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Academic Program Guide


Criminology/Criminal Justice


College: Criminology and Criminal Justice
Degree: BS and BA
Specialized Admission: No

Contact: CCCJ Undergraduate Advising Office
Address: 107 Criminology Bldg, FSU Tallahassee, FL 32306-1273
Phone: (850) 644-4050
Email:


Description of Major

**Please Note: Face-to-face/in-person instruction of this program is available ONLY at the main campus in Tallahassee, FL. However, it is available via Online/Distance Learning to all FSU students.*

Criminology/Criminal Justice is an interdisciplinary field of study. Included are the contributions and approaches of many of the social and behavioral sciences, as well as areas of study such as law and ethics, as they relate to the phenomenon of crime. At the undergraduate level, the criminology/criminal justice major prepares students for employment in a wide variety of criminal justice agencies, under local, state and federal jurisdictions, as well as the private sector.

This major can also serve as a foundation for graduate study in criminology, law, social work, sociology, psychology, and government including public administration. At the graduate level, the Criminology/Criminal Justice major leads primarily to teaching and research positions with colleges and universities, and secondarily to upper-level administrative positions in the field of criminal justice and in research departments attached to various criminal and juvenile justice agencies.


Prerequisite Coursework

Prerequisite Coursework: None.

Note: State-wide common prerequisites are always under review. For the most current information and for acceptable alternative courses, visit the “Common Prerequisites Manual.” This is available from the “Student Services” section of http://www.flvc.org .

Prerequisite coursework for online degree students:
Associate of Arts Degree from a Florida public institution, or completion of FSU's General Education requirements, completion of the oral competency, and computer literacy requirement.


Requirements

Requirements for Progression to the Upper-Division Major
Students must complete at least 52 hours of credit with a minimum grade point average of 2.00 and at least half the required General Education hours, including all English composition and mathematics requirements, or an A.A. Degree.

Continuation in the major
The College of Criminology and Criminal Justice reserves the right to discontinue enrollment of any student in the major at any time if satisfactory academic progress is not being made. Specifically, majors in the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice who accumulate more than two (2) unsatisfactory grades (F, D minus, D, D+, IE, U) in criminology and criminal justice taken for college credit at Florida State University or elsewhere, whether repeated or not, will not be permitted to continue or graduate as a major in the College.

Major Program of Studies at FSU: 39 hours
To major in criminology and criminal justice, a student must complete thirty-nine (39) hours in criminology, including four core courses. The core courses require final grades of C or higher (a C minus is not acceptable).

Core courses: (12 hours)
CCJ 2020 (3) Introduction to Criminal Justice (may be taken at a community college)
CCJ 3011 (3) Criminology
CCJ 4700 (3) Introduction to Research Methods
CCJ 4745 (3) Statistics in Criminology (for students entering FSU in Fall 2024 and after)

Additional courses in Criminology and Criminal Justice: (27 hours)
Students should select 27 additional hours in Criminology and Criminal Justice consistent with their goals and in consultation with their advisor. An optional one-semester full time (15 credit hour) internship is available. If a student chooses to take the internship, only three of the 15 credit hours will count toward the required 39 hours in the major.

A maximum of 6 hours of course work in Criminology/Criminal Justice taken at the community college level may be accepted and used toward fulfilling the major requirement. (CCJ 3011, CCJ 4700, and CCJ 4746 core classes listed above must be taken at FSU. CCJ 1020/2020/3020 can be transferred from another 4-year institution or from a community college.) The decision as to which courses are acceptable for transfer is up to the Dean of the College.

Minor: (at least 12 hours)
A minor is required by the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice for completion of the major. Most minors are 12-15 hours, but may be more if required by the minor department.

Digital Literacy: (3 hours)
This requirement may be met with any University approved college-level course

Oral Communication Competency: (0-3 hours)
Students must demonstrate the ability to orally transmit ideas and information clearly. This requirement may be met with any University approved college-level course or can be met with CJL4565 Courts and Social Policy.


Combined Bachelor’s to Master’s Pathway Program in Criminology and Criminal Justice
The FSU College of Criminology and Criminal Justice offers a combined “Bachelors to Master’s” Pathway program. Through this program eligible undergraduate students have the opportunity to take up to 12 graduate credit hours (with permission of the instructor and the College) that may count toward both the BS and MS degrees. Grades of B or better must be earned for courses to transfer to the student’s graduate program of study.

Minimum Program Requirements - Summary
Total Hrs. Required 120
General Education 36
Major Coursework 39
Minor Coursework 12-15
Digital Literacy 3
Oral Communication Competency 0-3
Other Coursework 0
Electives to bring total hours to 120


Mapping

Mapping is FSU’s academic advising and monitoring system. Academic progress is monitored each Fall and Spring semester to ensure that students are on course to earn their degree in a timely fashion. Transfer students must meet mapping guidelines to be accepted into their majors. You may view the map for this major at www.academic-guide.fsu.edu/.


Remarks
1. A minimum of 45 hours at the 3000 level or above, 30 of which must be taken at this University.
2. Half of the major course semester hours must be completed in residence at this University.
3. The final 30 hours must be completed in residence at this University.
4. Students who elect the B.A. must complete a modern or classical foreign language through the intermediate (2200) level and nine additional hours in the fields of history and humanities.


Employment Information
Salary Information: For more information go to: National Association of Colleges and Employers (www.naceweb.org) or the Occupational Outlook Handbook (www.bls.gov/ooh/home.htm) provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Representative Job Titles Related to this Major: Law Enforcement Officer, Youth Counselor (state level or private agency), Probation Officer, Parole Officer (adult or juvenile setting), Correctional Counselor, Prison Case Manager, Administrator (criminal/juvenile justice agencies), Consumer Safety Officer, Correctional Officer, Private Investigator, Private/Corporate Security Officer/Director, Air Marshal, Legislative Analyst.

Representative Employers: Juvenile justice agencies (state, local, private), probation and parole offices, U.S. Department of Justice, state and local correctional institutions, U.S. Customs, Immigration/Border Patrol, local police and sheriff departments, colleges and universities, private detective agencies, business and industry, private correctional corporations, legislative branch of state government, Central Intelligence Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation.


View Criminology/Criminal Justice Academic Map