Nov 14, 2024
OHIO University Undergraduate Catalog 2020-21
OHIO University Undergraduate Catalog 2020-21 [Archived Catalog]

Criminal Justice Major (B.C.J.)


Major code BC2209

University College
Chubb Hall 140
Athens, OH 45701
Phone: 740.593.1935
Fax: 740.593.0206
university.college@ohio.edu
https://www.ohio.edu/uc/bcj

Julie Cohara, Director of Degree Programs
cohara@ohio.edu

Program Overview

The upper-division Criminal Justice major program is designed exclusively for students who have previously completed an associate degree program in a technical area related to criminal justice, such as law enforcement, corrections technology, police administration, legal assisting, or human services. If you hold such a degree from a technical or community college, or from a regional or e-learning campus of Ohio University, you are eligible to apply to the Criminal Justice major program and may earn a baccalaureate degree by completing a minimum of 32 additional hours of Ohio University work. Students who do not meet this admissions requirement, but are interested in pursuing a career in criminal justice are encouraged to instead pursue the Sociology—Criminology Major (B.A.)  or Specialized Studies Major (B.S.S.)  degrees. Students who are interested in law school may consider Sociology—Prelaw Major (B.A.)  or Business Prelaw Major (B.B.A.) . Also, a certificate in Law, Justice & Culture Certificate Program  is available.

The multidisciplinary B.C.J. curriculum comprises of a broad range of courses from the social and behavioral sciences, humanities, natural sciences, and professional disciplines; all of which make a contribution to the complex field of Criminal Justice. You may individualize your program of study through elective courses.

Admissions Information

Freshman/First-Year Admission

The Criminal Justice major requires a completed applied science or technical-based associate degree in a law enforcement related area (e.g., law enforcement technology). New students may enter OHIO as pre-B.C.J. (ND2210) majors and work toward the Law Enforcement Technology Major (A.A.S.)  (AA5505) and B.C.J. requirements simultaneously. Please note that this A.A.S. program is located online or on the Chillicothe, Southern, or Lancaster campuses.

Change of Program Policy

To enter the Criminal Justice program, an online application is required. Students can obtain the online application from University College, regional campus, or e-Learning B.C.J. advisors.

Please note that students on regional campuses may need longer than two years and may need to register on more than one campus. The major is also available online through Ohio University’s eCampus at http://www.ohio.edu/ecampus/ .

External Transfer Admission

To enter the Criminal Justice program, you must complete a separate online application in addition to the application to the University and submit a college transcript showing that you have completed an associate degree in an appropriate technical field. Students can obtain the online application from University College, regional campus, or e-campus B.C.J. advisors. Upon admission, a student will be assigned a B.C.J. advisor. A student must be admitted to the major at least one semester prior to graduation.

Opportunities Upon Graduation

The Criminal Justice program offers students with technical education background the opportunity to broaden their exposure to a liberal arts curriculum while acquiring the necessary specialization to qualify for careers in such fields as parole and probation, adult and juvenile corrections, and police administration. Criminal Justice students might also prepare for law school or for further study in graduate or professional schools.

Requirements

Universitywide Graduation Requirements


To complete this program, students must meet all Universitywide graduation requirements .

Major Requirements


The criminal justice major requires:

  • 30 semester hours at the 3000-4000 level
  • Fifty percent of the major must be completed through Ohio University
  • A minimum 2.0 or higher GPA in the major and overall is required to graduate

Criminal Justice Core Requirements:


Complete three of the following courses:

Criminal Justice Major Requirements:


Complete the requirements indicated for Areas I, II, III, and IV.

Area I: Basic Skills


Area I, Group A: Oral Communication:


Complete one of the following courses:

Area I, Group B: Ethical Reasoning:


 Complete one of the following courses:

Area I, Group D: Research Methods:


 Complete one of the following courses:

Area II: Cultural, Legal and Political Issues


Area II, Group B: Political and Legal Issues:


 Complete one of the following courses:

Area III: Understanding Human Behavior and Social Problems


Area III, Group A: Theories of Behavior:


 Complete one of the following courses:

Area III, Group B: Social Problems:


 Complete one of the following courses:

Area IV: Professional and Organizational Skills