BA Degree

Daniel Phillips III, PhD, Chair, Social Sciences Division
     Criminal Justice Program Coordinator
Durham Center, Room 103
(270) 384-8231 phillipsd@lindsey.edu

Full-time Program Faculty: Mike Giordano, JD; Daniel Phillips III, PhD; Ji Seun Sohn, PhD 

Mission Statement

The mission of the Criminal Justice Program is to prepare students for careers and further study in the three main substantive areas of criminal justice, policing, courts and corrections. 

The Criminal Justice Program provides a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice as well as an Associate of Arts degree and a minor in Criminal Justice. The Program is also appropriate for students who plan to attend graduate schools in criminal justice or law.

Entrance Criteria

The following conditions apply for acceptance into the Program:

• Completion of 30 hours or more of course work with a minimum grade point average of 2.00;
• Completion of Introduction to Criminal Justice (CRJS 1003) with a minimum grade of C;
• Filing the required application for admission form to the program with the Program Coordinator;
• Securing the approval by the Program Coordinator; and
• Assignment of an academic advisor from the program; and
• Filing the approved application to the program form with the Registrar's Office.

The BA in Criminal Justice offers students a common core of course work and a choice of two emphasis areas:  Law Enforcement and Legal.

Degree Requirements

A.  General Education Requirements:  36-47 hours

• Writing Studies I (ENGL 1013) is recommended for CRJS 1003 unless waiver requirements are met - 3 hours
• Writing Studies I (ENGL 1013), unless waiver requirements are met, and Writing Studies II (ENGL 1023) are prerequisites for CRJS 2103 - 6 hours
• Principles of Psychology (PSYC 1003) may be a prerequisite for CRJS 2203 - 3 hours

B.  Program Requirements:  27 hours

• Introduction to Criminal Justice (CRJS 1003) - 3 hours
• Criminology (CRJS 2103) - 3 hours
• U. S. Constitutional Law (CRJS 2203) - 3 hours
• Police Investigation (CRJS 3023) - 3 hours
• Criminal Courts (CRJS 3303) - 3 hours
• Statistics in Criminal Justice (CRJS 3613) - 3 hours
• Research Methods in Criminal Justice (CRJS 3623) - 3 hours
• Ethics & Professionalism (CRJS 4303) - 3 hours
• Professional Internship in Criminal Justice (CRJS PN03) - 3 hours

C.  Select one of the following emphasis areas (Law Enforcement or Legal):  12 hours  

        1 - Law Enforcement Emphasis

•  
  • Police & Society (CRJS 3123) - 3 hours
  • Corrections (CRJS 3203) - 3 hours
  • Rural Crime (CRJS 3573) - 3 hours
  • Homeland Security (CRJS 4173) - 3 hours

        2 - Legal Emphasis

•  
  • American Legal Systems (CRJS 3003) - 3 hours
  • Criminal Law (CRJS 3703) - 3 hours
  • Criminal Procedure (CRJS 3903) - 3 hours
  • Evidence (4273) - 3 hours

D.  Program Electives:  6 hours

• Select any two CRJS courses not already required for the program and for the student's specific emphasis. 

E.  General Electives:  36-47 hours

Note:   In addition to a major, a student may select a minor. Courses taken for a minor reduce the number of general electives a student may take.

Note:   The major may provide fewer than 39 hours of 3000-4000 level course work, therefore any remaining 3000-4000 level hours will need to come from a minor, liberal arts elective studies in depth, and/or general electives.

Exit Assessment

All criminal justice seniors are required to take the ETS Major Field Exam in Criminal Justice.

TOTAL:  128 credit hours