Program: Crime and Justice Studies, BA - Wright State University

2024-2025 Academic Catalog

Apr 02, 2025

Program Description

Crime and Justice Studies (CJS) is an interdisciplinary program leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree. The Crime and Justice Studies program is designed to develop knowledge of the criminal justice system, theories of criminal behavior, institutions formed to ensure public safety and enforce the law, and the law. Student core competencies will be developed and required in areas of (1) analytical and ethical decision making; (2) the use of technology; (3) methods of collecting and using data; and (4) communicating to diverse people and through diverse media.

CJS Major/Military Science Concentration: This concentration is intended specifically for CJS majors who are interested in pursuing a commission in the military (i.e., Regular Army Officer, US Army Reserve Officer, or US National Guard). Students graduating with this concentration will have both a BA in Crime and Justice Studies and a Minor in Military Science. Graduates will be academically and physically prepared to join the military or seek employment within the criminal justice field (i.e., law enforcement, corrections, courts) outside of the military.

Admission Requirements

Currently admitted to Wright State University

Program Learning Objectives

Students enrolled in the Crime & Justice Studies program will learn to:

Explain the specific structures, operations, and roles of key participants within the US criminal justice system, including, but not limited to police, courts, corrections, and law.
Demonstrate effective writing skills conveying their overall knowledge of the components, policies, and research methods within field of criminal justice.
Develop and continue to hone career skills through experiential learning, which will enable them to transition into a career in criminal justice or related field.

Program Learning Outcomes

As a result of their learning experience, graduates of the Crime & Justice Studies program can:

Explain the specific structures, operations, and roles of key participants within the US criminal justice system, including, but not limited to police, courts, corrections, and law.
Demonstrate effective writing skills conveying their overall knowledge of the components, policies, and research methods within field of criminal justice.
Develop and continue to hone career skills through experiential learning, which will enable them to transition into a career in criminal justice or related field.

For More Information

Program Requirements:

I. Wright State Core: 38 Hours

Element 1 - Communication: 6 Hours

Element 2 - Mathematics: 3 Hours

Element 3 - Global Traditions: 6 Hours

Element 4 - Arts and Humanities: 3 Hours

Element 5 - Social Sciences: 6 Hours

Element 6 - Natural Sciences: 8 Hours

Additional Core Courses: 6 Hours

Required LA 1020 - First-Year Seminar in Liberal Arts Credit Hour(s): 3

II. Major Requirements: 45 Hours

Department Requirements: 15 Hours

Discipline: 3 Hours

Choose one course

PLS 4420 - Criminal Justice System Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 2700 - Introduction to Criminal Justice in Society Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 3710 - Comparative Criminal Justice Credit Hour(s): 3
URS 4280 - Criminal Justice Organization and Management Credit Hour(s): 3

Legal Foundations: 3 Hours

Choose one course

PLS 3420 - Civil Liberties I: First Amendment Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 3430 - Civil Liberties II: Due Process Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4360 - Criminal Law Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4370 - Criminal Procedure Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4400 - Constitutional Law Credit Hour(s): 3

Ethics & Diversity: 6 Hours

Choose two courses

PHL 3110 - Ethics Credit Hour(s): 3
PHL 3120 - History of Ethics Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 3750 - Human Rights in United States Credit Hour(s): 3
PHL 3780 - Bioethics Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4040 - Struggles for Civil Rights in America Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4180 - Politics and Ethics Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4480 - Gender Violence & American Politics Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4490 - Gender Violence and International Politics Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4520 - International Human Rights Credit Hour(s): 3
PSY 2110 - Human Sexuality Credit Hour(s): 3
PSY 2420 - Psychology of Men and Women Credit Hour(s): 3
PSY 2510 - Stereotyping and Prejudice Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 3600 - Social Inequality Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 3610 - Sociology of Gender Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 3620 - Race and Ethnicity Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 4600 - Sociology of Sexuality Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 4610 - Gender and Crime Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 4630 - Race and Labor Markets Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 4650 - Global Sexualities and Human Rights Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 4670 - Disability: Power, Politics, Privilege Credit Hour(s): 3
URS 3300 - Ethics in Public Service Credit Hour(s): 3

Research Methodology: 3 Hours

Choose one course

COM 3490 - Survey of Communication Research Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 3410 - Introduction to Research Methods Credit Hour(s): 3

Concentration: 30 Hours

Select one of the concentrations below.

