Criminal Justice

Why Study Criminal Justice?

Prepare to think critically about the problems of crime and justice as you begin your path to a career in the fields of law enforcement, private security, corrections, victim assistance, probation, parole, federal service, or social services. You’ll be trained in the sought-after skills of critical reasoning and communication while exploring the problems of crime and social deviance, the importance of ethics, the ways that culture affects the justice system, and the social scientific method for research in the field.

Program Requirements

Students who complete the major requirements for a bachelor of arts (BA) in criminal justice will be prepared to think critically about the problems of crime and justice and to enter the law enforcement field.

Major Requirements (BA)

36 hours of major coursework

120 total credits for graduation

Notes:

• A minimum of 18 sh at the 2000 level or higher in the major must be taken at North Park.
• Honors: To earn departmental honors in criminal justice, you must submit a research proposal before the end of the spring semester of their third year. If accepted, you must complete 8 sh of SOC 4000 or POGO 4920 in addition to the major requirements.

Minor Requirements

20 semester hours (sh); choose from:

• SOC 2520; SOC 3200, 3330, 3400, 3450, 3900, 3950