B.A. in Criminal Justice 2011-2012

A system of criminal justice must meet the needs of each citizen as well as the needs of complex social, economic and governmental institutions. The Bachelor of Arts degree program in criminal justice was developed with these needs in mind and is appropriate for both career-bound preservice students and inservice personnel in law enforcement, probation, parole, corrections, social service agencies and related areas.

In addition, the program is designed to provide students with an appropriate academic background for continuing their graduate studies in criminal justice, criminology or other areas such as law.

The criminal justice major is an interdisciplinary program with enough flexibility to permit students to pursue their own interests. For example, students wishing to emphasize law enforcement may select appropriate courses within the major and are encouraged to minor in administration, political science or sociology. Students directed toward probation, parole or corrections work are advised to select courses accordingly.

Admissions Process

Financial Aid

Criminal Justice Course Descriptions

Course Requirements

Requirements (68 units)

Lower-division requirements-prerequisites for upper-division courses (8 units)

  1. CJUS 101. Introduction to the Criminal Justice System (4 units)
  2. CJUS 102. Criminal Law (4)

Upper-division requirements (24 units)

  1. CJUS 311. Research Methods in Criminal Justice (4 units)
  2. CJUS 312. Statistics in Criminal Justice (4 units)
  3. CJUS 320. Theories of Crime and Delinquency (4 units)
  4. CJUS 330. Correctional Theory and Institutions (4 units)
  5. CJUS 340. Police and Police Systems (4 units)
  6. CJUS 598. Integrative Studies in Criminal Justice (4 units)

    7. Note: Students transferring from community colleges may substitute a maximum of 12 lower-division units selected from administration of justice courses toward the electives category.

Electives (36 units)

  1. Thirty-six units chosen from:
    1. CJUS 106. Introduction to Criminal Investigation (4 units)
    2. CJUS 354. Victimology (4 units)
    3. CJUS 361. Comparative Criminal Justice Systems (4 units)
    4. CJUS 370. Law and the Courts (4 units)
    5. CJUS 430. Correctional Administration (4 units)
    6. CJUS 431. Community Corrections (4 units)
    7. CJUS 435. Correctional Counseling (4 units)
    8. CJUS 440. Police Administration (4 units)
    9. CJUS 441. Community Policing (4 units)
    10. CJUS 451. Women and Crime (4 units)
    11. CJUS 452. Occupational and Corporate Crime (4 units)
    12. CJUS 453. Gangs (4 units)
    13. CJUS 455. Forensic Profiling (4 units)
    14. CJUS 460. Alcohol, Drugs and the Criminal Justice System (4 units)
    15. CJUS 462. Domestic Violence and the Criminal Justice System (4 units)
    16. CJUS 465. Hate Crime Law and Policy (4 units)
    17. CJUS 466. Justice and the Media (4 units)
    18. CJUS 470. Environmental Crime Prevention (4 units)
    19. CJUS 504. Criminal Procedure (4 units)
    20. CJUS 550. Crime and Intelligence Analysis (4 units)
    21. CJUS 554. Terrorism (4 units)
    22. CJUS 555. Homeland Security (4 units)
    23. CJUS 570. Crime in Public Spaces (4 units)
    24. CJUS 575. Internship in Criminal Justice (4 units)
    25. CJUS 580. Juvenile Justice System (4 units)
    26. CJUS 585. Criminality Across the Life Course (4 units)
    27. CJUS 590. Topics in Criminal Justice (4 units)
    28. CJUS 595. Independent Study (1-4) for a total of (4 units)
    29. CJUS 597. Senior Honors Project (4 units)

    Note: With consent of department course substitution committee, eight upper-division units in related fields may be substituted for eight units of the elective requirement.