The Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice

Total Course Requirements for the Bachelor's Degree: 120 units

See "Requirements for the Bachelor's Degree" in the University Catalog for complete details on general degree requirements. A minimum of 40 units, including those required for the major, must be upper division.

A suggested Major Academic Plan (MAP) has been prepared to help students meet all graduation requirements within four years. Please request a plan from your major advisor or view it and other current advising information on the CSU, Chico Web.

Please see General Education, Cultural Diversity, American Institutions, and Literacy Requirements under the BA in Political Science.

Course Requirements for the Major: 55 units

The following courses, or their approved transfer equivalents, are required of all candidates for this degree.

Major Core Requirements: 21 units

7 courses required:

POLS 250 Intro to Criminal Justice 3.0 FS
POLS 257 Juvenile Justice Process 3.0 Inq
POLS 259A Introduction to Criminal Law 3.0 FS
Prerequisites: POLS 250 or faculty permission.
POLS 352 Policing in America 3.0 FA
Prerequisites: POLS 250.
POLS 353 Corrections 3.0 SP
Prerequisites: POLS 250.
POLS 459D Senior Cap Sem in Crim Jus 3.0 FS
Prerequisites: Permission of instructor.
SOCI 384 Criminology 3.0 FS

Criminal Justice

3 courses selected from:

ANTH 311 Survey Forensic Science 3.0 FS
HCSV 370 Drugs in Our Society 3.0 FS *
POLS 259 Chico Police Serv/Lrn Practicm 3.0 SP
POLS 354 Community Corrections 3.0 Inq
POLS 426 Women and the Law 3.0 Inq

This course is also offered as WMST 426.

POLS 459A Criminal Procedure 3.0 FS
Prerequisites: POLS 250.
POLS 459B Policy Issues Criminal Justice 3.0 SP
Prerequisites: POLS 250.
POLS 460E Police Admin and Management 3.0 Inq
POLS 465 Administration of Justice 3.0 FS
POLS 489E Internship in Criminal Justice 1.0 -3.0 FS
Prerequisites: Permission of instructor.
SOCI 484 Youth, Crime, and Delinquency 3.0 SP
Prerequisites: SOCI 384 recommended.
SOCI 487 Sociology of Gangs 3.0 Inq

Research Methods

3 courses required:

POLS 330 Res Skills Pol, Law & Crim Jus 3.0 FS
POLS 331 Intro to Political Inquiry 3.0 FS WP
Prerequisites: ENGL 130 (or its equivalent) with a grade of C- or higher.
POLS 331X Techniqs in Political Sci Res 1.0 FS

Ethical Questions

1 course required:

PHIL 332 Criminal Justice Ethics 3.0 FS

Criminal Justice and the Individual

1 course selected from:

PSYC 351 Socio-Cultural Psy Development 3.0 FS *
PSYC 381 Abnormal Psychology 3.0 FS
PSYC 391 Psy of Prejudice/Hate/Violence 3.0 FS * Eth
SOCI 380 Sociology of Deviant Behavior 3.0 FS *

Criminal Justice and American Society

1 course selected from:

PSYC 395 Social Psychology 3.0 FS
SOCI 330 Sociology of Gender 3.0 FS

This course is also offered as MCGS 330.

SOCI 350 Ethnic and Race Relations 3.0 Inq * Eth

This course is also offered as MCGS 350.

SOCI 486 Sociology of Law 3.0 Inq

Understanding Criminal Justice Bureaucracies

1 course required:

POLS 460A Intro to Public Administration 3.0 FS

Theoretical Foundations of the American System

1 course selected from:

POLS 431 American Political Thought 3.0 FA
POLS 432 Recent Amer Political Thought 3.0 SP
POLS 436 Liberal/Conservative Trad 3.0 FA

This course is also offered as PHIL 436.

POLS 437 Contemporary Political Thought 3.0 Inq

This course is also offered as PHIL 437.

POLS 438 Jurisprudence/Phil of Law 3.0 FA

This course is also offered as PHIL 438.

Courts and the Criminal Justice System

1 course selected from:

POLS 451A Found Amer Constitution Law 3.0 FA
POLS 451B Civil Rights/Civil Liberties 3.0 FS

This course is also offered as MCGS 451B.

POLS 453 Legal Process and Behavior 3.0 FA
POLS 464 Administrative Law 3.0 FA