The purpose of the major in Criminal Justice & Legal Studies is to provide students with an understanding of the criminal justice system and related legal rules and institutions, thus preparing them for the varied career paths in the field of criminal justice. In keeping with the mission of the University, the Criminal Justice & Legal Studies curriculum seeks to integrate rigorous academic study with the Christian faith.
The Criminal Justice & Legal Studies degree equips students who desire to enter Criminal Justice & Legal Studies related fields and prepares students for graduate school in a related field of study. The Department of Criminal Justice will work with students majoring in Criminal Justice & Legal Studies so that they will have the opportunity to encounter the background and development of American laws, the ways in which those laws govern our society, and the practical application of those laws to the practice of criminal justice. At the time of graduation, a Criminal Justice & Legal Studies major should have the ability to communicate effectively in writing and orally and to demonstrate an understanding of the core concentration of the Criminal Justice area of their choosing (law enforcement, legal studies, and law and sociology).
The curriculum in Criminal Justice & Legal Studies provides a broad spectrum of coursework in the field. The Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice & Legal Studies requires that students earn at least 121 academic hours, including the general education requirements listed below. The major in Criminal Justice & Legal Studies consists of 48 hours. The remaining hours in the major consist of 18 hours of free electives.
Students completing the required program for the BA degree in Criminal Justice & Legal Studies must also demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language in four semesters at the college level. This requirement may be met by a satisfactory score on a recognized proficiency examination or by earning 12 hours in foreign language courses of one language.
In order to graduate with a major in Criminal Justice & Legal studies, the student must have:
- an overall minimum 2.0 GPA.
- a grade of C or higher in all Criminal Justice & Legal Studies courses including criminal justice & legal studies electives.
Core Curriculum
First Year Experience, Choose 1 (1 Credit)
Communication, Choose 1 (3 Credits)
Required
Literature, Choose 1 (3 Credits)
Required
Fine Arts, Choose 1 (3 Credits)
Required
| HIST-1385 | Western Civ in a Global Context Since 1517 | 3 |
Math, Choose 1 (3 Credits)
| - | Any 1000-level math course 1310 or higher | 3 |
Required
| PSYC-2310 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| BIOL-1310 | Scientific Inquiry in a Living World | 3 |
| PHSC-1430 | Scientific Inquiry in a Physical World | 4 |
| PHSC-1431 | Scientific Inquiry in a Physical World Lab | 0 |
Civic Awareness, Choose 1 (3 Credits)
| PLSC-2310 | American National Government | 3 |
| HIST-2310 | United States History to 1865 | 3 |
| HIST-2320 | United States History Since 1865 | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 44 |
Major Requirements
Foreign Language: 4 semesters of the same language.
Students must select one concentration from the list below.
Law Enforcement Concentration Requirements
Legal Studies Concentration Requirements
Law and Sociology Concentration Requirements
Major Electives
Choose four courses from the list below. Courses taken as part of a student's concentration cannot be included as elective hours.
| Total Free Elective Requirements |
18 |
| Total Degree Requirements |
121 |
The Criminal Justice & Legal Studies program serves to foster academic and spiritual growth in students by providing them with Christ-centered insight pertinent to the criminal justice and legal professions and with the knowledge and skills necessary for making ethical decisions; upholding Christian values; and impacting others within the criminal justice system.
- Students will be able to analyze the role of the criminal justice system in contemporary society
- Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the ethical standards of the criminal justice profession and how these standards are informed by Christian values.
- Students will be able to explain and analyze Christian perspectives on the criminal justice system and those impacted by it.