The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Criminal Justice is a 124-credit program designed to prepare students interested in or currently working in public service, law enforcement, corrections, emergency services and community leadership positions.

The B.S. in Criminal Justice includes a set of required courses that all students must take, along with SUNY General Education and other academic requirements, in order to be eligible to receive a degree. The required courses for programs in Criminal Justice can be found on the “Program Details” tab. Students should speak with their mentor to see if any credit earned through individualized Prior Learning Assessment (iPLA) or Professional Learning Evaluation (PLE) might fulfill these course requirements. Courses are offered online, through independent studies, or through a blended approach. 

The contemporary criminal justice environment is continuously evolving in response to critical social needs and new approaches to policing, addressing criminal behavior, and community/government relations. This program provides a rigorous examination of the social, economic and cultural contexts of criminal justice today from all perspectives. Students will become more effective in their roles within criminal justice and related fields.

For additional information, please visit the B.S. in Criminal Justice and the Department of Social Science and Public Affairs Degree Planning Resources web pages.

For more information about general undergraduate degree requirements, please visit Earning an Undergraduate Degree.

Students pursuing a bachelor's degree in criminal justice must complete the following courses:

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
CRJS 1005	Introduction to Criminal Justice	4
CRJS 3005	Alternatives to Incarceration	4
CRJS 3009	Criminal Law & Procedure	4
CRJS 3065	Race Crime & Justice	4
or CRJS 4025	Police Community Relations
CRJS 3070	Criminology, Victimology, and Restorative Justice	4
CRJS 4005	American Corrections	4
LEST 1005	Introduction to Law & the Legal System	4
PAFF 4132	Legal & Ethical Foundations of Public Service	4
SOCI 1005	Exploring Society: An Introduction to Sociology	4
And one of the following		4
SOSC 3025	Social Science Research Methods
Or
SOSC 2010	Statistics for the Social Sciences
Or
CRJS 3030	Criminal Investigation

Advanced- level electives

Students will be asked to complete two additional advanced-level courses chosen from the list below in consultation with a faculty mentor. The list below includes some of the available choices:

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
CRJS 3015	Courts & the Administration of Justice	4
CRJS 3020	Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysis	4
CRJS 3045	Forensic Science	4
CRJS 3050	Juvenile Justice & Delinquency	4
CRJS 4010	Comparative Criminal Justice Systems	4
CRJS 4030	Women Crime & Criminology	4
INFT 3020	Cyber Crime & Computer Forensics	4
POLI 3115	The United States Constitution	4
SOCI 3040	Deviance & Social Control	4
SOCI 4030	Power & Privilege	4

*Note that some prior learning may substitute for some required courses. Faculty review and approval is required before a substitution can be made.

• Students will be able to describe the function and structure of the criminal justice system in the United States of America.
• Students will be able to articulate and discuss the basic ethical dilemmas and issues in criminal justice.
• Students will be able to discuss the relationship between the legal system, criminal justice system, and political system.
• Students will be able to conduct research or investigation in criminal justice.
• Students will be able to explain the role of diverse experiences, perspectives, and identities in the American criminal justice system.
• Students will be able to compare alternative approaches to addressing criminal activity.
• Students will be able analyze theoretical foundations of questions related to crime and justice.