Criminal Justice Bachelor's Degree Program

Crime scene tape barricade

Prepare for a variety of professional roles, including corrections, offender rehabilitation, substance abuse counseling, conflict resolution, policy development, law enforcement and law careers.

The Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice offers an interdisciplinary foundation within the liberal arts and sciences. This major requires a minimum of 42 credits and allows for students to choose a concentration. See the full requirements for our Criminal Justice major in our Official Catalog.

  • CRJ 101: Criminal Justice

    3 credits
  • CRJ 215: Criminology

    3 credits
  • CRJ 315: Race, Class, & Gender in the Criminal Justice System

    3 credits
  • CRJ 325: Ethics in Criminal Justice

    3 credits
  • MAT 105: Statistics (or PSY 216: Statistics for Behavioral Science)

    3 credits
  • PSY 216: Statistics for Behavioral Science (or MAT 105: Statistics)

    3 credits
  • POL 321: Constitutional Law

    3 credits
  • PSY 101: Psychology

    3 credits
  • PSY 410: Research Methods for Behavioral Science

    3 credits

Students enrolled in the Criminal Justice Major choose one of these Concentrations (15 credits).

General Criminal Justice

  • CRJ 210: Forensic Science

  • CRJ 360: Homeland Security and Criminal Justice

  • PLG 211: Criminal Law

  • PSY 333: Social Psychology and Deviance

  • PSY 336: Abnormal Psychology

  • SOC 320: Urban Youth in American Society

  • SOC 449: Social Problems: Impact on Workplace

Victim Advocacy

  • CRJ 340: Domestic & Sexual Violence

  • CRJ 355: Mental Health/Substance Abuse in Criminal Justice

  • CRJ 335: Victimology

  • CRJ 405: Victim’s Rights and Services

  • One additional 3-credit elective in Criminal Justice

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Dr. George Ackerman

Daryl Capuano

Dr. Tuesday L. Cooper

Anthony Davila

Jessica Gauvin

Susana Orozco

Dr. Orlando Wright

Outcomes & Pathways

Students who graduate with a major in Criminal Justice will be able to:

  1. Explain the scope and nature of the three major components of the criminal justice system: police, courts, and corrections.
  2. Apply the theoretical models that attempt to explain the causes of crime.
  3. Explain how the fair and just operation of the criminal justice system is dependent upon the ethical and professional behavior of those working in the criminal justice system.
  4. Apply research and statistics to the analysis of data.
  5. Communicate effectively.

Students who graduate with a major in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Victim Advocacy will be able to:

  1. Distinguish between ethical and unethical behavior as it applies to the criminal justice field,
  2. Relate the types and patterns of family and sexual violence, including myths and realities, cross-cultural and international patterns to prevention and punishment practices and policies,
  3. Analyze the impact of criminal justice and the courts policies and practices on victims who have mental health or substance abuse disorders,
  4. Apply victim rights to criminal-case scenarios and explain how victims can be assisted in dealing with the effects of crime and the criminal justice system,
  5. Identify and analyze victim participation in the criminal justice decision-making, victim services and restitution, and restorative justice initiatives, and
  6. Explain how to be an effective victim advocate.

Why Charter Oak State College?