B.S. in Criminal Justice

College of Business and Public Management
GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
Academic Foundations
First Year Experience requirement4
English Composition requirement6-7
Mathematics requirement3-4
Interdisciplinary requirement3
Diverse Communities requirement3
Ethics requirement3
Distributed Disciplinary Foundations
Science requirement6-8
Behavioral & Social Science requirement6
Humanities requirement6
Arts requirement3
ADDITIONAL BACCALAUREATE REQUIREMENTS
University Requirements
Writing Emphasis requirement9
Speaking Emphasis requirement9
Degree Requirements
Capstone requirement1-15
MAJOR REQUIREMENTS
Core Courses 1
CRJ 110Introduction to Criminal Justice3
CRJ 210Theories of Crime and Delinquency3
CRJ 220Corrections3
CRJ 287Policing in America3
CRJ 300Criminal Law3
CRJ 387Elements of Criminal Justice Research3
CRJ 400Criminal Procedure3
Major Electives 1
Select 27 semester hours27
Capstone Requirement
CRJ 490Practicum (a 12-credit practicum offered only in the summer) 1,212
Total Minimum Credits Required120
1

A minimum grade of C is required in all criminal justice courses. CRJ 300, CRJ 387, CRJ 400, and CRJ 490 must be taken at West Chester University and are not typically transferable from any other college or university. 

2

This course fulfills the Capstone requirement.

Accelerated B.S. in Criminal Justice to M.S. in Criminal Justice Program

B.S. in Criminal Justice students are required to take 21 credits of student electives. Students in the Accelerated B.S. to M.S. program can fulfill up to 12 of those 21 elective credits with graduate-level coursework. 

Criminal Justice Electives
Choose from the following:12
Comparative Criminal Justice Systems
Criminal Behavior and the Law
Criminological Theory
Leadership/Management Strategies for CRJ Professionals
CRJ System: Contemporary Ethical Issues
Research Design & Data Analysis 1
Criminal Jurisprudence 2
Crime Mapping and Analysis
Corporate and Financial Crime
Juvenile Law
Restorative Justice
Contemporary Issues in Law Enforcement
Advances in Law Enforcement Technology
Criminal Profiling
Addiction
Topical Seminar in Criminal Justice
Applied Legal Studies
Victimology: Theory, Research and Practice
Contemporary Issues In Corrections
Gender, Crime and Justice
Bioterrorism, Bio-Crises & Public Health
Cyber Crime
Controversial Criminal Jurisprudence
Independent Studies in Criminal Justice
Proseminar 3
1

CRJ 508 requires a prerequisite of CRJ 387.

2

CRJ 509 requires a prerequisite of CRJ 400.

3

CRJ 600 requires a prerequisite of CRJ 508. CRJ 600 can only be taken once the student has matriculated in the graduate program. 

Enrollment in CRJ 110 and CRJ 210 is open to all students. However, enrollment in most other criminal justice courses is limited to criminal justice majors, criminal justice minors, and to those students who have received special permission from the department chairperson. Also, a grade of C or better is required in CRJ 110 before any other CRJ course may be taken, with the only exception being CRJ 210. Admission to the program is competitive, and enrollment in such restricted courses is no assurance of admission into the major (nor is acceptance into the minor program assurance of future acceptance into the major). Students wishing to change their majors to criminal justice must apply to the department. Evaluation of applications is based on academic performance, writing ability, and other relevant data.

Students should generally have a GPA of at least 2.5 to apply for admission to the program.  A 2.5 average or better must be earned in the aggregate of lower- and upper-division courses before graduation will be recommended.

NOTE: This program deviates from the Anticipated Time for Degree Completion outlined in the Academic Policies section of the catalog since the program requires the completion of requirements that can only be met in the summer.

To track their individual degree progress, students are advised to access their Degree Progress Report (DPR) via myWCU regularly. For more information, visit wcupa.edu/DegreeProgressReport.

The following is a sample suggested course sequence for this program; course offerings and availability are not guaranteed. Students should consult their academic advisor with any questions.

