Degree

Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science

Department

Criminal Justice

Overview

The criminal justice undergraduate program offers both a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice. Both programs provide students with a multidisciplinary understanding of crime and the justice system.

Students develop insights into the causes and prevention of criminal behavior from disciplines such as criminology, sociology, psychology, law, public policy, computer technology and other related fields. Students become fully informed, educated criminal justice professionals who:

  • Understand how the federal and state criminal justice systems work
  • Understand and apply the tools of social science research
  • Acquire knowledge of the fundamental principles of criminal law and procedure and how the law affects criminal justice operations in law enforcement, courts (juvenile and adult) and corrections
  • Identify and describe the various methods of measuring, counting crime and its distribution

Prerequisites

In addition to the completion of UCF’s General Education Program, students are encouraged, but not required, to take the following courses:

  • American National Government
  • Introduction to Psychology
  • Introduction to Sociology
  • Economics

Curriculum

Students take a core of 33 credit hours in the areas of policing, courts, corrections and research. Courses include:

  • Careers in Criminal Justice
  • Criminal Justice System
  • Crime in America
  • Race, Ethnicity, Equity, and (In)justice
  • Prosecution and Adjudication
  • Corrections and Penology
  • Police and Society
  • Research Methods in Criminal Justice
  • Data Analysis for Criminal Justice
  • Criminal Justice Ethics: Capstone Experience

Students also take additional hours of upper-division coursework from various restricted electives and supporting electives. Students seeking a Bachelor of Arts are required to demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language equivalent to one year at college level (standardized examinations for foreign languages may be used).

Exceptional students may consider applying to the program’s Scholar’s Track.

Internships

The department provides students with the opportunity to complete internships in various criminal justice settings. This gives students the opportunity to affirm their career decision as they relate class material, presentations and discussions to the real world. Seniors can use a limited number of internships and/or directed independent studies credits toward fulfilling course requirements.

Certificates

Students can choose to complete a certificate to complement their studies. The department offers several undergraduate certificates, including:

*May be completed online.