Department of Criminal Justice

William P. Bloss, Chair, 247 Rivers Building

The Department of Criminal Justice offers the bachelor of science in criminal justice, minor in criminal justice, minor in forensic science, master of science in criminal justice and graduate certificate in security studies. (See also graduate catalog.) Program admission is competitive and admission to the university and/or achieving a minimum 2.0 GPA does not guarantee admission to criminal justice courses or the BS or minor degree programs.

To be eligible for the program as a criminal justice major or a minor, a student is required to have completed 32 s.h. with a minimum overall 2.0 GPA, including work transferred from another institution, and must have completed JUST 1000 with a grade of C (2.0) or higher. Transfer students admitted to the university with a minimum of 32 s.h. of credit must establish an overall 2.0 GPA at the university prior to admission into the criminal justice program and have completed JUST 1000 or equivalent with a minimum grade of C (2.0) . Criminal justice majors and criminal justice minors are expected to maintain an overall 2.0 GPA throughout the program. Further information may be obtained from the criminal justice departmental office, 245 Rivers Building.

In addition to the above requirements, to be admitted to the minor in forensic science, students need to have a minimum overall 2.5 GPA. They are also expected to maintain an overall GPA of 2.5 throughout the program.

The major in criminal justice is designed to prepare students for entrance into professional positions in the field of criminal justice, graduate studies, or law school. The program requires mandatory field internship to be undertaken during the final semester of the program. Students with sufficient criminal justice work experience may request the departmental chair for exemption from the internship. Field placement settings include probation and parole agencies, juvenile facilities, public and private law offices, federal and state prisons, and federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Students must submit an application two semesters prior to completing requirements for the degree; they must have an overall 2.0 GPA or higher to be eligible for consideration.

Programs

Bachelor’s

Criminal Justice, BS

Minor