Bachelor of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice  

If you are interested in pursuing a career in one of the major areas of the criminal justice system—the courts, corrections, juvenile justice, or law enforcement—or if you want to further your education in law school or graduate school, the BS in Criminology and Criminal Justice will provide you with the knowledge and analytical skills to do so.

In this program you will learn about the nature of crime and the purpose, operations, and consequences of the various components of the justice system, in both the United States and abroad.

Degree requirements

To earn this degree, you must complete the following four components:

  • major requirements (36 hours)
  • liberal studies requirements (35 hours)
  • minor (18-24 hours)
  • general electives (24-30 hours)

Major requirements

You must complete the following 36 hours of coursework:

  • CCJ 101, 250, and 355 (9 hours)
  • CCJ345W, which meets the university’s junior writing requirement (3 hours)
  • CCJ 450C, 475C or 480C which meets NAU’s senior capstone requirement (3 hours)
  • 21 units of criminal justice coursework appropriate for your career aspirations and educational interests, in consultation with your advisor
  • Note: you may include up to 6 units of independent study, such as CCJ 408, 466, 485, or 497. You may also use SOC 240 within the 21 units.

You must maintain a 2.0 cumulative grade point average in all courses taken in your major with a minimum grade of C for your major requirements.

Liberal Studies requirements

All students are required to take a junior-level writing intensive course and a senior-level capstone course in their major. To find out what criminal justice courses will meet these criteria, contact the criminal justice department for details.

Refer to the General Academic Requirements chapter of this catalog for information about the 35 hours of liberal studies credit that are required for this degree.

Minor requirements

To obtain a BS in Criminal Justice, you must complete a minor of 18-24 hours in another discipline. Through consultation with your criminal justice adviser, you should select a minor appropriate for your career aspirations and educational interests.

General electives

You must complete 24-30 hours in elective coursework (with the number depending on the number of hours required for your minor).

You may use these courses to pursue a specific area of emphasis or to meet career goals through courses outside your major or minor; consult with your adviser to select courses that will be most advantageous to you. You may also use transfer credits as electives if they were not used to meet major, minor, or liberal studies requirements.