Criminal Justice Degree Program Overview
What is the Criminal Justice Degree all about?
The baccalaureate (BS) program in Criminal Justice prepares graduates for careers in the criminal justice system or graduate school by combining a criminal justice studies with a foundation in the liberal arts and technology. The curriculum supplements essential coursework in all aspects of the criminal justice system with courses in areas such as psychology, history, political science, sociology, biology, communications, and management. For those interested in more specialized study, there are concentrations available in computer and economic crime and domestic security.
What do graduates do with a Criminal Justice degree?
Earning a BS degree in criminal justice prepares graduates for a variety of careers in the criminal justice system. In addition to positions in law enforcement, criminal justice graduates work in corrections (e.g. probation/parole officer, prison administration), the courts (e.g. victim advocates, investigators), and private security. A criminal justice degree can also be a foundational degree for going to law school or pursuing a graduate degree in criminal justice, public administration, political science, sociology, and other social and behavioral sciences.
What courses are required?
After completing the general education Core Curriculum Areas A through E, students will complete their Area F requirements with courses chosen from criminal justice, sociology, psychology, history, political science, statistics, foreign language, and other fields related to their academic or career goals.
At the junior-senior level, students will complete a Criminal Justice core of four upper-division courses (Criminology, Survey of Criminal Law and Procedures, Corrections and Law Enforcement) and at least one additional criminal justice course. The remaining coursework will consist of approved electives from other disciplines or selected courses from the areas of concentration.
Criminal Justice majors are not required to choose a specialized area of concentration, but may do so if they wish to be more prepared for work in the areas of computer crime, economic crime, or domestic security. Each area of concentration supplements a core of courses from the appropriate discipline with additional courses in the criminal justice application of these fields.
How can I get more information about the Criminal Justice program?
For more information contact the Dr. Hamin Shabazz, Program Coordinator, at HaminShabazz@clayton.edu or call (678) 466-4560.