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.

Summary of Requirements
Major Requirements33
General Education and Electives to reach minimum Total Hours87
Total Hours120

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

Required Courses
CLJ 101Introduction to Criminology, Law, and Justice a3
CLJ 200Law and Society a3
CLJ 210Principles of Criminal Law3
CLJ 220Criminology3
CLJ 261Research Methods I3
CLJ 262Research Methods II b3
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,d12
Total Hours33
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

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall SemesterHours
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
 Hours13-16
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
 Hours16-18
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
 Hours16
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
 Hours16
Third Year
Fall Semester
CLJ 220 Criminology 3
CLJ 261 Research Methods I 3
Electives 9
 Hours15
Spring Semester
CLJ 262 Research Methods II b 3
One 300- or 400-level Elective in CLJ 3
Electives 9
 Hours15
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
 Hours15
Spring Semester
One 300- or 400-level Elective in CLJ 3
One 300- or 400-level Elective in CLJ 3
Electives 8-9
 Hours14-15
 Total Hours120
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.