Students have the option to pursue a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Criminal Justice or a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Criminal Justice.

The BA does not require additional science credits. To complete a BA in Criminal Justice students complete the following:

1. UK Core Requirements
2. Criminal Justice Major Coursework: 27 credit hours of core criminal justice courses
3. Guided Electives: 12 credit hours of criminal justice specific guided electives
4. Minimum of 120 credit hours to complete a bachelor’s degree

The BS includes an additional 15 hours of science-oriented curriculum designed to prepare students for settings that may be science oriented such as forensic investigations. To attain a BS in Criminal Justice, students must complete the following:

1. UK Core Requirements
2. 15 credit hours of biological, physical, computer, or mathematical science courses
3. Criminal Justice Major Coursework: 27 credit hours of core criminal justice courses
4. Guided Electives: 12 credit hours of criminal justice specific guided electives
5. Minimum of 120 credit hours to complete a bachelor’s degree.

Core Criminal Justice Coursework

• CJ 323 Criminal Justice Foundations
• CJ 312 The American Criminal Justice System
• CJ 314 Experiential Learning in Criminal Justice
• CJ 419 Ethics in Criminal Justice
• CJ 316 Culturally Relevant Practice in CJ Settings
• CJ 421 Applied Data Analysis for CJ Practice
• CJ 328 Forensic Investigations
• CJ 431 Application of Criminal Justice Theory
• CJ 429 Research Methods in Criminal Justice

Examples of Criminal Justice Guided Electives

• SW 510 Understanding Trauma
• CHE 250 Forensic Science on Television
• CJ 535 Forensic Interviewing

Sample Curriculum Plans