Department of Criminal Justice
As society and the problems of crime and delinquency have become increasingly complex, so has the field of criminal justice. Courtroom activity has consequences for law enforcement; corrections reforms have consequences for the courts. The criminal justice professional needs knowledge and understanding of all three major components to perform successfully in any one of them. Toward this end the Department of Criminal Justice offers students the opportunity to acquire knowledge of the broader criminal justice system.
Undergraduate students pursuing the academic study of the criminal justice system, a career in a criminal justice field, or preparation for graduate study may select the criminal justice curriculum leading to a Bachelor of Science degree. Transfer students must complete 31 hours of criminal justice coursework unless they have completed the equivalent of CJUS 1100 at another institution. In this case, CJUS 1100 is waived and 28 hours are required. The Department also offers a minor. Students may enroll in the B.S. program on either a fulltime or parttime basis. Evening classes are scheduled to accommodate parttime students.
Transfer students who have an AAS degree in a criminal justice related discipline may be awarded a maximum of 36 semester hours of credit for criminal justice coursework completed with a grade of C or better. They will also receive credit for courses that fulfill UNC Charlotte general education requirements if the completed courses are part of an approved college transfer curriculum.
The department also offers a Master of Science degree program in Criminal Justice.
Law Enforcement Area CJUS 3140 Law Enforcement Administration CJUS 3141 Law Enforcement Behavioral Systems CJUS 3143 Nature of Policing in America CJUS 4000 Topics in Criminal Justice (designated by the department) Corrections Area CJUS 3130 Correctional Administration CJUS 3150 Community Corrections CJUS 3151 Institutional Corrections CJUS 4000 Topics in Criminal Justice (designated by the department) Legal Area CJUS 3102 American Criminal Courts CJUS 3110 Criminal Justice and the Law CJUS 3121 Juvenile Law CJUS 3152 Correctional Law CJUS 4000 Topics in Criminal Justice (designated by the department)A minimum of a C average in all criminal justice coursework and at least a C in CJUS 1100, 3100 and 3101 are required.
While not required, students are encouraged to participate in internship programs available through the department. Internships provide opportunities to combine theory and practice in a realistic setting, and to make more judicious career decisions. Consult the Department of Criminal Justice for a suggested schedule to complete the B.S. degree with a major in Criminal Justice.