Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice (B.S.C.J.) Major in Criminal Justice

Minimum required: 120 semester credit hours

General Requirements

  1. If two years of the same modern language are taken in high school, then no additional language hours will be required for the degree. In the absence of modern language taken in high school, then two semesters of the same modern language (1410 and 1420) must be taken at the college level, and the requirement will be added to the student's degree audit.

  2. The general education core curriculum courses are listed in the degree plan below along with the statewide component code number. See the General Education Core Curriculum section of this catalog for the Texas State requirements and options in the core curriculum, including Honors courses.

  3. For transfer students, 21 semester credit hours in criminal justice core curriculum (or their equivalents) may be transferred from a Texas public institution of higher education for the Criminal Justice Field of Study and be applied to the Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice degree with a major in Criminal Justice at Texas State University. More information about the Field of Study is available in the Academic Policies section of this catalog. If transferring additional criminal justice courses please contact the College of Applied Arts Academic Advising Center for assistance. The transferable Texas Common Course Number (TCCN) is listed below the Texas State University course number in the following course list.

    CJ 1310Introduction to Criminal Justice3
    TCCN: CRIJ 1306
    CJ 2310Police Systems and Practices3
    TCCN: CRIJ 2328
    CJ 2350The Courts and Criminal Procedure3
    TCCN: CRIJ 1306
    CJ 2355Correctional Systems and Practices3
    TCCN: CRIJ 2313
    CJ 2360Fundamentals of Criminal Law3
    TCCN: CRIJ 1310
    Directed Electives
    CS 1308Computer Literacy and the Internet3
    TCCN: COSC 1301
    PSY 1300Introduction to Psychology3
    TCCN: PSYC 2301
    Total Hours21
  4. Students must complete a minimum of 36 advanced hours (3000 or 4000 level courses).
  5. Nine semester credit hours must be writing intensive (WI).

Course Requirements

Freshman
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours
US 11001Communication Component Code 0103
CJ 1310 (TCCN CRIJ 1301)3SOCI 1310 (Social and Behavioral Sciences Component Code 080 [TCCN SOCI 1301])3
Communication Component Code 0103Mathematics Component Code 0203
Component Area Option Codes 090, 091, 092, 093 and 0943CIS 1323 or CS 1308 (TCCN BCIS 1305 or COSC 1301)3
POSI 2310 (Government/Political Science Component Code 070 [TCCN GOVT 2306])3POSI 2320 (Government/Political Science Component Code 070 [TCCN GOVT 2305])3
PSY 1300 (TCCN PSYC 2301)3 
 16 15
Sophomore
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours
CJ 2310 (TCCN CRIJ 2328)3CJ 2350 (TCCN CRIJ 1306)3
CJ 2360 (TCCN CRIJ 1310)3CJ 2355 (TCCN CRIJ 2313)3
Life and Physical Sciences Component Code 0303Life and Physical Sciences Component Code 0303
Language, Philosophy, and Culture Component Code 0403American History Component Code 0603
Creative Arts Component Code 0503CJ 3347, SOCI 3307, or PSY 2301 [TCCN PSYC 2317]13
 15 15
Junior
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours
American History Component Code 0603CJ 33233
CJ 33463CJ Advanced Electives2, 36
CJ 33003Component Area Option Codes 090, 091, 092, 093 and 0943
CJ Advanced Electives6Elective3
 15 15
Senior
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours
CJ 43403CJ 43103
CJ Advanced Elective2, 33CJ 43653
CJ 4350 or 43523Open Electives8
Open Electives6 
 15 14
Total Hours: 120
1

For the Statistics requirement, SOCI 3307 is recommended for Sociology minors.

2

 CJ Advanced Electives must be chosen from the following lists of Career Interest courses in Corrections, Criminal Justice, or Law Enforcement.

3

 Criminal Justice Advanced Electives may include CJ 4301 and CJ 4302. A student must meet the following requirements before being allowed to enroll in CJ 4301 or CJ 4302:  Texas State GPA of 2.25, Major GPA of 2.50, permission of the Internship Coordinator, and the following courses:  CJ 1310, CJ 2310, CJ 2350, CJ 2355, CJ 2360, and CJ 3346.

Corrections Electives
CJ 3322Race, Ethnicity and Criminal Justice3
CJ 3325Incarceration in America3
CJ 4301Internship I3
CJ 4302Internship II3
CJ 4309LGangs and the Criminal Justice System3
CJ 4316Treatment in Community and Institutional Corrections3
CJ 4334The Death Penalty in the United States3
CJ 4336Wrongful Convictions3
CJ 4338Sexual Offenses3
Criminal Justice Electives
CJ 4301Internship I3
CJ 4302Internship II3
CJ 4309KIntelligence Analysis3
CJ 4309LGangs and the Criminal Justice System3
CJ 4314Terrorism in the United States3
CJ 4321Occupational Crime3
CJ 4325Media and Crime3
CJ 4326Women and Criminal Justice3
CJ 4329Organized Crime3
CJ 4331Serial Murder3
CJ 4334The Death Penalty in the United States3
CJ 4335The Psychology of Antisocial Behavior3
CJ 4336Wrongful Convictions3
CJ 4338Sexual Offenses3
Law Enforcement Electives
CJ 3322Race, Ethnicity and Criminal Justice3
CJ 3329Forensic Evidence3
CJ 4301Internship I3
CJ 4302Internship II3
CJ 4309KIntelligence Analysis3
CJ 4309LGangs and the Criminal Justice System3
CJ 4309MActive Shooter Response Experiential Learning3
CJ 4314Terrorism in the United States3
CJ 4323Special Operation Units in Law Enforcement and Corrections3
CJ 4332Advanced Criminal Justice Management3
CJ 4338Sexual Offenses3