B.S. in Criminal Justice (4-Year Plan)

Plan of Study Grid
Year One
FallCredits
CRJ 110 Introduction to Criminal Justice 3
WRT 120 Effective Writing I 3
FYE 100XFirst Year Experience 4
Science Gen Ed 3
Mathematics Gen Ed 3
 Credits16
Spring
CRJ 210 Theories of Crime and Delinquency 3
WRT 200 Critical Writing and Research (or above) 3
Science Gen Ed 3
Behavioral & Social Science Gen Ed 3
Humanities Gen Ed 3
 Credits15
Year Two
Fall
CRJ 220 Corrections 3
CRJ XXXCRJ Elective (WRITING EMPHASIS & INTERDISCIPLINARY) 3
Humanities Gen Ed 3
Arts Gen Ed 3
Behavioral & Social Science Gen Ed 3
Free Elective 3
 Credits18
Spring
CRJ 287 Policing in America 3
CRJ XXXCRJ Elective 3
Speaking Emphasis Gen Ed 3
 Credits9
Year Three
Fall
CRJ 300 Criminal Law 3
CRJ XXXCRJ Elective (WRITING EMPHASIS & DIVERSE COMMUNITIES) 3
CRJ XXXCRJ Elective (SPEAKING EMPHASIS) 3
Free Elective 3
 Credits12
Spring
CRJ 387 Elements of Criminal Justice Research 3
CRJ XXXCRJ Elective (WRITING EMPHASIS) 3
CRJ XXXCRJ Elective (ETHICS) 3
Speaking Emphasis Gen Ed 3
Free Elective 2
 Credits14
Summer
CRJ 490 Practicum 1 12
 Credits12
Year Four
Fall
CRJ 400 Criminal Procedure 3
CRJ XXXCRJ Elective 3
Free Elective 3
Free Elective 3
 Credits12
Spring
CRJ XXXCRJ Elective 3
CRJ XXXCRJ Elective 3
Free Elective 3
Free Elective 3
 Credits12
 Total Credits120
1

 Students may take the Practicum in the summer after their senior year. Such students attend the May graduation ceremonies but are actually August graduates.

B.S. in Criminal Justice (Less than 4-Year Plan)

Plan of Study Grid
Year One
FallCredits
CRJ 110 Introduction to Criminal Justice 3
WRT 120 Effective Writing I 3
FYE 100XFirst Year Experience 4
Science Gen Ed 3
Mathematics Gen Ed 3
 Credits16
Spring
CRJ 210 Theories of Crime and Delinquency 3
WRT 200 Critical Writing and Research (or above) 3
Science Gen Ed 3
Behavioral & Social Science Gen Ed 3
Humanities Gen Ed 3
 Credits15
Year Two
Fall
CRJ 220 Corrections 3
CRJ XXXCRJ Elective (WRITING EMPHASIS & DIVERSE COMMUNITIES) 3
Humanities Gen Ed 3
Behavioral & Social Science Gen Ed 3
Arts Gen Ed 3
 Credits15
Spring
CRJ 287 Policing in America 3
CRJ XXXCRJ Elective (WRITING EMPHASIS & INTERDISCIPLINARY) 3
CRJ XXXCRJ Elective 3
Speaking Emphasis Gen Ed 3
Free Elective 3
 Credits15
Year Three
Fall
CRJ 300 Criminal Law 3
CRJ XXXCRJ Elective (WRITING EMPHASIS) 3
CRJ XXXCRJ Elective (SPEAKING EMPHASIS) 3
Free Elective 3
Free Elective 3
Free Elective 2
 Credits17
Spring
CRJ 387 Elements of Criminal Justice Research 3
CRJ XXXCRJ Elective (ETHICS) 3
CRJ XXXCRJ Elective 3
Speaking Emphasis Gen Ed 3
Free Elective 3
 Credits15
Summer
CRJ 490 Practicum 12
 Credits12
Year Four
Fall
CRJ 400 Criminal Procedure 3
CRJ XXXCRJ Elective 3
CRJ XXXCRJ Elective 3
Free Elective 3
Free Elective 3
 Credits15
 Total Credits120