Criminal Justice, B.A.
The B.A. in Criminal Justice from Georgian Court University is a multidisciplinary degree designed to maximize student preparation for a rapidly expanding field of professional opportunities and research.
Students who pursue a major in Criminal Justice at GCU will find that our faculty members are passionate about their areas of scholarship and professional experiences in the field. We aim to instill in our students the ability to think critically about criminal justice systems and a desire to act with extraordinary integrity and professionalism. Our curriculum is designed with social justice and the development of concrete and translatable skills in mind. Such skills include the ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing, to understand strategies and tools of effective problem solving, and to evaluate the impact of diversity on criminal justice systems.
Articulation Agreement with Ocean County Police Academy
Graduates of the Ocean County Police Academy (OCPA) will be eligible to receive a maximum of 21 credits for the courses indicated below by meeting the following criteria:
- Complete the OCPA's Basic Course for Police Officers (BCPO) and submit certification provided by OCPA documenting evidence of completion.
- Apply for admission to GCU and matriculate at GCU.
- Enroll in and complete at least 12 credits of GCU college-level (i.e., not skills development) courses with a C or better.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Courses for which OCPA graduates may receive credit | ||
| CJ111 | The Criminal Justice System | 3.0 |
| CJ210 | Introduction to Law Enforcement | 3.0 |
| CJ213 | Criminal Law & Practice | 3.0 |
| 200+ level CJ elective | 3.0 | |
| 300+ level CJ elective | 3.0 | |
| CM251 | Intercultural Communication | 3.0 |
| or CM252 | Organizational Communication | |
| 300+ level CJ or BU elective | 3.0 | |
| Total Credits | 21.0 | |
Graduate School Partnership with Salve Regina University's M.S. in Criminal Justice & Cybersecurity Program
Georgian Court University has a partnership with Salve Regina University in Newport, Rhode Island, that enables senior GCU undergraduate students to enroll in up to two graduate-level courses in Salve Regina's Master of Science in Criminal Justice and Cybersecurity program. Students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher at GCU and meet the admissions criteria for conditional acceptance into the graduate program at Salve Regina. Students must apply and be accepted as conditionally admitted to Salve Regina before enrolling in any Salve Regina graduate courses. Required supporting application materials include a completed online graduate application form, a personal statement, and official transcripts from all degree-granting institutions attended. Upon conferral of the undergraduate degree from GCU, successful completion of the Salve Regina graduate courses with a 3.0 minimum GPA, and matriculation into the Salve Regina graduate program, the student will receive credit at Salve Regina for the courses completed and be fully admitted as a Salve Regina graduate student. Students may take no more than two Salve Regina graduate courses per semester, and no more than two Salve Regina graduate courses in total, while maintaining their undergraduate status at GCU. Students will pay their regular undergraduate tuition and fees to GCU, with no additional tuition charges for the two graduate courses taken at Salve Regina, except any course-specific fees (books, materials, etc.). If a student chooses not to matriculate into the graduate program at Salve within one year of conferral of their undergraduate degree, the courses taken will be treated by Salve Regina as non-matriculated credits. If the student does matriculate into the Salve Regina graduate program within this one year period, the credits earned will be applied toward their graduate degree at Salve Regina.
Upon successful completion of studies for Criminal Justice, the student will receive a B.A. in Criminal Justice and will have given evidence of the following outcomes and goals.
- Students will demonstrate knowledge across required content areas: administration of justice, corrections, criminological theory, law adjudication, law enforcement, research methods, and sociological theory and principles through course exams and papers evaluated by a common rubric.
- Students will demonstrate an ability to present work and to collaborate in course presentations evaluated by a common rubric.
- Students will identify and apply ethical decision making as it applies across theory, research, practice, and/or policy in program courses. Students will evidence competency in socially responsible and equitable behavior in case study responses evaluated by a common rubric.
To earn this degree, students must successfully complete at least 120 credits, including General Education requirements and the major requirements below.
