The major objectives of the criminal justice program are to prepare students for a wide variety of professional careers involving social needs such as the criminal justice system and human services. The program provides an opportunity for persons currently serving in the criminal justice system to continue their education. This discipline also complements the education received by students in related disciplines and fosters an understanding of the role and function of the criminal justice system.
Degree Requirements
Criminal Justice courses are designed to provide students with the necessary skills and resources to find gainful employment post-graduation. The B.S. in Criminal Justice provides an innovating teaching and research environment developed and implemented by faculty with diverse educational and practitioner experience. The curriculum incorporates both theoretical and applied elements into the classroom.
Please note that certain courses are offered only in Fall (F) and Spring (S) semesters, while others are offered every semester. We also offer summer courses, but those change yearly. The degree requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice are as follows.
University Core Curriculum (42 hrs.)
Lower Division Requirements (18 hrs.)
| CRIJ 1301 | Introduction to Criminal Justice [TCCN: CRIJ 1301] | |
| CRIJ 1306 | Court Systems and Practices [TCCN: CRIJ 1306] | |
| CRIJ 1310 | Fundamentals of Criminal Law [TCCN: 1310] | |
| CRIJ 2313 | Correctional Systems and Practices [TCCN: 2313] | |
| CRIJ 2328 | Police Systems and Practices [TCCN: CRIJ 2328] | |
| MATH 1342 | Statistics [TCCN: MATH 1342] | |
| Fall |
CRIJ 1310, CRIJ 2328 |
| Spring |
CRIJ 1306, CRIJ 2313 |
| Fall/Spring |
CRIJ 1301 |
Upper Division Requirements (15 hrs.)
NOTE: CRIJ 4355 - This course can only be taken once all major requirements are completed and the student is in their final semester at UT Tyler.
| Fall |
CRIJ 3311, CRIJ 3320 |
| Spring |
CRIJ 3310 |
| Fall/Spring |
CRIJ 4322, CRIJ 4355 |
General Electives (15 hrs.)
At a minimum students will be required to take 15 additional general elective hours from any discipline to fulfill the 120 hour requirement for graduation.
Criminal Justice Concentrations (15 hours)
In addition to the above requirements, students must complete two concentrations, or one concentration and an outside minor. A minor is no longer required but is encouraged for students who want to complete outside coursework. To learn more about why each concentration may be the right choice for you,
click here for more information. Each concentration is 15 credit hours and there are four concentrations that students may choose from:
Forensic Science
| Fall |
CHEM 1320, CRIJ 3301, CRIJ 3344 |
| Spring |
CRIJ 4344, CRIJ 4345, GEOG 4330, ANTH 3380 |
Juvenile Justice
| Fall |
CRIJ 4307, CRIJ 4309 |
| Spring |
CRIJ 3340, CRIJ 4311, CRIJ 4312 |
Homeland Security
Criminal Justice Generalist
Pick five upper-division courses from the Forensic Science, Juvenile Justice, Homeland Security concentrations, or three graduate-level courses for students in the five-year BS/MS/MPA 4+1 program. However, if students elect to take the Generalist Concentration as their second concentration then they are more limited in terms of the remaining options. For example, if students choose to complete the Juvenile Justice and Generalist Concentrations then they can only choose Forensic Science and Homeland Security courses to complete the Generalist Concentration. You cannot apply any course to more than one concentration.
Five-year BS/MS/MPA 4+1 Program
UT Tyler Undergraduate students majoring in Criminal Justice may choose to complete their master’s degree in one additional year. Students will select a project under this program and take 9 credit hours of graduate-level courses (electives) during their senior year. Criminal Justice majors with a minimum GPA of 3.00. who are interested in the 4+1 program must apply the graduate program when they earn at least 90 undergraduate credit hours.
Eligible Course Substitutions:
- CRJI 5302 for any of the following: CRIJ 3301,CRIJ 3340, CRIJ 4307, CRIJ 4309, CRIJ 4311, CRIJ 4312, CRIJ 4333, CRIJ 4334, CRIJ 4335, CRIJ 4344, CRIJ 4345.
