The Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice program provides students with a solid foundation in criminal justice principles and practices. This program is designed to prepare students for a variety of careers in the criminal justice field, including law enforcement, corrections, court administration, and private security.
Transfer credit is awarded for completion of the Police Academy training.
Requirements
Students must complete 32 units of credit (128 semester hours) to earn a B.S. degree. The requirements for the B.S. degree fall into four categories:
- Major area courses
- Courses meeting Distribution Requirements
- Elective courses
- A capstone course
Visit the Catalog for full program requirements.
The Major
Through study of a major, a student specializes and deepens academic and professional knowledge in a subject area. Students pursuing the bachelor of science degree must meet with an academic advisor for information about degree requirements.
Transfer students may transfer up to 16 course units toward the bachelor’s degree.
Program Student Learning Outcomes
- Knowledge of Criminal Justice Systems: Students will demonstrate knowledge of the structure, functions, and processes of criminal justice systems, including law enforcement, courts, and corrections.
- Ethical and Professional Conduct: Students will apply ethical principles and professional standards in various criminal justice contexts, ensuring integrity and accountability in their professional conduct
- Communication Skills: Students will demonstrate effective written and oral communication skills, essential for conveying information clearly and persuasively in criminal justice settings.
- Knowledge of Criminal Law and Procedures: Students will demonstrate the ability to apply knowledge of criminal law, legal procedures, and the rights of individuals within the criminal justice system to real-world scenarios.
Capstone Course
The Capstone project is the culminating experience for bachelor of science degree programs. The final deliverable is a demonstration of the student’s professional competencies and evidence of a foundation of theoretical knowledge applied to “real-world” issues. SPS offers students various options for completing their capstone requirement. Each option involves practicing their skills in collaboration, analysis, problem solving, research, writing and professional presentations. Students work with their advisor to determine the Capstone option that works best for their professional and academic development.
Distribution Requirements
All B.S. candidates are required to complete 11 course units to meet the liberal arts distribution requirement. This requirement is designed to give you perspectives on human affairs that are essential to become a contributing citizen of the world. Required major courses may also satisfy a distribution requirement; consult with your academic advisor if you have questions. The 11 units must be distributed as follows:
- English/Verbal Expression — two units, ENG 1000 – Introduction to Composition and ENG 1150 – Intermediate Composition
- Humanities — three units. These courses must be distributed among at least two disciplines. One unit must be a course on ethics. Course subject prefixes that satisfy this category include ASL, ART, ARTH, ARTS, ENG (not ENG 1000 or ENG 1150), FILM, GERM, HEBR, JAPN, MUSC, PHIL, and TA. You may also take COMM 1210: Effective Speaking and Presenting.
- Science/Mathematics — two units. One in math; one in science.
- Social Sciences — three units. These courses must be distributed among at least two disciplines. Course subject prefixes that satisfy this category include CJ, COMM, ECON, GOVT, HIST, LEAD, PSYC, and SOC.
- Technology — one unit. Course subject prefix that satisfies this category is CSEC.
Distribution Requirement Student Learning Outcomes
- Analyze a variety of professional rhetorical situations and produce appropriate texts in response.
- Formulate appropriate and ethical communication choices in presentations based on audience and situation.
- Articulate the different sides of ethical issues and defend their views in discussion and writing.
- Analyze human experience by examining similarities and differences in a global or international context.
- Apply appropriate mathematical, statistical, or computational strategies to solve problems.
- Discuss the role of science in society and its ethical conduct.
- Recognize how social, political, historical, and economic institutions shape societal and individual behavior.