The Criminal Justice bachelor’s degree program is designed for undergraduate students with a strong interest in understanding how agencies and institutions function as part of the criminal justice system. Students will learn about different ideas of justice and come to understand the impact the justice system has on lives of individuals and communities through law enforcement, the courts, and corrections. In addition to understanding the historical context that shaped current agencies and institutions, students will have the opportunity to engage timely topics like constitutional rights, police use of force, collaboration with tribal nations, alternatives to incarceration, and the use of evidence-based practices. Graduates will be well positioned for careers in law enforcement, courts administration, policy analysis, law, and intelligence.
Consult the Office of Admissions for application deadlines and specific admission requirements.
Visit the International Support Services for information about international admissions.
Students considering transferring to KU may see how their college-level course work will transfer on the Office of Admissions website.
Degree Requirements
The BS in Criminal Justice has the following degree requirements in addition to the statewide general education requirements:
- 120 (minimum) total credit hours
- 45 (minimum) upper-division credit hours (these may include the following)
- 6-8 BS requirement credit hours*
- 18 criminal justice core credits hours
- 12 concentration credit hours
- 3 capstone credit hours
*BS requirements include an additional natural science course and additional quantitative reasoning course above and beyond the statewide general education requirements.
A 2.0 minimum grade-point average for all junior/senior courses (300+) in the major and concentration.
The following tables describe the specific courses to fulfill the above requirements.
Criminal Justice Core Courses - 18 credits
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| CRIM 300 | Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRIM 310 | Theoretical and Historical Foundations of Criminology | 3 |
| CRIM 320 | Research Methods and Data Driven Decision Making in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRIM 330 | Policing | 3 |
| CRIM 340 | Courts and Sentencing | 3 |
| SOC 662 | Corrections | 3 |
Concentration (Select One Concentration Area) - 12 credits
- Law and Society Concentration
- Law Enforcement Leadership Concentration
Capstone - 3 credits
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| CRIM 499 | Capstone in Criminal Justice | 3 |
Law and Society
Required
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| LWS 330 | Introduction to Law & Society | 3 |
Select three additional courses.
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| LWS 333 | The Pursuit of Rights: Law, Democracy & Power | 3 |
| LWS 443 | Theoretical Foundations of Law & Society | 3 |
| LWS 494 | Topics in Law & Society: _____ | 3 |
| SOC 306 | Principles of Social Problems | 3 |
| SOC 324 | Being Deviant in America | 3 |
| SOC 461 | Competing Perspectives on Crime and Deviance | 3 |
| SOC 462 | Violence and Society | 3 |
Law Enforcement Leadership
Required:
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| CRIM/SPAA 400 | Law Enforcement Leadership | 3 |
Select three additional courses:
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| CRIM 410 | Racial Justice and the Criminal Justice System | 3 |
| CRIM 498 | Internship in Law Enforcement | 3 |
| PUAD 401 | Administration of Justice | 3 |
| PUAD 432 | Conducting the People's Business Ethically | 3 |
| PUAD 435 | Generating, Allocating and Managing Public Resources | 3 |
| PUAD 436 | Managing People in Public Organizations | 3 |
| PUAD 441 | Public Service Leadership | 3 |
| POLS 308 | Topics in Social Justice: _____ | 3 |
| SOC 306 | Principles of Social Problems | 3 |
| SOC 324 | Being Deviant in America | 3 |
| SOC 461 | Competing Perspectives on Crime and Deviance | 3 |
| SOC 462 | Violence and Society | 3 |
| Freshman |
|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
|---|
| MATH 101 (or higher) Core 34: Math and Statistics (SGE))030 | 3 | Core 34: English (SGE)010 | 3 |
| Core 34: English (SGE)010 | 3 | Core 34: Arts and Humanities (SGE)060 | 3 |
| Core 34: Natural and Physical Sciences (SGE)040 | 4 | Core 34: Communications (SGE)020 | 3 |
| Core 34: Social and Behavioral Sciences (SGE)050 | 3 | Core 34: US Culture (SGE)070 | 3 |
| Elective | 2 | Elective | 3 |
| | 15 | | 15 |
| Sophomore |
|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
|---|
| Core 34: Global Culture (SGE)070 | 3 | Core 34: Social and Behavioral Sciences (SGE)050 | 3 |
| Additional Natural Science (BS requirement) | 3 | Core 34: Arts and Humanities (SGE)060 | 3 |
| Additional Quantitative Reasoning (BS requirement) | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| | 15 | | 15 |
| Junior |
|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
|---|
| CRIM 300 | 3 | CRIM 330 | 3 |
| CRIM 310 | 3 | CRIM 340 | 3 |
| CRIM 320 | 3 | CRIM 400 or LWS 330 | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| | 15 | | 15 |
| Senior |
|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
|---|
| SOC 662 | 3 | CRIM 499 (Capstone) | 3 |
| 300+ Concentration Course | 3 | 300+ Concentration Course | 3 |
| 300+ Concentration Course | 3 | 300+ Concentration Course | 3 |
| 300+ Elective | 3 | 300+ Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | 300+ Elective | 3 |
| | 15 | | 15 |
| Total Hours 120 |
Notes:
* - This course is a Required major course and is also part of Core 34: Systemwide General Education. If this course is not taken to fulfill the Core 34:SGE requirement, it must be taken in place of elective hours.
** - This course is a Recommended Core 34: Systemwide General Education course. This specific course is not required but is recommended by the program’s faculty.
*** - This course is a Required Core 34: Systemwide General Education course. This program is approved by the Kansas Board of Regents to require this specific Core 34:Systemwide General Education course. If a student did not take this course it must be taken in addition to other degree requirements.