- CRIJ 5303 for any of the following: CRIJ 3301, CRIJ 3340, CRIJ 4307, CRIJ 4309, CRIJ 4311, CRIJ 4312, CRIJ 4333, CRIJ 4334, CRIJ 4335, CRIJ 4344, CRIJ 4345.
- CRIJ 5307 for any of the following: CRIJ 3301, CRIJ 3340, CRIJ 4307, CRIJ 4309, CRIJ 4311, CRIJ 4312, CRIJ 4333, CRIJ 4334, CRIJ 4335, CRIJ 4344, CRIJ 4345.
- CRIJ 5309 for CRIJ 3311.
- CRIJ 5310 for any of the following: CRIJ 3301, CRIJ 3340,CRIJ 4307, CRIJ 4309, CRIJ 4311, CRIJ 4312, CRIJ 4333, CRIJ 4334, CRIJ 4335, CRIJ 4344, CRIJ 4345.
- CRIJ 5313 for any of the following: CRIJ 3301, 3340, 4307, 4309, 4311, 4312, 4333, 4334, 4335, 4344, 4345.
- CRIJ 5332 for any of the following: CRIJ 3301, CRIJ 3340, CRIJ 4307, CRIJ 4309, CRIJ 4311, CRIJ 4312, CRIJ 4333, CRIJ 4334, CRIJ 4335, CRIJ 4344,CRIJ 4345.
- CRIJ 5336 for CRIJ 3310.
- CRIJ 5340 for any of the following: CRIJ 3301, CRIJ 3340, CRIJ 4307, CRIJ 4309, CRIJ 4311, CRIJ 4312, CRIJ 4333, CRIJ 4334, CRIJ 4335, CRIJ 4344, CRIJ 4345.
- CRIJ 5396 for CRIJ 4322.
- CRIJ 5397 for any of the following: CRIJ 3301, CRIJ 3340, CRIJ 4307, CRIJ 4309, CRIJ 4311, CRIJ 4312, CRIJ 4333, CRIJ 4334, CRIJ 4335, CRIJ 4344, CRIJ 4345.
Notes: (1) No more than 21 lower-division hours in criminal justice may be applied toward baccalaureate degree requirements. (2) All courses cross-listed between criminal justice and any other discipline must be taken as criminal justice courses.
Recommended Four-Year Curriculum - Two Concentrations
Freshman Year
Fall Semester (15 hrs.)
| CRIJ 1301 | Introduction to Criminal Justice [TCCN: CRIJ 1301] | |
| CRIJ 1310 | Fundamentals of Criminal Law [TCCN: 1310] | |
| | Communication (Core, 3 hrs.) | |
| | Life and Physical Sciences (Core, 3 hrs.) | |
| HIST 1301 | United States History I [TCCN: HIST 1301] | |
Spring Semester (15 hrs.)
| CRIJ 1306 | Court Systems and Practices [TCCN: CRIJ 1306] | |
| | Language, Philosophy and Culture (Core, 3 hrs.) | |
| | Life and Physical Sciences (Core, 3 hrs.) | |
| | Communication (Core, 3 hrs.) | |
| HIST 1302 | United States History II [TCCN: HIST 1302] | |
Sophomore Year
Fall Semester (15 hrs.)
| CRIJ 2328 | Police Systems and Practices [TCCN: CRIJ 2328] | |
| | Creative Arts (Core, 3 hrs.) | |
| POLS 2305 | Introductory American Government [TCCN: GOVT 2305] | |
| | STEM (Core, 3 hrs.) | |
| | General Elective (3 hrs.) | |
Sprng Semester (15 hrs.)
| CRIJ 2313 | Correctional Systems and Practices [TCCN: 2313] | |
| MATH 1342 | Statistics [TCCN: MATH 1342] | |
| POLS 2306 | Introductory Texas Politics [TCCN: GOVT 2306] | |
| | Human Expression (Core, 3 hrs.) | |
| | General Elective (3 hrs.) | |
Junior Year
Fall Semester (15 hrs.)
