Criminal Justice, BA

Requirements

The major requires 39 hours of coursework and is divided into three components: a lower division 15 credit hour core that serves as a basis for the fundamentals of criminal justice and is consistent with Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) guidelines; an upper division 18 credit hour core requirement; and a six credit hour criminal justice elective component. The major includes a capstone course designed to identify and analyze real-life issues facing criminal justice agencies, as well as techniques for developing and proposing solutions to constituents.

Grade of C- and a minimum GPA of 2.0 is required for the major.  At least 15 hours of coursework must be completed at Roosevelt.

Lower Division Requirements (meets IAI guidelines)15
INTRODUCTION TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE (IAI-CRJ901)
JUVENILE JUSTICE (IAI-CRJ914)
INTRODUCTION TO CORRECTIONS (IAI-CRJ911)
INTRODUCTION TO CRIMINOLOGY (IAI-CRJ912)
CRIMINAL LAW (IAI-CRJ913)
Upper Division Requirements18
POLICE & SOCIETY
RESEARCH METHODS
ETHICS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & THE CONSTITUTION
CRIME IN AMERICA
SENIOR SEMINAR
Electives6
Select two of the following:
VICTIMOLOGY
WOMEN AND CRIME
WHITE COLLAR CRIME
DEATH PENALTY IN AMERICA
SPECIAL TOPICS
CORE General Education and Electives81
Total Credit Hours120

CORE Requirements (General Education)

First Year Success Course or Transfer Success Course
FYS 101FIRST YEAR SUCCESS COURSE1
or TRS 101 TRANSFER SUCCESS 101
Communication Requirement
ENG 101COMPOSITION I: CRITICAL READING & WRITING3
ENG 102COMPOSITION II: INTRODUCTION TO ACADEMIC RESEARCH3
COMM 101PUBLIC SPEAKING (or program specific CORE communications course)3
Ideas of Social Justice
3 credits in coursework categorized as Ideas.3
Humanities and Fine and Performing Arts
9 credits from the following subject areas: African-American Studies, Art History, English (excluding ENG 101 and ENG 102), History, Languages, Music, Philosophy, Theatre, Communication and Women's and Gender Studies9
Mathematics
MATH 110QUANTITATIVE LITERACY (or above) 13
Science
One biological science and one physical science required (one must include a one credit lab).7-8
Social Sciences
9 credits from the following subject areas: African-American Studies, Criminal Justice, Economics, History, Journalism, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology and Women's and Gender Studies9
Experiential Learning
6 credits from coursework categorized as Experiential Learning. 6
Total Credit Hours47-48
1

Higher level of Math may be required by major

These quantitative requirements also apply to degrees.

  • Students must earn a minimum of 120 semester hours.
  • Students may apply no more than 60 credit hours of 100-level courses toward the degree.
  • Students must apply no fewer than 60 credit hours of 200- and 300-level courses toward the degree.
  • Students must have at least 18 credit hours (of the 60 credit hours above) at the 300 level.
  • Students may transfer in no more than 70 credit hours from community colleges.
  • Students earning less than 60 total hours in residence must take their final 30 hours at Roosevelt University. Note that some majors have additional requirements for RU hours.
  • Students must have a grade point average of 2.0 or higher to graduate. Note that some majors have additional GPA requirements.
  • Students may apply no more than 51 hours in the major (BA) or 57 hours in the major (BS)
Year 1
FallCredit HoursSpringCredit Hours
FYS 1011ENG 1023
ENG 1013CJL 2203
CJL 2003Ideas of Social Justice3
Social Science #13MATH 1103
Humanities #13BIOL 111 or 11244
Physical Science43 
 16 16
Year 2
FallCredit HoursSpringCredit Hours
CJL 2403CJL 2303
Humanities #23CJL 2503
Social Science #23General Elective13
COMM 1013Humanities #33
General Elective13Social Science #33
 15 15
Year 3
FallCredit HoursSpringCredit Hours
CJL 3003CJL 3103
CJL 3053CJL 3303
Experiential Learning #123CJL 3XX33
General Elective13General Elective13
General Elective13General Elective 13
 15 15
Year 4
FallCredit HoursSpringCredit Hours
CJL 3553CJL 390 (Experiential Learning #2)3
CJL 3XX33General Elective13
General Elective13General Elective13
General Elective13General Elective13
General Elective 13General Elective11
 15 13
Total Credit Hours 120
1

Or course towards an optional Minor.

2

Experiential Learning class must be 200/300 level. Satisfies CORE Experiential Learning requirement. EXL courses can satisfy major requirements/electives or CORE requirement.

3

Any course at the 300 level within the discipline.

4

One Natural Science course must have a lab.