Criminal Justice Degree Online

From heightened national security to concerns about corporate accountability, our changing world has created a high demand for well-trained law enforcement professionals.

The criminal justice degree program at JWU’s Providence Campus can prepare you for a wide variety of police work at the local, national and federal levels—including careers in court administration, private investigation, airport security and social services, or as a federal agent, police officer or border patrol agent, among others.

Through the program, you will:
Learn from professionals experienced in law, criminal justice and forensic science technology
Gain experience using police and other forensic science investigation equipment in our dedicated criminal justice lab
Work with a faculty advisor and career coach to develop a plan tailored to your career goals
Acquire the communication, logic, critical thinking and ethical reasoning skills essential for the understanding of criminal justice issues and for effective career progression
Develop an appreciation for diversity, citizenship, leadership, science and technology, qualitative and quantitative analysis, and social and business culture
Gain real-world experience in the field and build your resume through an externship in your field of interest
Customize your degree with an Arts & Sciences concentration or pursue a collection of criminal justice electives which target your interests and goals

Whether competing for your first job or working to advance your long-term career, you’ll find that employers are looking for candidates with a bachelor’s degree. Take the time to learn more about JWU and start pursuing your passion for criminal justice at our Providence Campus.

Course Listing

From heightened national security to concerns about corporate accountability, our changing world has created a high demand for well-trained law enforcement professionals.

The criminal justice degree program at JWU’s Providence Campus can prepare you for a wide variety of police work at the local, national and federal levels—including careers in court administration, private investigation, airport security and social services, or as a federal agent, police officer or border patrol agent, among others.

Through the program, you will:
Learn from professionals experienced in law, criminal justice and forensic science technology
Gain experience using police and other forensic science investigation equipment in our dedicated criminal justice lab
Work with a faculty advisor and career coach to develop a plan tailored to your career goals
Acquire the communication, logic, critical thinking and ethical reasoning skills essential for the understanding of criminal justice issues and for effective career progression
Develop an appreciation for diversity, citizenship, leadership, science and technology, qualitative and quantitative analysis, and social and business culture
Gain real-world experience in the field and build your resume through an externship in your field of interest
Customize your degree with an Arts & Sciences concentration or pursue a collection of criminal justice electives which target your interests and goals

Whether competing for your first job or working to advance your long-term career, you’ll find that employers are looking for candidates with a bachelor’s degree. Take the time to learn more about JWU and start pursuing your passion for criminal justice at our Providence Campus.

Course Listing

Program Prerequisite: Complete the Criminal Justice AA/AS Degree requirements.

» Minor: A minor or a double major is required. In lieu of a minor, an 18 hour emphasis may be selected in consultation with the chair and only in those instances where a specific minor is not offered by WSU. Students in the Forensic Science/Investigation concentration are exempt from the minor requirement.

» Grade Requirements: A grade of “C” or better in all courses required for this major in addition to an overall GPA for these courses of 2.50 or higher. Also refer to the general grade requirements for graduation under General Requirements.

» Credit Hour Requirements: A total of 120 credit hours is required for graduation — a minimum of 45 of these is required within the major. A total of 40 upper division credit hours is required (courses numbered 3000 and above) — 18 of these are required within the major.
Advisement

All Criminal Justice students are encouraged to meet with a faculty advisor at least annually for course and program advisement. Call 801-626-6146 for more information or to find an advisor. (Also refer to the Department Advisor Referral List.)
Admission Requirements

Declare your program of study. There are no special admission or application requirements for this program.
General Education

Refer to General Requirements for either Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts requirements. The following course required for the Criminal Justice major will also satisfy general education requirements: CJ SS1010. The diversity requirement can be met by completing CJ 3040 or CJ 3360. The Scientific Inquiry (SI) requirement can be met by completing CJ 3600 and/or CJ 4980.
Course Requirements for BS or BA Degree
Students obtaining a major in Criminal Justice are required to complete 45 credit hours in courses with a CJ prefix. Of these, 18 credit hours must be upper division courses numbering 3000 or above.
Core Courses Required (21 credit hours)
CJ SS1010 Introduction to Criminal Justice (3)
CJ 1330 Criminal Law (3)
CJ 3270 Theories of Crime and Delinquency (3)
CJ SI3600 Criminal Justice Statistics (3)
or SOC* SI3600 Social Statistics (3)
or PSY* SI3600 Statistics in Psychology (3)
or GERT* SI3600 Statistics in Gerontology (3)
CJ 4200 Ethical Issues in Criminal Justice (3)
CJ SI4980** Research Methods (3)
CJ 4990*** Senior Seminar (3)
* Will meet the core requirement but may not be counted if used in another department (will not receive CJ credit).
** Statistics prerequisite.
*** Senior standing required.
CONCENTRATIONS
Select one concentration and complete 15 credit hours or select a general concentration of 15 credit hours from any combination. The Forensic Science concentrations have additional requirements. Courses taken in one concentration can not be used to fill the requirement in another concentration.
° Law Enforcement (15 credit hours)
CJ 1340 Criminal Investigation (3)
CJ 1350 Intro to Forensic Science (3)
CJ 2860/4860 Field Experience (3-6)
CJ 3020 Criminal Justice Management (3)
CJ DV3040 Community Policing (3)
CJ 4100 Laws of Arrest, Search, & Seizure (3)
CJ 4300 History of Law Enforcement (3)
CJ 4160 Constitutional Rights & Responsibilities (3)
° Corrections (15 credit hours)
CJ 2330 Juvenile Justice (3)
CJ 2860/4860 Field Experience (3-6)
CJ 3020 Criminal Justice Management (3)
CJ 3060 Corrections in the Community (3)
CJ 3140 Corrections Law (3)
CJ 3350 The American Jail (3)
CJ DV3360 Prisons-Contemporary Issues & Dilemmas (3)
° Law and Justice (15 credit hours)
CJ 2350 Laws of Evidence (3)
CJ 2360 Juvenile Law (3)
CJ 2860/4860 Field Experience (3-6)
CJ 3080 Criminal Courts (3)
CJ 3140 Corrections Law (3)
CJ 4000 Critical Legal Studies (3)
CJ 4100 Laws of Arrest, Search and Seizure (3)
CJ 4160 Constitutional Rights & Responsibilities (3)
° Forensic Science

