Criminal Justice

Students may seek either an academic major or minor in criminal justice.

Major in Criminal Justice

The criminal justice program provides students with an understanding of the nature of crime and the personnel, institutions, and processes that prevent or respond to crime. Students learn both the theory and practice of the criminal justice system. The curriculum covers crime and criminal behavior, law enforcement, courts, corrections, security, and investigation. It provides a solid foundation for further study or entry into a variety of criminal justice professions.

Intended Program Outcomes

The student who graduates with a major in criminal justice will be able to

  • Accurately communicate orally and in writing to complete organizational missions to ensure public safety.
  • Apply critical thinking skills and logic to analyze and solve a variety of complex problems in the criminal justice environment.
  • Manage and evaluate organizational efforts to ensure effective cooperation with stakeholders to prevent, control, and manage crime to ensure public safety.
  • Utilize an ethical framework and an understanding of legal constraints to make decisions as a criminal justice professional.
  • Develop specialized technical knowledge and skills relevant to subspecialties in the field of criminal justice to ensure public safety.
  • Use interpersonal and leadership skills to work both independently and cooperatively as a member of a criminal justice team.

Degree Requirements

A degree with a major in criminal justice requires the successful completion of 120 credits of coursework including 30 credits for the major (indicated by Required by major); 41 credits in general education requirements (GERs); and 49 credits in the minor, electives and other degree requirements. At least 15 credits in the major must be earned in upper-level courses (numbered 300 or above).

Requirements for the Criminal Justice Major

Coursework for a major in criminal justice includes the following:

  • Introductory course (3 credits): Chosen from CCJS 100 or 105
  • Required statistics course (3 credits): STAT 200
  • Required core courses (12 credits): CCJS 340, 345, 380, and 497
  • Specialization courses (9 credits): Any 3-credit CCJS courses
    (Note: Taking courses within a single topic area - law enforcement, law, corrections, security management, forensics, intelligence, or leadership - is highly recommended)
  • Required capstone course (3 credits): CCJS 495

Recommended Sequence

The following course sequence will fulfill all of the requirements for the BS in criminal justice. Since some recommended courses fulfill more than one requirement, substituting courses for those listed may make it necessary to take additional courses to meet degree requirements. Students should consult an academic advisor whenever taking advantage of other options.

Information on alternate courses (where allowable) to fulfill general education requirements (in communications, arts and humanities, behavioral and social sciences, biological and physical sciences, mathematics, and interdisciplinary issues) may be found in the General Education Requirements.

Minor in Criminal Justice

The criminal justice minor complements the skills the student gains in his or her major discipline by providing a study of crime, law enforcement, corrections, security, and investigative forensics.

Requirements for the Minor

A minor in criminal justice requires the completion of 15 credits of coursework in criminal justice. Any CCJS courses apply. Students are recommended to take CCJS 100, 105, or 230 as the first course in the minor (if they have not already applied the course toward other degree requirements).

Courses already applied toward other degree requirements (e.g., major or general education) may not be applied toward the minor. At least 9 credits must be earned in upper-level courses (numbered 300 or above). Prerequisites apply for all courses.

For a listing of all the requirements for the bachelor's degree, students should refer to their major and the General Education Requirements.

Criminal Justice Major Courses

First Courses

(to be taken within the first 18 credits)

Note: Placement tests are required for math and writing courses.

LIBS 150 Introduction to Research (1)

WRTG 101 Introduction to Writing (3)

MATH 103 College Mathematics (3)

or MATH 107 College Algebra
or a higher-level math course

CCJS 100Required by major Introduction to Criminal Justice (3)

or CCJS 105 Introduction to Criminology

Introductory Courses

(to be taken within the first 30 credits)

GVPT 170 American Government (3)
or other ANTH, BEHS, ECON, GEOG, GVPT, PSYC, SOCY, or eligible AASP, CCJS, GERO, or WMST course to fulfill the first general education requirement in behavioral and social sciences

BIOL 101 Concepts of Biology (3)

and BIOL 102 Laboratory in Biology (1)

or BIOL 103 Introduction to Biology
or other course(s) to fulfill the general education requirement in biological and physical sciences with related laboratory

WRTG 291 Research Writing (3)
or other course to fulfill the general education requirement in communications/ writing

IFSM 201 Concepts and Applications of Information Technology (3)

or CMST 303 Advanced Application Software

PHIL 140 Contemporary Moral Issues (3)
or other ARTH, ARTT, HIST, HUMN, MUSC, PHIL, THET, dance, literature, or foreign language course to fulfill the first general education requirement in arts and humanities

Foundation Courses

(to be taken within the first 60 credits)

STAT 200Required by major Introduction to Statistics (3)

PSYC 100 Introduction to Psychology (3)

or SOCY 100 Introduction to Sociology
or other course to fulfill the second general education requirement in behavioral and social sciences
(discipline must differ from first)

NSCI 100 Introduction to Physical Science (3)

or ASTR 100 Introduction to Astronomy
or other course to fulfill the general education requirement in biological and physical sciences

HIST 142 Western Civilization II (3)

or HIST 157 History of the United States Since 1865
or other ARTH or HIST course to fulfill the general education requirement in arts and humanities for the historical perspective (discipline must differ from other humanities course)

SPCH 100 Foundations of Oral Communication (3)

or SPCH 101 Introduction to Public Speaking
or other course to fulfill the general education requirement in communications/ writing or speech

CMIS 111 Social Computing and Cybersecurity Best Practices (3)

or IFSM 304 Ethics in Information Technology
or other course to fulfill the second general education requirement in interdisciplinary issues/computing

CCJS 340Required by major Law Enforcement Administration (3)

Additional Required Courses

(to be taken after introductory and foundation courses)

WRTG 391 Advanced Research Writing (3)
or other course to fulfill the upper-level advanced writing requirement

CCJS 345Required by major Introduction to Security Management (3)

CCJS 380Required by major Ethical Behavior in Criminal Justice (3)

CCJS 497Required by major Correctional Administration (3)

CCJS 341Required by major Criminal Investigation (3)
or other specialization course for the major
(see Requirements for the Major)

CCJS 342Required by major Crime Scene Investigation (3)
or other specialization course for the major
(see Requirements for the Major)

CCJS 352Required by major Drugs and Crime (3)
or other specialization course for the major
(see Requirements for the Major)

Capstone Course for the Major

(to be taken in the last 9 credits)

CCJS 495Required by major Issues in Criminal Justice (3)

Minor and/or Elective Courses

(to be taken in the last 60 credits along with required major courses) (49)

Recommended electives:

ANTH 344 Culture and Language

CCJS 230 Criminal Law in Action

Total credits for BS in criminal justice 120


UMUC Europe Undergraduate Catalog


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Last updated: 30 June 2011