Criminal Justice BS
Required credits to graduate with this degree: 120
The Criminal Justice program prepares students for immediate entry into the workforce through hands-on, applied training and clear career pathways in the field. Graduates pursue careers in law enforcement and investigations, courts and legal support, and corrections, including both institutional and community supervision settings. The program also provides a foundation for advanced study in public policy, law, and related fields. The degree is offered on campus and online.
Coursework is organized around the three main parts of the system: policing, courts, and corrections. Students examine how these areas function and connect in practice, including in rural and tribal communities.
Students gain hands-on experience through internships or by completing the Certificate in Peace Officer Training (17 credits) as part of the degree. Through a partnership with Lake Region State College, students can complete this certificate and graduate with the required training to enter law enforcement careers. Additional career preparation options are also available.
Students use the tools and technologies common to modern criminal justice practice. Faculty bring professional experience into the classroom and support students as they prepare for careers working with justice-involved individuals.
Students completing the Peace Officer Training Program must meet Lake Region State College admission requirements for the program. These requirements include:
- Full criminal background check (FBI Criminal Background Required)
- Psychological Assessment Examination
- Medical Examination
Criminal Justice majors must complete 36 hours of essential studies including: PSYC 111.
A list of approved essential studies courses is available here.
Program Learning Objectives:
- Foundational Knowledge: Demonstrate understanding of key criminal justice concepts and theories.
- Application: Apply methods, strategies and skills, including reading, writing, critical thinking, with AI tools and other information technologies to solve real work problems.
- Integration: Integrate ideas across disciplines and connect learning to broader societal issues.
- Human Dimension and Caring: Reflect on professional personal and social implications of criminal justice knowledge and develop an appreciation for criminal justice inquiry.
- Lifelong Learning: Assess and adapt personal learning strategies for lifelong growth, including using AI and other information technologies responsibly, understanding its limitations and ethical implications.
Degree Requirements
Core Courses
| CJ 201 | Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CJ 210 | Policing | 3 |
| CJ 270 | Corrections | 3 |
| CJ 300 | Criminological Theory | 3 |
| CJ 330 | Criminal Law & Procedure | 3 |
| CJ 360 | Criminal Court Systems | 3 |
| CJ 401 | Criminal Justice Administration | 3 |
| CJ 480 | Criminal Justice Comprehensive | 1 |
| PSYC 310 | Statistics for the Social Sciences | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 25 |
Elective Courses
Select 18 SH from the following:
| CJ 340 | Juvenile Justice | 3 |
| CJ 350 | Victimology | 3 |
| CJ 354 | Media, Crime & Justice in America | 3 |
| CJ 370 | Cybercrime & Cyber Security | 3 |
| CJ 399 | Special Topics | 1 |
| CJ 410 | The Police Role & Society | 3 |
| CJ 465 | Gender, Race & Ethnicity in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| HIST 305 | History of American Government | 3 |
| PSYC 361 | Social Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 370 | Psychology of Abnormal Behavior | 3 |
| SOC 355 | Drugs and Society | 3 |
| SOC 406 | Crime and Delinquency | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 18 |
Experiential Learning (Select one of the following tracks)
| CJ 400 | Criminal Justice Field Seminar | 0 |
| CJ 497S | Internship | 0.50-10 |
| Peace Officer Training Program | 17 |