Major Sequence
A minimum of 45 core credits, plus courses in related areas, is required for the Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice. It is strongly recommended that students take MA103 to satisfy the General Education Mathematical Reasoning requirement.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | ||
| CJ111 | The Criminal Justice System | 3.0 |
| CJ167 | Race, Ethnicity & Criminal Justice | 3.0 |
| or AN112 | Cultural Anthropol. What Makes Us Human? | |
| CJ/SO200 | Theories of Crime | 3.0 |
| CJ210 | Introduction to Law Enforcement | 3.0 |
| or CJ212 | Introduction to Corrections | |
| CJ213 | Criminal Law & Practice | 3.0 |
| CJ320 | Mental Health, Neurodiver. & Crim. Just. 2 | 3.0 |
| CJ325 | Gender & Crime | 3.0 |
| CJ331 | Research Methods in Criminal Justice | 3.0 |
| CJ351 | Comparative Criminal Justice Systems | 3.0 |
| CJ435 | Ethical Issues in Criminal Justice | 3.0 |
| SO101 | Principles of Sociology | 3.0 |
| 3 CJ electives. PS320 and PS321 may be used as CJ electives | 9.0 | |
| CJ202/SO201 | Social and Crime Statistics | 3.0 |
| General Education Course 1 | ||
| World Language 1 | 3.0 | |
| Total Credits | 48.0 | |
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Spanish is strongly recommended to satisfy the Intercultural Understanding & Communication General Education Requirement. Another language or course may be substituted with the approval of the student’s advisor.
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CJ majors are expected to take CJ320. However, PS320 can be used to satisfy the CJ320 requirement. PS320 cannot be counted as a substitute for CJ320 and as a CJ Elective.
Concentrations in Criminal Justice
Criminal Justice majors who would like to focus on courses specific to their career or academic interests may elect to do a concentration in one of three areas: Cyber Crime, Global Justice and Society, or Law Enforcement and Corrections. Students wanting to add a concentration take courses as listed in the groups below or other concentration courses not listed that are offered on a rotating basis, as designated by the department chair each semester. Three of the courses in the concentration may count toward the electives required for the major. Concentrations are an elective part of their major. Students may request to take alternate courses (e.g., in other departments) relevant to the concentration upon department chair and advisor approval.
Cyber Crime
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one of the following: | 3.0-4.0 | |
| Computer Literacy | ||
| Foundations Of Computer Science | ||
| Computer Programming I | ||
| Select two of the following: | 6.0 | |
| Cyber Security & GIS | ||
| Cyber Crime | ||
| Political Crimes & Terrorism | ||
| Selected Topics in Criminal Justice (when approved for cyber crime) | ||
| Select two of the following: | 6.0 | |
| Principles of Financial Accounting | ||
| Introduction to Cybersecurity | ||
| Management Information Systems | ||
| Total Credits | 15.0-16.0 | |
Global Justice & Society
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select four of the following: | 12.0 | |
| Constitutional Law | ||
| Victimology | ||
| Political Crimes & Terrorism | ||
| International Human Rights Law | ||
| Global Justice & Law | ||
| Selected Topics in Criminal Justice (dependent on semester, and when designated as concentration course by dept. chair) | ||
| Independent Research in Criminal Justice (dependent on research topic; dept. chair approval required) | ||
| Globalization & Sustainability | ||
| American National Government | ||
| Modern Political Thought | ||
| Human Rights & Social Justice | ||
| Total Credits | 12.0 | |
Law Enforcement & Corrections
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select four of the following: | 12.0 | |
| Race, Ethnicity & Criminal Justice (if also taking AN112 as a core CJ requirement) | ||
| Introduction to Law Enforcement (if also taking CJ212 as a core CJ requirement) | ||
| Juvenile Justice | ||
| Cyber Security & GIS | ||
| Cyber Crime | ||
| Criminal Investigation | ||
| Victimology | ||
| Selected Topics in Criminal Justice (dependent on semester, and when designated as concentration course by dept. chair) | ||
| Sex Crimes | ||
