Criminal Justice

Degree Type

Bachelor of Science

About

Our criminal justice system has a past and a present—learn about the complexities of structures, systems, and policies, so you can design a better future.

Introduction

Throughout history, criminals and crime have always had a way of capturing our attention. And as long as there’s been crime, there’s also been the rules, systems, and institutions to identify and prosecute them, as well as provide assistance to crime victims. The criminal justice field focuses on understanding the foundational laws, regulations, organizations, and institutions that address crime, criminals, and their victims.

Whether you’re passionate about helping others, or want to understand the system in order to reform it, our Criminal Justice program gives you the hands-on education and experience you can build on in law enforcement and criminal justice careers.

You can choose to major or minor in Criminal Justice.

Learn how to:

  • Communicate effectively through oral and written formats
  • Apply criminological theories, logic, and quantitative analysis to criminal justice policies and issues
  • Demonstrate awareness of the social, political, cultural, and historical factors that influence the field of criminal justice
  • Make positive contributions to the field of law enforcement in law enforcement, court and/or correctional settings
Students studying

750+ Course Options

The Coppin State University Academic Catalog has a wide variety of skill-building courses designed to inspire and prepare you to be in-demand professionals and transformational leaders.

Learn New Ways to Serve

Through our program, students gain the skills to enter municipal and private criminal justice agencies directly after graduation. Partnerships with federal, state, and local facilities complement the course curriculum, allowing students to gain real world value. Coppin’s location in the Baltimore metropolitan area also allows students to take advantage of numerous field training, internship and cooperative education opportunities.

There is more information about major requirements in the Program Requirements section on this page.

Program Requirements

To graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, students must complete 120 credit hours. These credit hours split among General Education Requirements (GERs), core courses, as well as electives. Each section explains the range of course offerings and requirements.

Core Courses (21 credits)

Course Credits Name
CRJU 301 3 Introduction to Criminal Justice
CRJU 323 3 Criminological Thought
CRJU 408 3 Criminal Justice and the Constitution
CRJU 413 3 Delinquency Prevention/Control
CRJU 416 3 Field Service: Training and Internship I
CRJU 430 3 Advanced Legal and Technical Writing
CRJU 431 3 Fundamentals of Criminal Justice Research

Program Electives (300-325 level)

Course Credits Name
CRJU 302 3 Processes in Criminal Justice
CRJU 303 3 Police Organization and Management I
CRJU 304 3 Police Organization and Management II
CRJU 305 3 Principles of Criminal Law
CRJU 306 3 Criminal Investigation
CRJU 307 3 Advanced Police Administration
CRJU 308 3 Penology
CRJU 309 3 Team Approaches to Personnel, Resource, and Facility Security
CRJU 310 3 Police Roles in Society
CRJU 314 3 Introduction to Criminal Justice Budgeting Systems
CRJU 315  3 Seminar in Security Administration
CRJU 316 3 Juvenile Delinquency
CRJU 322 3 Criminal Justice and Public Policy
CRJU 324 3 Police Organization and Management III
CRJU 325 3 Forensic Science–From the Crime Scene to the Crime Lab

Program Electives (326-399 level)

Course Credits Name
CRJU 326 3 Criminal Procedures
CRJU 330 3 Police Community Relations
CRJU 335 3 The Administration of Justice and the Community 
CRJU 382 3 Etiquette, Ethics, Protocol and the Criminal Justice Professional
CRJU 383 3 Cooperative Field Placement I
CRJU 384 3 Cooperative Field Placement II

Program Electives (400-425 level)

Course Credits Name
CRJU 402 3 Principles of Criminal Law
CRJU 404 3 Introduction to Poverty Law
CRJU 405 3 Women and the Criminal Justice System
CRJU 407 3 Terrorism: Prevention, Detection, and Prosecution of Perpetrators
CRJU 410 3 Institutional Corrections
CRJU 412 3 Civil Rights and Civil Liberties in Law Enforcement
CRJU 414 3

