Criminal Justice Major BA
The B.A. in criminal justice provides students with a broad analysis of the relationship between law and society as well as a thorough examination of the interrelationships, functions and operations of the different components of the criminal justice system. Students completing a criminal justice major are well-prepared for employment and advancement in a wide range of criminal justice careers. To earn a B.A. in criminal justice, students must complete the minimum bachelor's degree requirements (120 credits), including general education, liberal studies and criminal justice course work.
Prerequisites (6 credits)
Required Core Courses (36 credits)
CJS 101 Introduction to Criminal Justice and CJS 200 Literature in Criminal Justice are prerequisites for all law enforcement and criminal justice courses.
- CJS 210 Constitutional Law
- CJS 300 Corrections
- CJS 302 Juvenile Justice
- CJS 320 Applied Criminology
- LAWE 330 Critical Issues in Law Enforcement
- CJS 350 Citizenship: Community Involvement
- CJS 360 Diversity Issues in Criminal Justice*
- CJS 375 Criminal Justice Ethics*
- CJS 483 Research Seminar in Criminal Justice (Prerequisite for CJS 490)
- CJS 490 Criminal Justice Capstone
*Note: CJS 101 Introduction to Criminal Justice, CJS 340 Comparative Criminal Justice, CJS 360 Diversity Issues in Criminal Justice, and CJS 375 Criminal Justice Ethics, may also be used to fulfill general education/liberal studies requirements.
Directed Electives (12 credits)
Criminal justice majors must select 12 elective credits (4 course minimum) of criminal justice or law enforcement courses listed below (CJS 101 and CJS 200 or instructor consent are prerequisites for all CJS and LAWE courses). Law Enforcement required core courses may not be used if majoring in both Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice.
- CJS 110 Careers in Criminal Justice
- CJS 310 Introduction to Security Management
- CJS 315 Dynamics of Criminal Sexual Assault
- CJS 333 Gangs
- CJS 335 Murder: A Global Perspective
- CJS 339 Violent Crime Investigation
- CJS 340 Comparative Criminal Justice*
- CJS 345 Organization and Administration in Criminal Justice
- CJS 346 Victimology
- CJS 354 Restorative Justice
- CJS 356 Urban Violence
- CJS 365 Criminal Justice and the Media
- CJS 367 Introduction to Forensic Science
- CJS 370 Probation and Parole
- CJS 377 Criminal Justice Practicum (4 credits maximum)
- CJS 382 Selected Topics in Criminal Justice
- CJS 387 White Collar Crime
Any non-core criminal justice class is also included.
- LAWE 104 First Responder for Law Enforcement
- LAWE 301 Community-oriented Policing
- LAWE 325 Criminal Procedure and Investigation
- LAWE 370 Assisting Families in Crisis
- LAWE 400 Managing Police Organizations
- LAWE 410 Managing Human Resources in Law Enforcement
- LAWE 431 Police Culture
- LAWE 445 Police Leadership: Contemporary Issues
Credit and Residency Requirements
Students in the criminal justice major program must complete a minimum of 24 credits of their major requirements and/or major electives at Metropolitan State University. In addition, students must complete at least 30 credits at Metropolitan State University in order to graduate.