Criminal Justice
A major in criminal justice offers students a thorough foundation in criminal justice theories and research methods in the social sciences. There are multiple opportunities for research, service learning and internships. While completing the major, students may select specialized training in legal studies, law enforcement or data analysis. Graduates with the Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice find employment in a variety of professions and occupations. Some of these include positions in policing (city, county, state, and federal), courts, corrections (jails, prisons, probation, and parole), security (private and industrial) and a variety of public service occupations in governmental and nongovernmental organizations.
Beyond the Classroom
Below are a few of the many employment opportunities available to graduates in the fields of Sociology and Criminal Justice:
- Adult Parole/Probation Officer
- Child Abuse Investigator
- Child Support Enforcement Agency
- City Police Officer
- Community Corrections Facility Administrator
- Community Outreach, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention
- Community Policing
- Counselor, Community Corrections Facility
- Counselor, Residential Facility for Juvenile Drug & Alcohol
- County Prosecutor's Office Investigator
- Domestic Mediator
- Domestic Violence Investigator, County Law Enforcement
- Drug Enforcement Administration Agent
- Federal Bureau of Investigation Agent
- Fraud Investigator, Bank
- Highway Patrol Officer
- Homeland Security Agent
- Human Rights Advocate
- Immigration and Naturalization Service Agent
- Intake Officer, Halfway House
- International Conflict Mediation
- Intensive Probation Coordinator, County Juvenile Court
- Inventory Control Director, Department Store
- Juvenile Detention Facility Administrator
- Juvenile Diversion Program Administrator
- Juvenile Parole, Department of Youth Services
- Juvenile Probation Officer
- Lawyer
- Mediator
- Mental Health Division Investigator, Office of Public Defender
- Paralegal
- Police Officer, U.S. Capitol
- Private Security Firm Investigator
- Program Director, Juvenile Detention Facility
- Research and Statistics, County Court
- Restorative Justice
- Secret Service Agent
- Security, U.S. State Department
- Sexual Abuse Investigator, County Court
- State Board of Pharmacy Investigator
- State Bureau of Criminal Investigation Agent
- S. Customs Agent
- S. Department of Justice; Office of Justice Programs
- Unit Manager, Adult Correctional Institution
- University Professor
- Victim Assistance Program Director
- Victim-Offender Reconciliation Programs
Courses
Following are the Criminal Justice foundation courses:
- SOC 306 - Religious Cults and Violence (3 credits)
- SOC 340 - The Sociology of Drugs & Drug Control Policy (3 credits)
- SOC 341 - Organized Crime (3 credits)
- SOC 350 Q* - Juvenile Delinquency (3 to 4 credits)
- SOC 351 - Deviant Behavior (3 credits)
- SOC 352 - Comparative Policing (3 credits)
- SOC 401 - Sociology of Corrections (3 credits)
- SOC 450 - Victimology (3 credits)
- INTEL 312 - Intelligence Operations (3 credits)
- INTEL 330 - National Security (3 credits)
- INTEL 335 - Homeland Security (3 credits)
- INTEL 337 - Law Enforcement Intelligence (3 credits)
- POLI 306 - American Law through Literature and Film (3 credits)
- POLI 363 - Southern Politics (3 credits)
- POLI 370 - Introduction to Public Administration (3 credits)
- POLI 371 - Public Policy (3 credits)
- POLI 441 - Legal Reasoning (1 credit)
- POLI 447 Q - Trial Advocacy (3 credits)
- POLI 449 - Constitutional Law I (3 credits)
- POLI 450 - Constitutional Law II (3 credits)
- POLI 452 - The Judicial Process (3 credits)
- POLI 455 - American Jurisprudence (3 credits)
- POLI 457 - Environmental Law (3 credits)
- PSYC 410 - Abnormal Psychology (3 credits)
- PSYC 455 - Psychology of Aggression (3 credits)
- PSYC 465 - Psychology and the Law (3 credits)
- ANTH 303 - Murder, Mayhem & Madness: Culture & Crime (3 credits)
- ANTH 371 - Introduction to Forensic Archaeology and Anthropology (3 credits)
- COMM 302 - Communication Law and Ethics (3 credits)
- CSCI 434 - Digital Forensics (3 credits)
- PHIL 316 - Crime and Justice (3 credits)
- PHIL 323 - Philosophy of Law (3 credits)
- HIST 393 - Crime and Punishment in Early America (3 credits)
A major in criminal justice offers students a thorough foundation in criminal justice theories and research methods in the social sciences. There are multiple opportunities for research, service learning, and internships. While completing the major, students may select specialized training in legal studies, law enforcement, or data analysis. Graduates with the Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice find employment in a variety of professions and occupations. Some of these include positions in policing (city, county, state, and federal), courts, corrections (jails, prisons, probation, and parole), security (private and industrial), a variety of public service occupations in governmental and nongovernmental organizations.
Students must earn a grade of ‘C’ or better in each course used to satisfy major requirements, certificates and minor requirements.
A University approved Minor, or Certificate is required for the Criminal Justice Major.
Criminal Justice Majors cannot also earn the Criminal Justice Minor.
First semester seniors are strongly encouraged to meet with their adviser for a pre-graduation check.