Those students wishing to pursue a concentration in forensics will have the option of choosing one of two tracks:
Forensic Science I / Laboratory - for those wishing to predominantly work in a crime lab, including chemical analysis, serology and DNA analysis.

Forensic Science II / Investigation - for those wishing to have a more general background and training in order to work in the field, including crime scene investigation, pattern analysis, photography and general forensics.
Requirements for a concentration in Forensic Science/Laboratory:

This concentration requires a double major: one in Chemistry, Botany, Zoology, or Microbiology and a major in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Forensic Science. No minor is required. The CJ major requires all of the core courses and other requirements for other CJ majors as well as the following 14 credit hours for a concentration.
CJ 1350 Introduction to Forensic Science (3)
CJ 2350 Laws of Evidence (3)
CJ 4110 Physical Methods in Forensic Science (4)
CJ 4120 Advanced Methods in Forensic Science (4)
Requirements for a Concentration in Forensic Science/Investigation:
Complete all of the following 60-62 credit hours of Criminal Justice and support courses.
Criminal Justice Courses (30 credit hours)
CJ 1340 Criminal Investigation (3)
CJ 1350 Introduction to Forensic Science (3)
CJ 2340 Scientific Crime Scene Investigation (3)
CJ 2350 Laws of Evidence (3)
CJ 4060 Special Problems in Criminal Justice - Basic Crime Scene Photography (3)
CJ 4100 Laws of Arrest, Search and Seizure (3)
CJ 4110 Physical Methods in Forensic Science (4)
CJ 4115 Friction Ridge Analysis (4)
CJ 4120 Advanced Methods in Forensic Science (4)
Support Courses (30-32 credit hours)
Either CHEM PS/SI1110/SI1120 Elementary Chemistry/Elementary Organic Bio-Chemistry (10)
or CHEM PS/SI1210/SI1220 Principles of Chemistry I/II (10)
One of PHYS PS/SI1010 Elementary Physics (3)
or PHYS PS/SI2010 College Physics I (5)
or PHYS PS/SI2210 Physics for Scientists and Engineers I (5)
ZOOL 2100 Human Anatomy (4)
MATH QL1040 Introduction to Statistics (3)
One of BTNY 2600 or CHEM 2600 or GEO 2600 or MICR 2600 or PHYS 2600 Laboratory Safety (1)
COMM HU1020 Principles of Public Speaking (3)
ART 1150 Basic Photography (3)
ANTH SS2030 Principles of Archaeology (3)

This concentration requires the student to also complete the Criminal Justice Core Courses (21 hours) listed previously. The Forensic Science/Investigation student does not need to complete a minor or a double major. The student also does not need to complete the additional 9 credit hours of elective courses. Students are encouraged to take CJ4860 Field Experience during their senior year.
° General (15 credit hours)

Students selecting this option will be required to propose a total of 15 credit hours selected from a combination of the above. Students will be expected to provide a rationale for the specific combination of courses they select.
ELECTIVE COURSES
In addition to the 21 credit hours of core courses and the 15 credit hours in each area of concentration, students are required to complete an additional 9 credit hours of criminal justice courses (with CJ prefixes - courses may not be counted twice) to be selected from the following:
CJ 1340 Criminal Investigation (3)
CJ 1350 Intro to Forensic Science (3)
CJ 2110 Intro to Security (3)
CJ 2330 Juvenile Justice (3)
CJ 2340 Scientific Crime Scene Investigation (3)
CJ 2350 Laws of Evidence (3)
CJ 2360 Juvenile Law & Procedure (3)
CJ 2810/4810 Experimental Courses (1-3)
CJ 2860/4860 Field Experience (3-6)
CJ 2920/4920 Short Courses, Workshops (1-4)
CJ 3020 Criminal Justice Management (3)
CJ DV3040 Community Policing (3)
CJ 3060 Corrections in the Community (3)
CJ 3080 Criminal Courts (3)
CJ 3110 Issues in Security & Loss Prevent (3)
CJ 3130 Investigation of Computer Crime (3)
CJ 3140 Corrections Law (3)
CJ 3300 Victimology (3)
CJ 3350 American Jail (3)
CJ DV3360 Prison-Contemporary Issues & Dilemmas (3)
CJ 3400 Drugs & Crime (3)
CJ 4000 Critical Legal Studies (3)
CJ 4060 Special Problems (3)
CJ 4100 Laws of Arrest, Search & Seizure (3)
CJ 4110 Physical Methods in Forensic Science (4)
CJ 4115 Friction Ridge Analysis (4)
CJ 4120 Advanced Methods in Forensic Science (4)
CJ 4160 Constitutional Rights & Responsibilities (3)
CJ 4200 Ethical Issues in Criminal Justice (3)
CJ 4300 History of Law Enforcement (3)
CJ 4700 Comparative Criminal Justice Systems (3)
CJ 4830* Directed Reading, Special Projects (1-3)
CJ 4900 Current Issues in Criminal Justice (3)
CJ 4950* Field Trips/Travel Study (1-6)