Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice
The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Criminal Justice program is designed to provide students with an understanding of the criminal justice system. This degree program will provide students with the appropriate skills and knowledge to effectively function in a criminal justice environment. The BACJ curriculum provides a unique and innovative framework which emphasizes effective communication, ethical problem solving strategies, and collaboration with the community. The Criminal Justice degree program has components on local, state, and federal law enforcement; courts; corrections; forensics; homeland security; and victim advocacy.
A minor in criminal justice is also offered for undergraduate students completing a bachelor’s degree in a different area of study.
Program Mission Statement
The mission of the Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice is to prepare students to be criminal justice professionals who apply critical analysis, ethical and legal problem-solving strategies, effective communication skills, innovative practices, and collaborative approaches within the criminal justice system and the community.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Criminal Justice System: Apply critical analysis and collaborative approaches to issues impacting the criminal justice system.
- Ethical Problem Solving: Apply ethical problem solving strategies within the criminal justice environment.
- Communication: Demonstrate effective communication skills in a criminal justice setting.
- Theory: Evaluate criminological theory to explain criminal behaviors and crime trends.
- Community: Apply innovative practices in an effort to build positive relationships with the community.
All courses taken in the major program must be passed with a letter grade of "C" or higher.
Courses may be used to fulfill both major and general education requirements.
Transfer Credit Policy
In addition to university policies concerning the transfer of coursework, students in the Criminal Justice program who have successfully completed the California Basic POST (Peace Officer Standards and Training) certificate may be eligible to receive fifteen semester hours of lower-division block credit as general elective credit. These credits do not apply directly toward the 51-credit major requirement for the Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice but may count toward the overall 120 credits required for the bachelor’s degree. Partial credit is not awarded. For additional information, refer to the University of Massachusetts Global web site.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | ||
| CJCU 300 | Contemporary Criminal Justice Applications | 3 |
| LEST 300 | Foundations of Law | 3 |
| CJCU 380 | Correctional Systems | 3 |
| COMU 380 | Interpreting Data: Predictions, Patterns, and Communication | 3 |
| CJCU 403 | Police and Society | 3 |
| CJCU 411 | Gangs and Gang Behavior | 3 |
| CJCU 415 | Ethics in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CJCU 416 | Domestic Violence ( or CJCU 418 Victim Advocacy) | 3 |
| CJCU 425 | Evidence | 3 |
| CJCU 430 | Applied Criminology | 3 |
| CJCU 432 | Communication and Conflict Resolution for Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CJCU 434 | Diversity, Conflict, and Crime | 3 |
| CJCU 435 | Contemporary Issues in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CJCU 450 | Homeland Security | 3 |
| CJCU 460 | White Collar Crime (or CJCU 414 Organized Crime) | 3 |
| CJCU 495 | Criminal Justice Capstone Course | 3 |
| Core Requirements Subtotal | 48 | |
| Criminal Justice Electives (3 upper credits) | ||
| Choose one upper division course from: | 3 | |
Criminal Justice (CJCU), Legal Studies (LEST), Organizational Leadership (OLCU), Political Science (POSU), Psychology (PSYU), Social Science (SSCU), Social Work (SOWK), Sociology (SOCU) and LBSU 492 (Experiential Learning) | ||
| Total Credits | 51 | |