Criminal Justice - BA, BS

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College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Department of Sociology and Anthropology

About This Degree

Criminal justice is the structure of laws involving the three components of the system: law enforcement, courts, and corrections. It involves the procedures created to maintain social order, control crime, and direct justice to those who violate these laws. It encompasses a wide range of activities that relate to detection, apprehension, prosecution, and punishment of law violators. These systems can vary from location to location and can even differ within one state. However, the overall goal is to balance the interest of justice, public safety and the rights of the accused.

Students will gain the knowledge and skills needed to pursue a career in criminal justice and related fields, such as law enforcement, probation and parole, corrections, paralegal, pre-law, juvenile probation/detention, court clerk, forensics (CSI), or private investigator.

For more information about Criminal Justice, see the Criminal Justice Program website website.
Admitted and current students must meet with an academic advisor.
Log on to Degree Works to check student-specific program progress.
The highest math requirement for this degree is STAT 1040 - Introduction to Statistics (QL) or MATH 1030 - Quantitative Reasoning (QL) or STAT 1080 - Foundations of Data Science (QL) .

Minimum University Requirements

Total Credits: 120
Credits of C- or better: 100
Total credits taken through USU: 30
Total major required credits taken at USU: 10
Minimum Grade Point Average (many majors require a higher GPA): 2.0 GPA
Credits of upper-division courses (#3000 or above): 40
Upper-division credits taken at USU: 20
General Education Requirements
University Studies Requirements
Undergraduate Degree Requirements

Admission Requirements For This Program

New Freshmen must have a minimum GPA for Admission: 2.50-Overall; 2.50-USU
Additional Matriculation Requirement for new freshmen: Complete CJ 1010, and at least one other CJ-prefix class with a grade of C- or better
Transfer students from other institutions or other programs at USU must have a 2.50 GPA.

Major Requirements (74-77 credits)

Minimum GPA for Graduation: 2.50-major requirements; 2.0-USU; 2.0-Overall GPA
Minimum Grade Accepted: C in CJ 1010; C- in major courses
Criminal Justice majors must meet the following course requirements:

1. Complete the general requirements of the University

Majors are expected to take one of the following courses with a minimum grade of C- or equivalent: MATH 1030 , MATH 1050 , MATH 1060 ; STAT 1040 , STAT 1045 , or STAT 1080 , and either STAT 2000 or STAT 2300 to fulfill the Quantitative Literacy (QL) requirement.

2. Complete a minimum of 36 credits in Criminal Justice coursework

At least fifty percent of the criminal justice coursework must be completed in the USU Criminal Justice program. Criminal Justice majors must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5 in Criminal Justice courses and earn a grade of C or better CJ 1010 and a C- or better in all other courses to be counted toward the major. Criminal Justice courses over 10 years old do not count toward the major requirement.

3. A minor outside the program is encouraged but not required.

4. Complete the following required courses (27 credits):

CJ 1010 - Introduction to Criminal Justice (BSS) 3 credit(s)
CJ 1300 - Introduction to Corrections 3 credit(s)
CJ 1330 - Criminal Law 3 credit(s)
CJ 1390 - Introduction to Policing 3 credit(s)
CJ 4200 - Criminal Justice Ethics 3 credit(s)
SOC 3110 - Methods of Social Research (CI) 3 credit(s)
SOC 3120 - Social Statistics I (QI) 3 credit(s)
SOC 3420 - Criminology 3 credit(s)
ANTH 3200 - Perspectives on Race (CI/DSS) 3 credit(s)
or
SOC 4410 - Race and Crime (CI) 3 credit(s)

5. Criminal Justice elective courses (9 credits)

Choose a minimum of three courses (9 credits) from the following criminal justice elective courses:

ANTH 1010 - Cultural Anthropology (BSS) 3 credit(s)
ANTH 1090 - Introduction to Interfaith Leadership (BHU) 3 credit(s)
ANTH 4800 - Topics in Anthropology 1-3 credit(s)
CJ 1030 - Introduction to Firearms Handling/Safety 3 credit(s)
CJ 1340 - Criminal Investigations 3 credit(s)
CJ 1350 - Introduction to Forensic Science 3 credit(s)
CJ 2110 - Security 3 credit(s)
CJ 2330 - Juvenile Justice 3 credit(s)
CJ 2350 - Laws of Evidence 3 credit(s)
CJ 2360 - Juvenile Law and Procedures 3 credit(s)
CJ 2370 - Child Abuse and Neglect 3 credit(s)
CJ 3150 - Moot Court 3 credit(s)
CJ 3320 - Survey of Criminal Procedure 3 credit(s)
CJ 3370 - Gender-Based Violence 3 credit(s)
CJ 3400 - Tribal Criminal Justice Systems 3 credit(s)
CJ 4310 - Corrections Law & Inmate Rights 3 credit(s)
CJ 4350 - Courtroom Communication 3 credit(s)
CJ 4440 - The Origins of the United States Criminal Justice System (DSS) 3 credit(s)
CJ 4770 - Criminal Justice Field Education and Experience 3 credit(s)
SOC 1010 - Introductory Sociology (BSS) 3 credit(s)
SOC 1020 - Social Problems (BSS) 3 credit(s)
SOC 2630 - Sociology of Race and Ethnicity (BSS) 3 credit(s)
SOC 2650 - Globalization and International Development (BSS) 3 credit(s)
SOC 3010 - Social Inequality (DSS) 3 credit(s)
SOC 3400 - Tribal Criminal Justice Systems 3 credit(s)
SOC 3410 - Juvenile Delinquency 3 credit(s)
SOC 3430 - Social Deviance (DSS) 3 credit(s)
SOC 3520 - Sociology of Mental Illness 3 credit(s)
SOC 4420 - Law and Society (CI) 3 credit(s)
WILD 4550 - Wildlife Law Enforcement 3 credit(s)

Additional Information

Bachelor of Science Degree

Students desiring a (BS) Bachelor of Science degree must complete all requirements listed in the sample four-year plan.

Bachelor of Arts Degree

Students desiring a (BA) Bachelor of Arts degree must complete the language proficiency requirements in one of the following ways: * (in addition to the (BS) Bachelor of Science degree requirements)

Demonstration of proficiency in one foreign language by successful completion of one course at the 2020-level or higher (or its equivalent) OR
Demonstration of proficiency in American Sign Language by successful completion of American Sign Language IV (COMD 4920 ) and Socio-Cultural Aspects of Deafness (COMD 4780 ), and by passing an exit interview OR
Demonstration of proficiency in two foreign languages by successful completion of the 1020 course level in one language and the 2010 course level in the second language (or its equivalent) OR
Completion of an upper-division (3000-level or higher) foreign language grammar or literature course requiring the 2020 course level (or its equivalent) as a prerequisite. Conversation courses cannot be considered for satisfying this requirement.

For nonnative English-speaking students only, the following options are available:

Successful completion of the Intensive English Language Institute (IELI) program for international students OR
TOEFL, Michigan, or IELI placement scores high enough to meet the University admission criteria.

More Information:

New Freshmen must have a minimum GPA for Graduation: 2.5, major; 2.0, USU; 2.0, Overall
Minimum Grade Accepted for New Freshmen: C- in CJ 1010; C- in major courses

Open Electives

Total elective credit is determined by General Education courses taken, degree type selected, additional credits earned, and any additional math or other prerequisite courses needed. Please consult your Academic Advisor for details.

Total Credits: 120

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