Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice
Angola, USA
BSc
DURATION
4 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Key Summary
About: The Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice at Trine blends theory and practical training from lawyers, law enforcement, and corrections professionals. ACJA offers mentoring, speakers, a symposium and a national handgun competition team. The ILEA Step Ahead track partners with the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy so students attend the academy in junior spring (age and physical requirements) and then work while finishing the degree online and enter the workforce.
Career Outcomes: Graduates enter public and private sectors. Typical roles: law enforcement, courts, corrections, federal agencies, probation, juvenile services, behavioral health, private security, case management, and law or graduate school.
Criminal justice: More than a career in law enforcement
At many universities, criminal justice often equates to basic police courses. The Bachelor of Science with a major in criminal justice at Trine University offers you a combination of theory and practical experience that prepares you for multiple careers throughout the three sections in the criminal justice system, or for law school.
While many of our graduates have successful careers in law enforcement, there is more to explore.
The experience: Learn from those working in the field
Our program is a mix of practical knowledge taught by current professionals in the field (lawyers, law enforcement officers - federal, state, and local, corrections professionals and administrators) and theory.
The program also has a strong student-to-student support system, the American Criminal Justice Association (ACJA). The ACJA has monthly meetings where professionals in the field speak and recruit, a mentoring program for underclassmen, a yearly symposium, and a handgun competition team that competes nationally.
ILEA Track
It's time to Step Ahead and enjoy the benefits of college education before you even earn a degree. Get a jump on the competition by starting your career with an Indiana law enforcement agency and then complete a bachelor's degree when you enroll in Trine University's Step Ahead criminal justice program.
Trine's partnership with the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) enables students to Step Ahead by attending the academy and completing the basic police training course. Trine's program lets you Step Ahead of the competition by entering the academy ahead of your peers, giving you the required training to be work-ready for a career in Indiana law enforcement. You Step Ahead of other job applicants.
Step Ahead ensures you are:
- In front of the competition by completing ILEA training.
- More attractive to employers because of academy training.
- Job-ready for Indiana law enforcement in three years.
- Entering the employment market a year earlier.
- Earning a paycheck while you complete a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in criminal justice.
Here's a quick look at how the Step Ahead program works:
- During your freshman and sophomore years, complete 68 credit hours.
- During the first semester of your junior year, complete an additional 17 credit hours.
- During the second semester of your junior year, enter the ILEA (must meet age and physical ability requirements) and complete the academy's basic police training course.
- During what would be your senior year, work in law enforcement while you complete your bachelor's degree online.
- Students may also complete additional credit hours during the first two and a half years, leaving fewer classes to be completed after attending the academy.
The degree: Preparation for all careers and levels
The Bachelor of Science with a major in criminal justice program teaches criminal law, psychology, and the academic base needed to pursue a career in criminal justice or law school. Our major also has a strong psychology component. Trine currently is one of the only undergraduate programs in the U.S. to specialize in forensic and correctional psychology.
We offer criminal justice concentrations for criminal justice professionals and psychology. These prepare you to start your career path right after graduation and move up the ranks quickly.
Curriculum
The curriculum requires the completion of 120 hours of coursework. The average course load is 15-16 hours based on eight semesters.
General Education Requirements - 36 credit hours
- ENG 143 College Compositions
- SP 203 Effective Speaking
- or COM 163 Interpersonal Communication
- HUM 203 Humanities Seminar
- Humanities Elective
- Sciences Elective
- or Mathematics Elective
- MA 113 College Algebra
- or MA 133 Quantitative Reasoning
- BIO 1003 Plants and People
- HIS 103 American History I
- or his 203 World Civilization I
- HIS 113 American HIstory II
- or HIS 213 World Civilization II
- SOC 103 Principles of Sociology
- PSY 113 Principles of Psychology
- POLS 113 Introduction to Government
Content Requirements - 37 credit hours
- CRJ 103 Introduction to Criminal Justice
- CRJ 133 Criminal Justice Report Writing
- CRJ 153 Juvenile Justice
- CRJ 243 Introduction to Criminology
- CRJ 263 Introduction to Criminal Law and Justice
- CRJ 273 Criminal Procedures and Evidence
- CRJ 343 Criminalistics and Crime Scene Investigations I
- CRJ 433 Criminal Justice Capstone Demonstration
- CRJ 473 Law Enforcement Internship I
- POLS 333 State and Local Government
- POLS 403 American Constitutional Development
- PSY 323 Abnormal Psychology
- UE 101 University Experience
Select one of the following five concentrations - 15 credit hours
Option A - Criminal Justice Professional
- CRJ 363 Institutional Corrections and Law
- CRJ 423 Criminal Justice & Agency Administration
- CRJ 453 Topics in CJ
- PSY 303 Research Methods in Psychology
- SOC 323 The Family
Option B - Psychology
- PSY 303 Research Methods in Psychology
- PSY 333 Psychology of Personality
- PSY 343 Social Psychology
- PSY 353 Child & Adolescent Psychology OR PSY 223 Lifespan Developmental Psychology
- PSY 423 Counseling Theories & Practices
Option C - Indiana law Enforcement
- CRJ 4015 Successful completion of Indiana Law Enforcement Academy Basic Training Course
Additional Requirements - 32 credit hours
- Electives - 32 hours
4 + 1 Degree Path
If you have long-term goals of an MSCJ, start with your bachelor's degree and move directly into the Master of Science with a major in criminal justice program with the 4+1 program.
Minors that go with a BSCJ
You can also round out your bachelor's in criminal justice with a minor in any number of areas including psychology, management, leadership, or communication.
The result: Knowledge and skills to succeed in law and enforcement
The criminal justice program provides you with:
- A broad base of knowledge about human behavior.
- Knowledge in law, history, government, and psychology to facilitate entry into advanced careers.
- Experience in the day-to-day requirements of practitioners in their chosen fields through internships.
- Understanding of ethical behavior patterns demanded in professional conduct.
- Skills necessary for good citizenship.
Job opportunities abound in the criminal justice field - not just the traditional police, courts, and corrections, but in all avenues of the public and private sector.
- Conservation Officer DNR
- Case Manager Northeastern Center
- Allen County Juvenile Center
- Valparaiso Law School
- Avé Maria Law School
- IPFW MPA Program
- Ball State University Ph.D. Psychology
- Michigan and Indiana Department of Corrections
- Federal Law Enforcement—IRS, ATF, Secret Service, Marshals Service
- State and Local Law Enforcement—ISP, DNR, Excise, City and County Police Officers
- Department of Corrections (IN and MI), county jails, and juvenile detention centers
- Behavioral and mental health agencies-Bowen Center, Northeastern Center, Madison Center
- Probation Departments—MI, OH, and IN
- Private-sector security and loss prevention
- Case Managers, counseling, and substance abuse
- Department of Child Services - Case Manager