Concentration I Criminal Justice: 30 Hours

Crime Essentials: 3 Hours

Choose one course

SOC 3700 - Criminology Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 4700 - Explaining Crime Credit Hour(s): 3

Behavior: 6 Hours

Choose two courses

PLS 4350 - Seminar in Political Corruption Credit Hour(s): 3
PSY 2810 - Psychology of Incarceration Credit Hour(s): 3
PSY 3110 - Abnormal Psychology Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 3210 - Sociology of Deviance Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 3220 - Juvenile Delinquency Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 3700 - Criminology Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 4700 - Explaining Crime Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 4710 - Victimology Credit Hour(s): 3

Institutions & Practices: 6 Hours

Choose two courses

ATH 3110 - Forensic Anthropology Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 3220 - State Government Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 3410 - Fundamentals of Criminal Investigation Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 3440 - Police Procedures and Operations Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 3450 - Public Administration Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4420 - Criminal Justice System Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4440 - Topics in Criminal Justice Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4450 - Advanced Criminal Investigation Credit Hour(s): 3
PSY 2520 - Forensic Psychology Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 3710 - Comparative Criminal Justice Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 3720 - Policing in Society Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 3730 - Sociology of the Courts, Law, and Justice Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 3740 - Penology and Corrections Credit Hour(s): 3
URS 4280 - Criminal Justice Organization and Management Credit Hour(s): 3

Law: 3 Hours

Choose one course

PHL 4140 - Philosophy of Law Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 3400 - Law and Society Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 3420 - Civil Liberties I: First Amendment Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 3430 - Civil Liberties II: Due Process Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4170 - Appellate Politics and Moot Court Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4360 - Criminal Law Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4370 - Criminal Procedure Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4400 - Constitutional Law Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4710 - International Law Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 3730 - Sociology of the Courts, Law, and Justice Credit Hour(s): 3

Advanced Criminal Justice Electives: 9 Hours

Choose three courses

CLS 3700 - Studies in Ancient Politics, Law and Warfare Credit Hour(s): 3
CNL 4610 - Principles of Counseling Credit Hour(s): 3
GEO 3600 - Concepts of Geo-Spatial Mapping Credit Hour(s): 3
HST 3600 - Surveys of American History Credit Hour(s): 3
HST 4550 - Studies in U.S. Foreign Relations Credit Hour(s): 3
PHL 3110 - Ethics Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 3460 - Public Personnel Administration Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4010 - Development and Construction of American Civil Liberty Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4070 - Seminar in Political Theory Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4160 - Sex and the Law Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4210 - American Constitutional Politics Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4260 - Supreme Court in American Politics Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4310 - Cyber Crime Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4380 - Environmental Law and Policy Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4390 - Bioethics and Law Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4410 - Natural Resources Law Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4440 - Topics in Criminal Justice Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4460 - Public Budgeting Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4710 - International Law Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4720 - Terrorism and Counterterrorism Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4730 - American Foreign Policy Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4870 - Politics of Intelligence Gathering Credit Hour(s): 3
PSY 2830 - Chemical Dependency Credit Hour(s): 3
PSY 2910 - Drugs and Behavior Credit Hour(s): 3
PSY 3510 - Social Psychology Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 3100 - Marriage and Family Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 3320 - Sociology of Work Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 4090 - Studies in Selected Subjects Credit Hour(s): 1 to 3
SOC 4310 - Urban Sociology Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 4410 - Applications Research Methods Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 4620 - Elite Crime Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 4830 - Sex, Drugs, and HIV Credit Hour(s): 3

Internship: 3 Hours

Choose one course

PLS 4821 - Pre-Law Internship Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 3000 - Internship in Criminal Justice and Family Credit Hour(s): 3

Concentration II Military Science: 30 Hours

This concentration is for students who are accepted into Army ROTC.

Crime Essentials: 3 Hours

Choose one course

SOC 3700 - Criminology Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 4700 - Explaining Crime Credit Hour(s): 3

Behavior: 6 Hours

Required

MIL 3010 - Adaptive Team Leadership Credit Hour(s): 3
MIL 3011 - Adaptive Team Leadership Lab Credit Hour(s): 0
Choose one course for 3 Hours:
PLS 4350 - Seminar in Political Corruption Credit Hour(s): 3
PSY 2810 - Psychology of Incarceration Credit Hour(s): 3
PSY 3110 - Abnormal Psychology Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 3210 - Sociology of Deviance Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 3220 - Juvenile Delinquency Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 3700 - Criminology Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 4700 - Explaining Crime Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 4710 - Victimology Credit Hour(s): 3

Institutions & Practices: 6 Hours

Required

MIL 3020 - Applied Team Leadership Credit Hour(s): 3
MIL 3022 - Applied Team Leadership Lab Credit Hour(s): 0
Choose one course for 3 Hours:
ATH 3110 - Forensic Anthropology Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 3220 - State Government Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 3410 - Fundamentals of Criminal Investigation Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 3440 - Police Procedures and Operations Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 3450 - Public Administration Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4420 - Criminal Justice System Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4440 - Topics in Criminal Justice Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4450 - Advanced Criminal Investigation Credit Hour(s): 3
PSY 2520 - Forensic Psychology Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 3710 - Comparative Criminal Justice Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 3720 - Policing in Society Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 3730 - Sociology of the Courts, Law, and Justice Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 3740 - Penology and Corrections Credit Hour(s): 3
URS 4280 - Criminal Justice Organization and Management Credit Hour(s): 3

Law: 3 Hours

Take the following two courses

MIL 4010 - Adaptive Leadership Credit Hour(s): 3
MIL 4011 - Adaptive Leadership Lab Credit Hour(s): 0

Advanced Criminal Justice Electives: 9 Hours

MIL 4020 - Leadership in a Complex World Credit Hour(s): 3
MIL 4022 - Leadership in Complex World Lab Credit Hour(s): 0
HST 3600 - Surveys of American History Credit Hour(s): 3
OR
HST 4550 - Studies in U.S. Foreign Relations Credit Hour(s): 3
Upper Division Foreign Language Course Credit Hour(s): 3
OR
CLS 3700 - Studies in Ancient Politics, Law and Warfare Credit Hour(s): 3
OR
PHL 3110 - Ethics Credit Hour(s): 3
OR
PLS 4720 - Terrorism and Counterterrorism Credit Hour(s): 3
OR
PLS 4730 - American Foreign Policy Credit Hour(s): 3

Internship: 3 Hours

Choose one course

PLS 4821 - Pre-Law Internship Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 3000 - Internship in Criminal Justice and Family Credit Hour(s): 3

III. College Requirements: 18-22 Hours

Foreign Language: 12-16 Hours

Through 2020 level (1010, 1020, 2010, 2020) of one language:

Arabic, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Latin, Chinese, American Sign Language, or other.

Methods of Inquiry: 6 Hours

PHL 3000 - Critical Thinking Credit Hour(s): 3
AND
PLS 3100 - Quantitative Methods in Political Science Credit Hour(s): 3
OR
SOC 3400 - Sociological Analysis Credit Hour(s): 3

IV. Electives: 15-19 Hours

Total: 120 Hours

Graduation Planning Strategy

The Graduation Planning Strategy (GPS) has been created to illustrate one option to complete degree requirements within a particular time frame. Students are encouraged to meet with their academic advisor to adjust this plan based on credit already earned, individual needs or curricular changes that may not be reflected in this year’s catalog.