Criminal Justice

Overview

The Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from University of Colorado Denver explores the complex nature of crime, criminal justice organizations, implications of public policies, capital punishment, victimology, race and crime, community corrections, and more.)

What you'll study

The School of Public Affairs’ Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice (BACJ) program is designed for students who are interested in studying the American criminal justice system. Coursework in the major includes the complex nature of crime causation; the history, framework, and operations of criminal justice organizations; the implications of public policies related to crime and justice; and special topics such as capital punishment, victimology, race and crime, and community corrections.

Areas of Concentration

Law Enforcement

• Students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice may elect to graduate with a concentration in Law Enforcement. Students must complete the required courses: Evidence-Based Approaches in Law Enforcement and two electives.

Victims and Victim Services

• Students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice may elect to graduate with a concentration in Victims and Victim Services. Students must complete the required courses: Victimology, Trauma in the Criminal Justice System and two electives.

Program requirements

• The Bachelor's of Arts in Criminal Justice degree requires 39 credit hours of coursework.
• A maximum of 15 transfer credit hours may be applied to the major. Transfer Criminal Justice credit hours above the 15 credit hours already applied to the major will count as general electives. CRJU courses taken from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs are not subject to this transfer credit limit for the major.
• Students must complete a minimum of 45 upper-division credit hours, 21 of which must be Criminal Justice credit hours.
• Students must receive a minimum C- grade in each undergraduate course applied to satisfy major or minor degree requirements and must maintain a 2.0 GPA overall in major or minor courses.