| Independent Research in Criminal Justice (dependent on research topic; dept. chair approval required) | ||
| Integrative Stress Management & Health | ||
| American National Government | ||
| State & Local Government in America | ||
| Forensic Psychology | ||
| Criminal Profiling | ||
| Total Credits | 12.0 | |
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Credits | |
| GEN101 | Pathway to the Bridge 1 | 2.0 |
| EN111 or EN221 |
Academic Writing and Research I 1 or Honors Argument: Rhetoric & Research |
3.0 |
| SO101 | Principles of Sociology 1,2 | 3.0 |
| CJ111 | The Criminal Justice System 2 | 3.0 |
| General Education Course or Elective | 3.0 | |
| Credits | 14.0 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| GEN199 | WI:Discovering Self in the Universe 1 | 3.0 |
| Select one of the following: 2,3 | 3.0 | |
| Cultural Anthropol. What Makes Us Human? | ||
| Race, Ethnicity & Criminal Justice | ||
| CJ210 | Introduction to Law Enforcement 2,4 | 3.0 |
| GE – Critical Reading and Analysis 1 | 3.0 | |
| GE – Intercultural Understanding & Communication 1,5 | 3.0 | |
| Credits | 15.0 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| CJ200 | Theories of Crime 2 | 3.0 |
| CJ212 | Introduction to Corrections 2,4 | 3.0 |
| GE - Mathmatical Reasoning 1,6 | 3.0-4.0 | |
| GE – Understanding Human Behavior & Social Systems OR Elective 1,3 | 3.0 | |
| Elective | 3.0 | |
| Credits | 15.0-16.0 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| CJ202/SO201 | Social and Crime Statistics 2 | 3.0 |
| CJ213 | Criminal Law & Practice 2 | 3.0 |
| GE – Scientific Thinking 1,8 | 4.0 | |
| GE – Religious Studies 1 | 3.0 | |
| Elective | 3.0 | |
| Credits | 16.0 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| CJ320 | Mental Health, Neurodiver. & Crim. Just. 2,7 | 3.0 |
| CJ331 | Research Methods in Criminal Justice 2 | 3.0 |
| GE – Creative Thinking or Expression 1,8 | 3.0 | |
| Elective | 3.0 | |
| Elective | 3.0 | |
| Credits | 15.0 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| CJ325 | Gender & Crime 2 | 3.0 |
| CJ351 | Comparative Criminal Justice Systems 2 | 3.0 |
| GE – Ethics 1,9 | 3.0 | |
| GE – Power & Society 1,9 | 3.0 | |
| Elective | 3.0 | |
| Credits | 15.0 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| CJ435 | Ethical Issues in Criminal Justice 2 | 3.0 |
| CJ Elective 2 | 3.0 | |
| Elective | 3.0 | |
| Elective | 3.0 | |
| Elective | 3.0 | |
| Credits | 15.0 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| CJ Elective 2 | 3.0 | |
| CJ Elective 2 | 3.0 | |
| GEN400 | WI:Visioning a Future 1 | 3.0 |
| Elective | 3.0 | |
| Elective | 3.0 | |
| Credits | 15.0 | |
| Total Credits | 120.0-121.0 | |
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Impact General Education Curriculum
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Major
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AN112 Cultural Anthropology: What Makes Us Human fulfills the Understanding Human Behavior & Social Systems requirement. If both CJ167 Race, Ethnicity & Criminal Justice AN112 are taken, CJ167 will fulfill one of three CJ electives.
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Students only need to take CJ210 or CJ212. If both courses are taken, one will fulfill one of three CJ electives.
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A Spanish course is strongly recommended to fulfill the Intercultural Understanding & Communication requirement. Students should take https://gcu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1NeckgPVNDlYLvT for correct Spanish placement.
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MA103 strongly recommended. Should be taken semester before CJ202.
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CJ majors are expected to take CJ320 Mental Health, Neurodiver. & Crim. Just. However, PS320 Forensic Psychology can be used to satisfy the CJ320 Mental Health, Neurodiver. & Crim. Just. requirement. PS320 Forensic Psychology cannot be counted as a substitute for CJ320 Mental Health, Neurodiver. & Crim. Just. and as a CJ Elective.
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GE- Scientific Thinking and GE - Creative Thinking or Expression can be taken any semester depending on scheduling needs.
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Power & Society and Ethics Courses should be taken after 60+ credits