Criminal Justice, B.S.

Completion of this major prepares one to assume the responsibilities of the following professions: Police officer (municipal and state), special agent (in federal law enforcement agencies), criminal investigator (in state prosecutor offices), court administrator (state and federal), probation officer (state and federal), parole officer (state), correctional officer (state and federal), juvenile counselor, victim advocate (government or community), and others. Continued study may include a master’s and/or doctoral degree in criminal justice or public administration or a doctoral degree in law.

The requirement for admission to this degree track is a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 2.0.


 

Various discipline-specific concentrations that will prepare students for multiple fields of employment or areas of additional undergraduate/graduate study are noted below. Course requirements for each concentration are explained in detail. The requirements for graduation, in addition to completion of the major area, are listed on "Undergraduate Degree Requirements."

Major Concentration

The requirement for admission to this degree track is an overall 2.0 GPA.  Additionally, the 2.0 minimum overall GPA and a 2.0 minimum average GPA in the major is a requirement for continuation in the major, as well as for graduation. 

Criminal Justice (Law Enforcement, Courts, Probation, Corrections, Parole, Juvenile Justice, Victim Advocacy; Government or Community)

Students concentrating in Criminal Justice will be required to complete 39 semester hours in Criminal Justice Courses in residence at NJCU:

Required Courses
CJ 111Introduction to Criminal Justice3
CJ 112Crime and Delinquency3
CJ 215Police Organization & Administration3
CJ 216Court System & Admin3
CJ 217Correctional Systems & Administration3
CJ 305Criminal Law3
CJ 372Criminal Justice Research3
CJ 463Management of Public Safety Agencies3
Students are required to take a minimum of five electives from the following courses listed below to satisfy the remaining 15 semester hours left to be completed alongside the eight required courses mentioned above:
Restricted Electives
Select a minimum of 15 credits from the following courses:15
Juvenile Justice
Careers in Criminal Justice
Writing for Criminal Justice
Law, Order, and Justice in Society
Community Corrections
Crime Prevention
Crisis Intervention
Criminal Investigation
Police & Community
Victimless Crimes/Organized Crime
Terrorism
White Collar Crime
Women and Criminal Justice
Crime and the Movies
Multi-Cultural Law Enforcement
Hate Crimes Seminar
Violence, Victims, & Criminal Justice
Seminar in Criminal Justice Problems
Criminal Procedure
Criminal Evidence
Victims Of Crime
Minorities & Criminal Justice
International Criminal Justice
Criminal Justice Ethics
Management of Information Systems
Total Credits39
Plan of Study Grid
Freshman
Semester 1Credits
ENGL 101
English Composition I
or English Composition I for English as a Second Language Students
4
MATH 114 Contemporary Mathematics (or Higher) 3
General Education Tier I Course 3
CJ 111 Introduction to Criminal Justice 3
INTD 101 Orientation to College *first time freshmen only 1
 Credits14
Semester 2
CJ 112 Crime and Delinquency 3
ENGL 102
English Composition II
or English Composition 2 ESL
4-6
General Education Tier I Course 3
General Education Tier I Course 3
Elective Course 3
 Credits16-18
Sophomore
Semester 1
CJ 215 Police Organization & Administration 3
CJ 216 Court System & Admin 3
General Education Tier I Course 3
General Education Tier II Course 3
General Education Tier II Course 3
 Credits15
Semester 2
CJ 217 Correctional Systems & Administration 3
Criminal Justice Elective 3
General Education Tier II Course 3
General Education Tier II Course 3
Minor/Elective 3
 Credits15
Junior
Semester 1
CJ 305 Criminal Law 3
Criminal Justice Elective 3
Criminal Justice Elective 3
Criminal Justice Elective 3
Criminal Justice Elective 3
General Education Tier III Course 3
 Credits18
Semester 2
Criminal Justice Elective 3
Criminal Justice Elective 3
Minor/Elective 3
Minor/Elective 3
Minor/Elective 3
 Credits15
Senior
Semester 1
CJ 372 Criminal Justice Research 3
Minor/Elective 3
Minor/Elective 3
Minor/Elective 3
Minor/Elective 3
 Credits15
Semester 2
CJ 463 Management of Public Safety Agencies 3
Minor/Elective 3
Minor/Elective 3
Minor/Elective 3
Minor/Elective 3
 Credits15
 Total Credits123-125

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Criminal Justice BS program, students will be able to:

  1. Apply critical reasoning skills to solve problems in selected areas of criminal justice.
  2. Demonstrate research skills necessary to enter into criminal justice fields, or alternatively pursue graduate studies.
  3. Demonstrate writing skills required to enter into professional criminal justice fields, or alternatively to pursue graduate studies.
  4. Identify the multi-disciplinary concepts of criminal justice, criminology, and law, and the workings of major components of the criminal justice system: police, courts, and corrections.