Judicial Courts and Corrections

CRJU 417 3 Independent Study Project I
CRJU 418 3 Independent Study Project II
CRJU 419 3 Field Service Training and Internship II
CRJU 420  3 Civil Law Enforcement for Compliance and Health Officers
CRJU 422 3 Investigation Accidents in the Workplace
CRJU 423 3 Seminar in Criminal Justice I
CRJU 424 3 Seminar in Criminal Justice II
CRJU 425 3 Seminar in Criminal Justice III

Program Electives (426-499 level)

Course Credits Name
CRJU 426 3 Judicial Courts and Corrections
CRJU 427 3 Women in the Criminal Justice System
CRJU 429 3 Statistics for Criminal Justice Research
CRJU 432 3 Legal Liabilities and Rights of Criminal Justice Professionals
CRJU 433 3 Environmental Crime
CRJU 435 3 Seminar in Criminal Justice I
CRJU 436 3 Seminar in Criminal Justice II
CRJU 441 3 Analysis of Fingerprints 
CRJU 442 3 Latent Print Development
CRJU 443 3 Biological Evidence
CRJU 483  3 Cooperative Field Placement III
CRJU 484 3 Cooperative Field Placement IV
CRJU 486 3 Crime Scene Investigation I
CRJU 487 3 Forensic Science Lab I
CRJU 489 3 Advanced Investigative Techniques

Remember! You must complete all major and prerequisite courses with a grade of C or better.

Purple and gold logo for Alpha Phi Sigma, the National Criminal Justice Honor Society

Alpha Phi Sigma

Coppin's chapter of the nationally recognized Criminal Justice Honor Society, Alpha Phi Sigma, welcomes undergraduate and graduate students studying criminal justice, criminology, or a related field.

Sample Degree Plan

This plan is only for example purposes. Your academic journey may be slightly different from another student’s journey, so be sure to always communicate with your academic advisor before finalizing your course schedule.

Fall Semester (16 credits)

Course credits name
ENGL 101 3 English Composition I
PSYC 201 3 General Psychology
MATH 125 3 Math for Liberal Arts
ORIE 101 1 Freshman Seminar
HIST 205 3 African American History I
IDIS 102 3 Music and Dance

Spring Semester (15 credits)

course credits name
ENGL 102 3 English Composition II
PHSC 101 3 Physical Science
SPCH 105 3 Speech
MISY 150 3 Technology Fluency
HIST 206 3 African-American History II

Fall Semester (16 credits)

Course credits name
SOCI 201 3 Introduction to Sociology
PHIL 102 3 Logic
WLIT 207 3 World Literature
BIOL 101 4 Biological Science
CRJU 301 3 Introduction to Criminal Justice

Spring Semester (15 credits)

Course credits name
CRJU 323 3 Criminological Thought
CRJU 408 3 Criminal Justice and the Constitution
SOSC 340 3 Introduction to Nonprofit Leadership
CRJU xxx 3 Program Elective
CRJU xxx 3 Program Elective
CRJU xxx 3 Program Elective

Fall Semester (15 credits)

Course credits name
CRJU 413 3 Delinquency Prevention/Control
CRJU xxx 3 Program Elective
XXXX xxx 3 General Elective
XXXX xxx 3 General Elective
XXXX xxx 3 General Elective

Spring Semester (15 credits)

Course credits name
CRJU 416 3 Field Service Training and Internship
CRJU xxx 3 Program Elective
XXXX xxx 3 General Elective
XXXX xxx 3 General Elective
XXXX xxx 3 General Elective

Fall Semester (15 credits)

Course credits name
CRJU 430 3 Advance Legal and Technical Writing
CRJU xxx 3 Program Elective
XXXX xxx 3 General Elective
XXXX xxx 3 General Elective
XXXX xxx 3 General Elective

Spring Semester (15 credits)

Course Credits Name
CRJU 431 3 Fundamentals of Criminal Justice Research
CRJU xxx 3 Program Elective
XXXX xxx 3 General Elective
XXXX xxx 3 General Elective
XXXX xxx 3 General Elective

Related Criminal Justice Programs

Criminal Justice

Undergraduate

Forensic Investigation

Undergraduate

Criminal Justice

Graduate
MS

Policing Strategies

Graduate

Investigative Sciences

Graduate
College

Criminal Justice is in the Department of Criminal Justice in the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences.