Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice

Criminal Justice
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About

The Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice combines academic rigor with flexible scheduling, offering face-to-face, online, and hybrid formats to support transfer students, working professionals, and diverse learners. The program prepares students to become informed citizens ready for career success through a blend of core requirements and social science foundation courses.

Before graduation, students can tailor their degree by focusing on areas such as law enforcement, pre-graduate criminology, social justice, etc in consultation with their academic advisor, Professor Bell kbell@ewu.edu.

Students can also enhance their career readiness by pairing their degree with a Forensic Investigation Minor for hands-on crime scene experience or a Forensic Science Minor for lab-based analysis.

Curriculum & Requirements

Interested in going to Law School? Learn more about the EWU BA & Gonzaga Law JD 3+3 Program.

Applied Learning Opportunities

  • Applied Laboratory Work: Build practical, career-ready skills by working in labs that mirror professional lab environments.
  • Community-Based Projects: Team up with local organizations on projects that allow you to solve problems and make a difference.
  • Internships: Get real-world experience (and often credit or pay) by working in a professional setting connected to your career goals.
  • Student Employment & Leadership at EWU: Gain skills, connections, and confidence through on-campus jobs and leadership roles in student government, departments, athletics, or clubs.
  • Study Abroad: Travel, learn, and experience new cultures while earning credit and building communication skills that help you thrive anywhere.
  • Volunteerism: Give back to your community while gaining experience, building connections, and seeing how you can apply your classroom knowledge to make an impact in the world.
  • Undergraduate Research: Collaborate with professors on real-world research projects where you ask questions, solve problems, and present what you discover.

What You'll Learn

The following information comes from the official EWU catalog, which outlines all degree requirements and serves as the guide to earning a degree. Courses are designed to provide a well-rounded and versatile degree, covering a wide range of subject areas.

Criminal Justice Major, Bachelor of Arts (BA)

World Language Requirement: Two years of a single high school world language or one year of a single college-level world language is required.

Required courses in the following program may have prerequisites. Reference the course descriptions for clarification.

Required Introduction Course
CRIM 300INTRODUCTION TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM5
Required Foundation Courses
CRIM 330SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH METHOD5
or SOCI 357 METHOD FOR SOCIAL RESEARCH
CRIM/SOCI 356INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL STATISTICS5
or CSBS 320 STATISTICS FOR THE SOCIAL SCIENCES
SOCI 301SURVEY OF CRIMINOLOGY5
Disciplinary Core Courses
CRIM 340ETHICS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE5
PSYC 302ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY5
Disciplinary Electives - other courses may be selected as approved by the department advisor.38-40
SURVEY OF ALCOHOL/DRUG PROBLEMS
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS AND DEVELOPMENT
FORENSIC INQUIRY
FORENSIC PHOTOGRAPHY
WOMEN IN PRISON
VICTIMOLOGY
LAW & SOCIETY
CRIMINAL JUSTICE ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION
FORENSIC IDENTIFICATION
EXTREMISM IN AMERICA
FORENSIC EVIDENCE & PROCEDURE
CRIME AND MEDIA
COMPARATIVE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
PENOLOGY
POLICE SYSTEMS AND PRACTICES
PRINCIPLES OF INVESTIGATION
INTERNSHIP
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS I: SPATIAL ANALYSIS
and GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS I: SPATIAL ANALYSIS LAB
CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
BASIC CONCEPTS OF CRIMINAL LAW
CHILD AND ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT
DRUGS AND BEHAVIOR
PSYCHOLOGY AND THE LEGAL SYSTEM
SOCIOLOGY OF DEVIANCE
IDENTITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORY
Required Capstone
CRIM 490CRIMINAL JUSTICE SENIOR CAPSTONE5
Total Credits73-75

The following plan of study is for a student with zero credits. Individual students may have different factors such as: credit through transfer work, Advanced Placement, Running Start, or any other type of college-level coursework that requires an individual plan.

Courses could be offered in different terms, checking the academic schedule is paramount in keeping an individual plan current. Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

All Undergraduate students are required to meet the Undergraduate Degree Requirements.

This major requires the completion of the World Language requirement. Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree must complete two years of a single language in high school or one year of a single language in college.

First Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
ENGL 1015ENGL 2015Humanities & Arts BACR 215
MATH 1075Humanities & Arts BACR 115Natural Science BACR 115
Diversity - graduation requirement15Social Science BACR 115Social Science BACR 215
 15 15 15
Second Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
CRIM 3005PSYC 3025SOCI 3015
Global Studies - graduation requirement15Natural Science BACR 215Elective - minor or general elective5
Elective - minor or general elective5Elective - minor or general elective5Elective - minor or general elective5
 15 15 15
Third Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
CRIM 3405CRIM 356, SOCI 356, or CSBS 3205Criminal Justice Elective25
Criminal Justice Elective25Criminal Justice Elective25Elective - minor or general elective5
Elective - minor or general elective5Elective - minor or general elective5Elective - minor or general elective5
 15 15 15
Fourth Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
CRIM 330 or SOCI 3575Criminal Justice Elective25CRIM 490 (Senior Capstone - graduation requirement)5
Criminal Justice Elective25Criminal Justice Elective25Criminal Justice Elective25
Criminal Justice Elective25Elective - minor or general elective5Elective - minor or general elective5
 15 15 15
Total Credits 180
1

University Graduation Requirements (UGR) and Breadth Area Course Requirements (BACR) courses may be less than 5 credits and additional credits may be required to reach the required 180 total credits needed to graduate.  Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

2

Recommended Criminal Justice Electives–choose 38-40 credits from the approved list or approved by a department advisor.

Students who earn a BA in Criminal Justice from EWU should be able to:

  • demonstrate knowledge of how criminal justice institutions/practices/policies relate to social justice;
  • carry out research/evaluation regarding criminal justice practices/policies using criminal justice methodological approaches;
  • demonstrate knowledge of the integration of systems/processes/relationships within the criminal justice system (e.g., courts/ law/law enforcement/corrections);
  • demonstrate knowledge of various theories of criminology;
  • demonstrate knowledge of the correlates of crime.
 

Sample Courses

PSYC 323. DRUGS AND BEHAVIOR. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: PSYC 100 recommended.
An introduction to the action, use, and abuse of psychotropic agents from analgesics to hallucinogens. Special attention given to drug abuse.

Catalog Listing

CRIM 340. ETHICS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: CRIM 300.
Explores major ethical theories with an emphasis on their application to components of the criminal justice system. Analyzes current issues and ethical dilemmas that criminal justice professionals deal with. Examines the complex process of moral and ethical decision making in the criminal justice system.

Catalog Listing

CRIM 360. WOMEN IN PRISON. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: SOCI 301.
Examines the socio-structural relationships between women’s lives and women’s crimes and explores how race, class, and gender assumptions shape the experiences of female correctional officers and female inmates. In addition, analyzes how the prison rules and regulations that girls and women have to abide by are deeply gendered. Since the 1980s, the number of women and girls incarcerated has increased drastically. Yet, very little is known about female criminality.

Catalog Listing

POLI 302. CRIMINAL PROCEDURE. 5 Credits.

An examination of the philosophic and legal bases for the protection of the rights of the criminally accused, with emphasis on Supreme Court decisions on the 4th, 5th, and 6th Amendments and on the due process clause of the 14th Amendment.

Catalog Listing

Career Possibilities

  • Police Officer 
  • Detective 
  • Federal Agent (FBI, DEA, etc.) 
  • Crime Scene Investigator 
  • Correctional Officer 
  • Probation Officer 
  • Park Ranger (with law enforcement duties)
  • Criminal Defense Attorney 
  • Prosecutor (District Attorney) 
  • Paralegal (Criminal Law) 
  • Court Clerk 
  • Bailiff 
  • Legal Investigator
  • Prison Counselor 
  • Juvenile Detention Officer 
  • Reentry Program Coordinator 
  • Probation and Parole Officer 
  • Correctional Facility Administrator
  • Victim Advocate 
  • Domestic Violence Counselor 
  • Youth Program Coordinator (prevention and intervention) ● Substance Abuse Counselor (for offenders)
  • Criminal Justice Policy Analyst 
  • Researcher for Criminal Justice Programs 
  • Crime Analyst 
  • Public Safety Advocate 
  • Law Enforcement Training Specialist
  • Private Security Officer 
  • Corporate Security Consultant 
  • Cybersecurity Analyst 
  • Risk Management Specialist
  • Forensic Scientist 
  • Forensic Psychologist 
  • Forensic Accountant 
  • Arson Investigator 
  • Digital Forensic Investigator
  • Community Crime Prevention Coordinator 
  • Restorative Justice Program Manager 
  • Public Safety Educator 
  • Juvenile Crime Prevention Specialist
  • Customs and Border Protection Officer 
  • Immigration Officer 
  • International Law Enforcement Liaison 
  • Homeland Security Specialist

A major in Criminal Justice gives you a deep understanding of how the system works, from police work to courtrooms to corrections. You’ll study criminology, criminal law, policies, and ethical considerations in criminal justice jobs.

Along the way, you’ll develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills. These tools will be essential for addressing complex social and legal issues.

With a criminal justice degree, you can pursue various roles in law enforcement, legal services, corrections, and social services. Keep communities safe, stand up for justice, help prevent crime, and support people on the path to rehabilitation.

Explore what you can do with a Criminal Justice degree:

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