| CRIJ 4322 | Criminal Justice Research Methods | |
| CRIJ 3311 | Administration of Criminal Justice Agencies | |
| CRIJ 3320 | Criminology | |
| Concentration 1 Course (3 hrs.) | |
| Concentration 2 Course (3 hrs.) | |
Spring Semester (15 hrs.)
| CRIJ 3310 | Ethical Issues in Criminal Justice | |
| Concentration 1 Course (3 hrs.) | |
| Concentration 2 Course (3 hrs.) | |
| Concentration 2 Course (3 hrs.) | |
| | General Elective (3 hrs.) | |
Senior Year
Fall Semester (15 hrs.)
| Concentration 1 Course (3 hrs.) | |
| Concentration 1 Course (3 hrs.) | |
| | General Elective (3 hrs.) | |
| | General Elective (3 hrs.) | |
| | General Elective (3 hrs.) | |
Spring Semester (15 hrs.)
| CRIJ 4355 | Senior Seminar in Criminal Justice | |
| Concentration 1 Course (3 hrs.) | |
| Concentration 2 Course (3 hrs.) | |
| Concentration 2 Course (3 hrs.) | |
| | General Elective (3 hrs.) | |
Recommended Four-Year Curriculum - One Concentration plus Minor
Freshman Year
Fall Semester (15 hrs.)
| CRIJ 1301 | Introduction to Criminal Justice [TCCN: CRIJ 1301] | |
| CRIJ 1310 | Fundamentals of Criminal Law [TCCN: 1310] | |
| | Communication (Core, 3 hrs.) | |
| | Life and Physical Sciences (Core, 3 hrs.) | |
| HIST 1301 | United States History I [TCCN: HIST 1301] | |
Spring Semester (15 hrs.)
| CRIJ 1306 | Court Systems and Practices [TCCN: CRIJ 1306] | |
| | Language, Philosophy and Culture (Core, 3 hrs.) | |
| | Life and Physical Sciences (Core, 3 hrs.) | |
| | Communication (Core, 3 hrs.) | |
| HIST 1302 | United States History II [TCCN: HIST 1302] | |
Sophomore Year
Fall Semester (15 hrs.)
| CRIJ 2328 | Police Systems and Practices [TCCN: CRIJ 2328] | |
| | Creative Arts (Core, 3 hrs.) | |
| POLS 2305 | Introductory American Government [TCCN: GOVT 2305] | |
| | STEM (Core, 3 hrs.) | |
| | General Elective (3 hrs.) | |
Sprng Semester (15 hrs.)
| CRIJ 2313 | Correctional Systems and Practices [TCCN: 2313] | |
| MATH 1342 | Statistics [TCCN: MATH 1342] | |
| POLS 2306 | Introductory Texas Politics [TCCN: GOVT 2306] | |
| | Human Expression (Core, 3 hrs.) | |
| | General Elective (3 hrs.) | |
Junior Year
Fall Semester (15 hrs.)
| CRIJ 4322 | Criminal Justice Research Methods | |
| CRIJ 3311 | Administration of Criminal Justice Agencies | |
| CRIJ 3320 | Criminology | |
| Concentration Course (3 hrs.) | |
| Minor Course (3 hrs.) | |
Spring Semester (15 hrs.)
| CRIJ 3310 | Ethical Issues in Criminal Justice | |
| Concentration Course (3 hrs.) | |
| Minor Course (3 hrs.) | |
| Minor Course (3 hrs.) | |
| | General Elective (3 hrs.) | |
Senior Year
Fall Semester (15 hrs.)
| Concentration Course (3 hrs.) | |
| Minor Course (3 hrs.) | |
| Minor Course (3 hrs.) | |
| | General Elective (3 hrs.) | |
| | General Elective (3 hrs.) | |
Spring Semester (15 hrs.)
| CRIJ 4355 | Senior Seminar in Criminal Justice | |
| Concentration Course (3 hrs.) | |
| Concentration Course (3 hrs.) | |
| Minor Course (3 hrs.) | |
| | General Elective (3 hrs.) | |