS 407-The Legislative Process
    
    
• Criminology:
  • CRIM 312-Organized Crime
  • SOC 335-Juvenile Delinquency
  • SOC 426-Sociology of Deviant Behavior
  • SOC 370-Hate Groups & Hate Crimes
    
    
• Corrections:
  • CRIM 311-Convict Criminology
  • CRIM 401-Probation & Parole
  • CRIM 370-Seminar-Corrections Topic
    
    
• General CJS & Cognates:
  • CRIM 200-Special Toics
  • CRIM 301-Criminal Justice Administration
  • CRIM 331-Gender & Crime
  • CRIM 370-Seminar in CJS
  • CRIM 489-Independent Study in CJS
  • SOC 370-Soc. Const. of Drugs
  • SOC 370-Social Networks
  • ANTH 211-Introduction to Forensic Anthropology
    
    
• Internships:
  • CRIM 499-Internship in CJS
  • POLS 496-Legal Internship

Criminal Justice Minor

This minor will change soon to correspond with the major.

A minor is available in the field of criminal justice. It is intended for students interested in careers in criminal justice or as a supplement to their major. Nine hours of sociology courses in the minor also may count toward a sociology major.

24 Semester hours: 12 of these hours must be at the 300/400 level

Required courses ~  9 hours

• SOC 121-Principles of Sociology, 3 hrs.
• CRIM 141-Introduction to Criminal Justice, 3 hrs.
• SOC 225-Criminology, 3 hrs.

Elective courses ~ 12 hours from the following:

• SOC 235-Juvenile Delinquency, 3 hrs.
• SOC 426-Sociology of Deviant Behavior, 3 hrs.
• CRIM 200-Special Topics in Criminal Justice, 3 hrs.
• CRIM 244-Police & Society, 3 hrs.
• CRIM 301-Criminal Justice Administration, 3 hrs.
• CRIM 302-Criminal Law, 3 hrs.
• CRIM 370-Seminar in Criminal Justice, 3 hrs.
• SOC 370-Seminar in Sociology: Hate Groups and Hate Crimes, 3 hrs.
• CRIM 401-Probation & Parole, 3 hrs.
• CRIM 489-Independent Study, 3 hrs.
• CRIM 499-Internship, 3 hrs.
• POLS 208-Law, Courts & Justice, 3 hrs.
• POLS 405-Constitutional Law, 3 hrs.
• POLS 406-Constitutional Rights, 3 hrs.

Three hours from the following:

• SOC 421-Race and Ethnicity, 3 hrs.
• SOC 431-Gender and Society, 3hrs.
• SOC 463-Wealth & Poverty, 3 hrs.