BA with a Major in Criminology, Law, and Justice
Degree Requirements
To earn a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences degree from UIC, students must complete university, college, and department degree requirements. The Department of Criminology, Law, and Justice degree requirements are outlined below. Students should consult the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for additional degree requirements and college academic policies.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Summary of Requirements | ||
| Major Requirements | 33 | |
| General Education and Electives to reach minimum Total Hours | 87 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
General Education
See General Education and Writing-in-the-Discipline in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for information on meeting these requirements.
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| CLJ 101 | Introduction to Criminology, Law, and Justice a | 3 |
| CLJ 200 | Law and Society a | 3 |
| CLJ 210 | Principles of Criminal Law | 3 |
| CLJ 220 | Criminology | 3 |
| CLJ 261 | Research Methods I | 3 |
| CLJ 262 | Research Methods II b | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Forensic Science | ||
| Youth, Crime, Law and Justice in Society | ||
| Police in Society | ||
| Courts in Society | ||
| Punishment, Prisons and Corrections | ||
| Community Corrections and Reentry | ||
| Criminal Investigation | ||
| Drugs and Addiction in Society | ||
| Four courses at the 300 or 400 level c,d | 12 | |
| Total Hours | 33 | |
- a
This course is approved for the Understanding U.S. Society General Education category.
- b
CLJ 262 also fulfills the LAS Quantitative Reasoning requirement.
- c
To satisfy the Writing-in-the-Discipline requirement, one of these must be a 400-level CLJ course approved for Writing in the Discipline: CLJ 405, CLJ 422, CLJ 423, CLJ 424, CLJ 425, CLJ 430, CLJ 435, CLJ 442, CLJ 450, CLJ 491, CLJ 492, or CLJ 493.
- d
Only 3 hours of CLJ 395 may count toward the major.
Recommended Plan of Study
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours | |
| ENGL 160 | Academic Writing I: Writing in Academic and Public Contexts | 3 |
| Foreign Language | 4 | |
| General Education Requirement course | 3-4 | |
| General Education Requirement course | 3-5 | |
| Hours | 13-16 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| ENGL 161 | Academic Writing II: Writing for Inquiry and Research | 3 |
| CLJ 101 | Introduction to Criminology, Law, and Justice a | 3 |
| Foreign Language | 4 | |
| General Education Requirement course | 3 | |
| General Education Requirement course | 3-5 | |
| Hours | 16-18 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| CLJ 200 | Law and Society a | 3 |
| Foreign Language | 4 | |
| General Education Requirement course | 3 | |
| General Education Requirement course | 3 | |
| General Education Requirement course | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| CLJ 210 | Principles of Criminal Law | 3 |
| Foreign Language | 4 | |
| General Education Requirement course/Elective | 3 | |
| General Education Requirement course/Elective | 3 | |
| Electives | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| CLJ 220 | Criminology | 3 |
| CLJ 261 | Research Methods I | 3 |
| Electives | 9 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| CLJ 262 | Research Methods II b | 3 |
| One 300- or 400-level Elective in CLJ | 3 | |
| Electives | 9 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| CLJ 303 |
Introduction to Forensic Science or Youth, Crime, Law and Justice in Society or Police in Society or Courts in Society or Punishment, Prisons and Corrections or Community Corrections and Reentry or Criminal Investigation or Drugs and Addiction in Society |
3 |
| 400-level course to satisfy Writing-in-the-Discipline requirement | 3 | |
| Electives | 9 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| One 300- or 400-level Elective in CLJ | 3 | |
| One 300- or 400-level Elective in CLJ | 3 | |
| Electives | 8-9 | |
| Hours | 14-15 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
- a
These two courses may be used to satisfy two of the nine courses in the General Education Requirement.
- b
Satisfies Quantitative Reasoning requirement when a grade of C or better is earned. Math prerequisite must be met.