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Criminal Justice, B.A.

NLU’s Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice degree is designed for those wishing to enter the field of criminal justice or advance within it. The program, along with the fulfillment of additional federal, state, county or municipal requirements, prepares graduates to serve in law enforcement, courts or corrections systems, or to work in related private industries. The coursework offers a thorough overview of criminal justice and allows students to select a major in either criminal justice administration or forensic social justice. The program is conveniently offered in both online only and face-to-face formats.

Program Details:

  • Requires 180 QH, including 60 QH of General Education, for completion 
  • Requires a minimum grade of “C” in Core and major courses
  • Credit by examination and portfolio are accepted for general education and elective credit 
  • Students must select a major in either Criminal Justice Administration OR Forensic Social Justice
  • Students may complete a concentration in Entrepreneurship or Human Resource Management

Required Courses

Research Methods

RES 200Research, Writing, and Analysis

1

Note: RES 200 is required for students completing a fully-online program. 

Communications - 15QH

ENG 101Beginning English Composition

5
ENG 201Intermediate English Composition

5
ENG 203Effective Speaking for the Undergraduate

5

Humanities and Fine Arts - 15QH

ART 101Basic Art Appreciation

5
HIS 103History Across the Globe

5
PHI 107Ethics, Logic and Critical Inquiry

5

Note: Students transferring credit from other institutions or applying coursework previously completed at NLU may use any general education course in humanities or fine arts.

Quantitative Reasoning - 5QH

MTH 101Introduction to Mathematical Concepts

5

Note: Students transferring credit from other institutions or applying coursework previously completed at NLU may use any college-level mathematics course.

Physical and Life Sciences - 10QH

One course must have a lab:

SCI 101Physical Science

5
and
SCI 102Survey of Biological Science with Lab

5
or
SCI 225Human Impact on Environment

5

Note: Students transferring credit from other institutions or applying coursework previously completed at NLU may use one course in any physical science and one course in any life science.

Social and Behavioral Sciences - 15QH

Choose two Social Science courses from the list below:

ECO 200Macroeconomics for Today’s Professional

5
HIS 102Introduction to Political Science

5
SOC 101Foundational Sociology

5
SOC 222Culture and Identity

5
and
PSY 101Introduction to Psychology

5

Note: Students transferring credit from other institutions or applying coursework previously completed at NLU may use any general education course in social and behavioral sciences. 

Additional General Education Requirements

Students must complete GEN 103 and one of the following course options:

Pathways Students

GEN 210Think Global-Perspectives from the Field

3 TO 5
BRV 200Braven Leadership and Career Accelerator

5
or
CAR 215Career Planning

3
and
CAR 216Career Practice

2
BRV 201Braven Leadership and Career Accelerator: Capstone Challenge

2
or
CAR 217Career Application

2

Transfer Students

CAR 202Creating Professional Identity

2
CAR 203You the Professional

2

Note: GEN 103 may be waived for on-campus students who (1) enter NLU with an associate’s degree or 90 or more quarter credit hours of transfer credit; and (2) have maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.000 or above in their previous undergraduate studies. GEN 210 is required for Pathways students only.

Core Courses - 60 QH

CSJ 106Law Enforcement

5
CSJ 107Criminal Justice System

5
CSJ 205Criminology

5
CSJ 206Criminal Law and Procedure

5
CSJ 207Punishment, Prisons and Corrections

5
CSJ 208Courts and Criminal Justice

5
CSJ 209Constitutional Law and Criminal Justice

5
CSJ 215Juvenile Justice Systems

5
CSJ 352Research Methods in Criminal Justice

5
CSJ 353Criminal Investigations

5
CSJ 354Sociology of Deviant Behavior for Criminal Justice Professionals

5
CSJ 355Ethics, Diversity, and Professionalism in Criminal Justice

5

Criminal Justice Administration Major - 30 QH

Choose 30 QH from the courses below or other criminal justice related courses under advisement:

CSJ 210Community Policing

5
CSJ 211Police Organization

5
CSJ 356Criminal Justice Administration

5
CSJ 357Probation and Parole

5
CSJ 465Human Resources Development in Criminal Justice

5
CSJ 466Comparative Criminal Justice Systems

5

Forensic Social Justice Major - 30 QH

Choose 30 QH from the courses below or other courses under advisement:

HSM 202Crisis Intervention Principles and Practices

5
HSM 306Legal Issues in Human Services

5

Electives

Choose additional courses to total 180 QH. These hours may be satisfied by completing a concentration listed above. 

 

For more information about this program, visit  http://www.nl.edu/academics/socialbehavioralsciencesbachelors/bacriminaljustice/