Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice
The criminal justice undergraduate program at South provides a broad exposure to the core aspects of the criminal justice system, including law enforcement, courts and corrections. Criminal justice majors can choose to take courses on South’s main campus, at the Baldwin County campus or fully online.
Why Criminal Justice at South?
South offers a variety of elective courses and internships in criminal justice with local, state and federal agencies. Students gain strong analytical and critical thinking skills that prepare them well for careers in criminal justice, including jobs in law enforcement, probation, parole and victim services. Criminal justice alumni are also prepared for graduate programs, including law school.
At South, you’ll discover an exceptional classroom experience supporting a number of career options in criminal justice, and many campus organizations and activities to join. Our program offers a variety learning experiences to help prepare students for their careers, with courses led by award winning faculty who have been recognized for their teaching, advising, service, and research. The critical thinking, writing, and analytical skills our programs provide have prepared our graduates well for work in fields that have included law enforcement; education; government; law; corrections; public policy; business; NGOs and non-profits; and more.
The department has a long history of both student internships and community engagement, as the city of Mobile is home to the field offices of multiple law enforcement agencies (federal, state, and local), a jail, a juvenile detention center, a county courthouse, a federal district courthouse, and multiple victim service agencies. Our active Criminal Justice Association provides social and educational opportunities for students within our department, and students are encouraged to join the Alpha Phi Sigma honors society.
| Course | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| CJ 105 Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 hours |
| PSC 130 Introduction to U.S. Government | 3 hours |
| CJ 210 Policing and Society | 3 hours |
| CJ 215 Correctional Policies and Procedures | 3 hours |
| CJ 310 or PSC 310 (W) Research Methods | 3 hours |
| CJ 330 or PSC 330 Judicial Process | 3 hours |
| CJ 360 Theories of Offending | 3 hours |
| CJ 492 (W) Capstone Seminar in Criminal Justice | 3 hours |
| 300/400 Level CJ Electives | 15 hours |
| Total Credit Hours for the CJ Major | 39 hours |
| Course | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| CJ 105 Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 hours |
| 200/300/400 Level CJ electives | 6 hours |
| 300/400 Level CJ electives | 9 hours |
| Total Credit Hours for the CJ Minor | 18 hours |
| Elective |
|---|
| CJ 105 is a prerequisite for most other Criminal Justice courses, and a grade of C or better in CJ 105 is required. |
| CJ 321 Public and Private Security |
| CJ/PSC/PHL 331 Constitutional Law |
| CJ/PSC 332 Criminal Law |
| CJ/PSC/PHL 336 The Law and Legal Theory |
| CJ/PSC/PHL 337 Liability and Punishment |
| CJ/PSC 363 Crime and Politics in Latin America |
| CJ 372 Gender and Criminal Justice |
| CJ 374 Race, Ethnicity, and Criminal Justice |
| CJ 380 Drugs and Crime |
| CJ 390 Special Topics |
| CJ 403 Sexual Violence |
| CJ/PSC 411/511 Criminal Justice Administration |
| CJ 422 Criminal Investigations |
| CJ/PSC 430 (W) Criminal Procedure |
| CJ 440 (W) Community Based Corrections |
| CJ 455 Juvenile Justice Administration and Policy |
| CJ/PSC 469 Criminal Justice Policies |
| CJ 471 Police Accountability and Community |
| CJ 472 Comparative Criminal Justice Systems |
| CJ 490 Special Topics |
| CJ/PSC 488 Armed Conflict |
| CJ/PSC 491 Seminar on Terrorism |
| CJ 494 Directed Studies |
| CJ 496 Internship |
| CJ 499: Honors Thesis |
|
/ Indicates Cross-Listed Course (W) = Writing Intensive PSC = Political Science PHL = Philosophy 500 Numbers Indicate Cross-Listed with Graduate Course |
Local law enforcement:
- Municipal and County police departments
- Park police
- County police
- Juvenile justice centers
State law enforcement:
- Crime labs
- State Crime Commissions
- The Court System
- Attorney General Offices
- Narcotics Bureaus
- Liquor Control Boards
- State Police
- Alabama Bureau of Investigation
Federal law enforcement:
- Department of Homeland Security
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- U.S. Marshals Service
- U.S. Customs and Border Patrol
- Veterans Affairs
- Department of Defense
- Department of State
- Office of the Inspector General
- For a more complete listing of federal law enforcement agencies see http://www.usa.gov/
Private sector law enforcement:
- Insurance companies
- Private detectives/investigators
- Safety officers
- Private security
- Security patrol officers
Courts and Corrections:
- Law Clerk
- Court Reporter
- Bailiff
- Probation Officer
- Parole Officer
- Correctional Officer
- Correctional Counselor
Other Typical Vocations:
- Data/research analyst
- Victim's advocate
- Juvenile probation officer
- Probation Officer
- Parole Officer
- Correctional Officer
- Correctional Counselor
With additional graduate course work:
- Criminologist
- Criminal profiler
- Psychologist/Psychiatrist
- Forensic pathologist
- Forensic anthropologist
- Instructor/Professor
- Forensic scientist
- Crime lab analyst
- Data analyst
- Crime scene investigator
- Prosecutor
- Defense attorney
