Criminal Justice Major (BA)
College: College of Social Sciences & Professional Studies
The criminal justice major provides preparation for professional and graduate studies in law, criminology, criminal justice, sociology, public administration, and other related fields.
Program Level Outcomes
- Improve the Justice System - by communicating the results of criminal justice concepts and criminological theories to articulate methods and strategies to improve our justice system.
- Advance the Scientific Basis - exercise reasoned judgment to advance the scientific basis of criminal justice practices, policies and procedures by identifying and evaluating research needs and priorities of our justice agencies.
- Promote Ethical Principles and Practices - demonstrate social and personal responsibility by evaluating evidence, acting ethically, and reflecting the values that are the underpinnings of criminal justice as an academic discipline.
Requirements for the Criminal Justice Major
In order to declare a major in criminal justice, the student must have CRMJ 101 Introduction to Criminal Justice (or equivalent transfer course) with a grade of C or better.
This 42-credit major includes a core of 27 credits of criminal justice courses and 15 credits of upper-level electives. At least 15 credits of upper-level courses in the major must be completed at UW-Parkside. An internship is strongly recommended.
Complete with a C or better (C-minus is not acceptable) all courses toward the criminal justice major. Courses are selected in consultation with your academic advisor.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core Courses | ||
| CRMJ 101 | Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRMJ 200 | Criminal Justice Research Methods | 3 |
| CRMJ 233 | Criminology | 3 |
| CRMJ 234 | Juvenile Delinquency and Juvenile Justice | 3 |
| CRMJ 235 | Police and Society | 3 |
| CRMJ 316 | Criminal Procedure | 3 |
| CRMJ 363 | Corrections | 3 |
| CRMJ 365 | Race, Crime, Law | 3 |
| CRMJ 380 | Criminal Law | 3 |
| Required Core Courses Subtotal | 27 | |
| Upper-Level Electives | ||
| Select five of the following suggested 300-level electives relevant to possible career tracks: | 15 | |
| Law Enforcement | ||
| Forensic Anthropology | ||
| Family Violence | ||
| Introduction to Cyber Crime | ||
| Organized Crime | ||
| White Collar Crime | ||
| Street Gangs and Crime | ||
| Forensic Evidence | ||
| Women, Crime and Criminal Justice | ||
| Victimology | ||
| The Criminal Mind | ||
| Violence | ||
| Terrorism and Security | ||
| Ethics in the Criminal Justice System | ||
| Constitutional Law: Civil Liberties | ||
| Courts/Law | ||
| Law and Society | ||
| The Criminal Mind | ||
| Criminal Court Process | ||
| Ethics in the Criminal Justice System | ||
| Constitutional Law: Civil Liberties | ||
| Constitutional Law: The Structure and Power of U.S. Government | ||
| Corrections | ||
| Family Violence | ||
| Restorative Justice | ||
| Community Corrections | ||
| Capital Punishment | ||
| Women, Crime and Criminal Justice | ||
| The Criminal Mind | ||
| Violence | ||
| Value Theory | ||
| Ethics in the Criminal Justice System | ||
| Juvenile Justice | ||
| Family Violence | ||
| Women, Crime and Criminal Justice | ||
| Violence | ||
| The Criminal Justice Profession | ||
| Ethics in the Criminal Justice System | ||
| Criminal Justice/Social Justice | ||
| Criminal Justice/Social Justice | ||
| Law and Society | ||
| Latinos(as) and the Law | ||
| Crime and Human Rights | ||
| Media, Crime and Criminal Justice | ||
| Comparative and International Criminal Justice Systems | ||
| The Criminal Justice Profession | ||
| Criminal Justice Research Seminar | ||
| Criminal Justice Internship 1 | ||
| Diversity Law: African Americans | ||
| Upper-Level Electives Subtotal | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 42 | |
- 1
Only 3 credits of CRMJ 494 Criminal Justice Internship will count toward criminal justice upper-division elective credits
General University Degree Requirements (Bachelor's Degree)
In addition to individual program requirements, students must also fulfill the following requirements:
| Requirement | Credits |
|---|---|
| Skills | 7-8 |
| General Education | 36 |
| Foreign Language** | 6-8 |
| Ethnic Diversity | 3 |
| Total | 52-55 |
** Transfer students in sustainable management, and health information management and technology collaborative, online degree-completion programs, the business management online degree-completion program, and the flexible option degree-completion program will be exempt from the university’s foreign language requirement. See appropriate academic section for further information.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Reading and Writing | ||
| ENGL 101 | Composition and Reading | 3 |
| Computational Skills | ||
| Select one of the following: | 4-5 | |
| Survey of Mathematics | ||
| Elementary Statistics | ||
| Quantitative Reasoning | ||
| College Algebra I | ||
| Total Credits | 7-8 | |
Degree Requirements
| Requirement | Credits |
|---|---|
| Minimum Total Credits | 120 |
| Upper Level Credits (300 level or above) | 36 |
| Residency | 30 |
Cumulative Degree GPA: 2.0 minimum