Academic Programs Catalog

The Bachelor of Arts degree program in criminal justice is designed to prepare students for entry level positions in public and private agencies identified with criminal justice administration.  Such agencies apprehend offenders, adjudicate alleged offenses, redirect emergent criminal careers, and promote industrial and commercial security.  Such agencies also encourage and emphasize community responsibility for the success of their programs.

The bachelor's program in criminal justice provides a basic orientation to the institutions and processes of criminal justice and offers students wide exposure to all of the major disciplines of the criminal justice system.  The program promotes general knowledge through core and social science courses.  It provides students with the opportunity to pursue interests in the following areas:  juvenile justice, police administration, adult corrections, and security.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice

1. The requirements of the University as described in the Undergraduate Education section of this catalog; 120 credits, including general elective credits, are required for the Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice.
   
   The University's Tier II writing requirement for the Criminal Justice major is met by completing one of the following courses: Criminal Justice 424, 426, 427, 430, 465, 485, or 491.  Those courses are referenced in item 3. a. (3) below.
2. The requirements of the College of Social Science for the Bachelor of Arts degree.
3. The following requirements for the major:

   a.	The following courses in the School of Criminal Justice (30 credits):
   	(1)	All of the following Prerequisite Courses (12 credits):
   		CJ	110	Introduction to Criminal Justice			3
   		CJ	220	Criminology			3
   		CJ	275	Criminal Procedure			3
   		CJ	292	Methods of Criminal Justice Research			3
   	(2)	Two of the following courses (6 credits):
   		CJ	335	Policing			3
   		CJ	345	Cybercrime and Cybersecurity			3
   		CJ	365	Corrections			3
   		CJ	355	Juvenile Justice			3
   		CJ	385	Private Security			3
   		CJ	395	Race, Crime and Justice			3
   	(3)	One of the following courses:
   		CJ	424	Crime, Mass Media, and Society (W)			3
   		CJ	426	Violence Against Women (W)			3
   		CJ	427	Criminology and Public Policy (W)			3
   		CJ	430	Advanced Seminar in Policing (W)			3
   		CJ	465	Critical Issues in Corrections (W)			3
   		CJ	491	Topics in Criminal Justice (W)			3
   	(4)	Nine credits from the following courses with at least two courses at the 400-level. Courses taken to satisfy item (3) cannot be used toward this requirement.
   		CJ	210	Introduction to Forensic Science			3
   		CJ	235	Investigation Procedures			3
   		CJ	422	Comparative and Historical Criminal Justice			3
   		CJ	424	Crime, Mass Media, and Society (W)			3
   		CJ	425	Gender, Sexuality, Crime, and Justice			3
   		CJ	426	Violence Against Women (W)			3
   		CJ	427	Criminology and Public Policy (W)			3
   		CJ	429	Interdisciplinary Topics in Cybercrime and Cybersecurity			3
   		CJ	430	Advanced Seminar in Policing (W)			3
   		CJ	432	Community Policing			3
   		CJ	433	Law Enforcement Intelligence Operations			3
   		CJ	434	Police Administration			3
   		CJ	439	Homeland Security			3
   		CJ	446	Open-Source Investigations			3
   		CJ	447	Digital Forensics			3
   		CJ	465	Critical Issues in Corrections (W)			3
   		CJ	466	Corrections Organizations and Systems			3
   		CJ	471	Law of Corrections			3
   		CJ	474	Law and Criminal Justice Policy			3
   		CJ	485	Critical Issues in Private Security (W)			3
   		CJ	490	Independent Study			1 to 3
   		CJ	491	Topics in Criminal Justice (W)			3
   		CJ	493	Undergraduate Research in Criminal Justice			1 to 3
   Concentration in Cyber Investigations
   An optional concentration in Cyber Investigations is also available. Students must complete all of the following courses. Courses that are used to satisfy the requirements for the concentration may also be used to satisfy the requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice. The concentration will be noted on the student’s transcript.
   CJ	345	Cybercrime and Cyber-Security					3
   CJ	429	Interdisciplinary Topics in CyberSecurity					3
   CJ	446	Open-Source Investigations					3
   CJ	447	Digital Forensics					3

The complexities of modern society have combined to generate a variety of threats to business organizations, information networks, government installations and operations, and individuals.  The Minor in Security Management is designed for students who are interested in private and government security.

The minor, which is administered by the School of Criminal Justice, is available as an elective to students who are enrolled in bachelor's degree programs at Michigan State University.  The minor should be of particular interest to students who are enrolled in certain programs in the Eli Broad College of Business and the College of Social Science, and to students who are enrolled in the Bachelor of Science degree program in Computer Science.

The Minor in Security Management is designed to help students to understand:

1. The business and technical aspects of protecting private and government assets.
2. The administrative, management, technical, and legal problems of asset protection and loss prevention.
3. Concepts related to protecting personal and personnel rights, proprietary information, facilities, and other assets of an organization.
4. Security's relationship to the value of freedom and democratic principles in our society.

With the approval of the department or school and college that administer the student's degree program, the courses that are used to satisfy the requirements for the minor may also be used to satisfy the requirements for the bachelor's degree.

Requirements for the Minor in Security Management

The student must complete:

The Minor in Law, Justice and Public Policy, administered by the School of Criminal Justice, enhances the education and training of students who anticipate entering fields that require multidisciplinary approaches to advanced research, professional practice, or policymaking related to law. 

The minor is available as an elective to students who are enrolled in bachelor’s degree programs in the College of Social Science. With the approval of the department and college that administer the student’s degree program, the courses that are used to satisfy the minor may also be used to satisfy the requirements for the bachelor’s degree.

Students who plan to complete the requirements of the minor should consult their major undergraduate advisor in the College of Social Science.

Requirements for the Minor in Law, Justice and Public Policy

Complete 15 credits from the following: