This is the preliminary (or launch) version of the 2024-2025 VCU Bulletin. We may add courses that expose our students to cutting-edge content and transformative learning. We may also add content to the general education program that focuses on racial literacy and a racial literacy graduation requirement, and may receive notification of additional program approvals after the launch. The final edition and full PDF version will include these updates and will be available in August prior to the beginning of the fall semester.
Nancy Ann Morris, Ph.D.
Associate professor and program chair
The major objective of this degree program is to prepare students for effective professional careers in criminal justice, forensic crime scene investigation, public service and other helping professions, and/or prepare them to pursue studies in law and other related graduate programs. Career opportunities are available in federal, state, local and private justice-related endeavors. These careers include law enforcement, crime scene investigation, juvenile justice, corrections and the courts.
This program also prepares students to enter law school or to pursue graduate studies in criminal justice or in several of the human services fields, usually related to justice. This program offers and encourages in-service justice employees and others to enhance their professional career development through higher education.
Students majoring in criminal justice receive a broad educational background, professionally oriented courses in their special area of interest and various skill courses designed to enhance their career opportunities. Through core courses and electives in the major, students have the opportunity to orient their course work to fit their educational objectives and career plans.
It is essential that students seek and follow the advice of an adviser in the progression of the core courses, the selection of criminal justice electives and in the identification of complementary courses in other disciplines that can benefit the student and assist in the accomplishment of career goals. Whether the student is interested in general criminal justice, policing, crime scene investigation, legal studies, juvenile justice or corrections, faculty and advisers can assist in identifying the appropriate curriculum.
The justice concentration is offered for those students who are interested in a broad theoretical and practical education in the field of criminal justice.
Student learning outcomes
Upon completing this program, students will know and know how to do the following:
- Students will be able to identify and understand the structure and job functions within police organizations, models of policing, constitutional rights associated with policing, police corruption and ethics, procedural justice and its impacts on police legitimacy, and use of force. Students will develop the ability to apply these principles to actual cases and solve problems.
- Students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of the types and sources of law, jurisdiction, structure and functions of state and federal courts, the impact of discretion, the dynamics of courthouse justice, the role of courtroom workgroup dynamics, and steps in criminal cases, including sentencing issues and post-conviction relief. Students will develop the ability to apply knowledge to actual cases and solve problems.
- Students will develop knowledge of the history and philosophies of punishment and the influence of the Enlightenment period on the development of the Positivist School, and identify the structure of jails and prisons, including the role of correctional officers and management, community corrections programs, probation and parole, preventive detention and bail systems, and basic inmates rights. Students will develop the ability to apply these principles to actual cases and solve problems.
Special requirements
The Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice requires a minimum of 120 credits, including 39 credits in criminal justice courses a minimum of 60 credits in courses outside of VCU-offered criminal justice, and a minimum cumulative and major area GPA of a 2.0. No more than half of the criminal justice courses applied to the major can be transferred from another college. Students must earn a total of 45 credits in classes at the 300-level and above, including upper-level criminal justice course work. The criminal justice curriculum includes the core and concentration requirements.
Degree requirements for Criminal Justice, Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
Course | Title | Hours |
| 30 |
| |
CRJS 181 | Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 |
CRJS 253 | Introduction to Corrections | 3 |
CRJS 254 | Introduction to Policing | 3 |
CRJS 324 | Courts and Sentencing | 3 |
CRJS 335 | Ethics and Decision-making in Criminal Justice | 3 |
CRJS 355 | Criminological Theory | 3 |
CRJS 380 | Research Methods in Criminal Justice | 3 |
CRJS 480 | Senior Seminar | 3 |
| |
| 15 |
GVPA 100 | Making Policy Real: Social Problems and Policy Solutions | 3 |
STAT 208 | Statistical Thinking (satisfies general education quantitative foundations) | 3 |
| 48 |
Total Hours | 120 |
The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.
Students who complete the requirements for this degree will receive a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice.
What follows is a sample plan that meets the prescribed requirements within a four-year course of study at VCU. Please contact your adviser before beginning course work toward a degree.
Freshman year |
Fall semester | Hours |
CRJS 181 | Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 |
GVPA 100 | Making Policy Real: Social Problems and Policy Solutions | 3 |
MATH 131 | Introduction to Contemporary Mathematics () | 3 |
UNIV 101 | Introduction to the University | 1 |
UNIV 111 Play course video for Focused Inquiry I | Focused Inquiry I () | 3 |
| 3 |
| Term Hours: | 16 |
Spring semester | |
CRJS 253 | Introduction to Corrections | 3 |
CRJS 254 | Introduction to Policing | 3 |
STAT 208 | Statistical Thinking () | 3 |
UNIV 112 Play course video for Focused Inquiry II | Focused Inquiry II () | 3 |
| 3 |
| Term Hours: | 15 |
Sophomore year |
Fall semester | |
CRJS 324 | Courts and Sentencing | 3 |
UNIV 200 | Advanced Focused Inquiry: Literacies, Research and Communication () | 3 |
| 6 |
| 3 |
| Term Hours: | 15 |
Spring semester | |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 6 |
| Term Hours: | 15 |
Junior year |
Fall semester | |
| 3 |
| 12 |
| Term Hours: | 15 |
Spring semester | |
CRJS 355 | Criminological Theory | 3 |
CRJS 380 | Research Methods in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| 6 |
| 3 |
| Term Hours: | 15 |
Senior year |
Fall semester | |
CRJS 335 | Ethics and Decision-making in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| 3 |
| 9 |
| Term Hours: | 15 |
Spring semester | |
CRJS 480 | Senior Seminar | 3 |
| 11 |
| Term Hours: | 14 |
| Total Hours: | 120 |
The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.
Accelerated B.S. and M.P.A.
The accelerated B.S. and M.P.A. program allows qualified students to earn both the B.S. in Criminal Justice and Master of Public Administration in a minimum of five years by completing approved graduate courses during the senior year of their undergraduate program. Note: Students with a concentration in forensic crime scene investigation are not eligible to participate in the accelerated opportunity. Students in the program may count up to 12 hours of graduate courses toward both the B.S. and M.P.A. degrees. Thus, the two degrees may be earned with a minimum of 144 or 147 credits rather than the 156 or 159 credits necessary if the two degrees are pursued separately.
Students holding these degrees are prepared for effective careers in public service related to criminal justice policy, especially forensic crime scene investigation, by broadening and refining their understanding of criminal justice and organizational and management issues. Students become prepared to apply theory to practice as professional public managers, public officials and citizens who are able to meet the challenges of public service in both government and nonprofit sectors and serve the profession and local, state, federal and international communities.
Entrance to the accelerated program
Interested undergraduate students should consult with their adviser as early as possible to receive specific information about the accelerated program, determine academic eligibility and submit (no later than two semesters prior to graduating with a baccalaureate degree, that is, before the end of the spring semester of their junior year) an Accelerated Program Declaration Form to be approved by the graduate program director. Limited spaces may be available in the accelerated program. Academically qualified students may not receive approval if capacity has been reached.
Minimum qualifications for admittance to the program include completion of 90 undergraduate credit hours including CRJS 181, CRJS 253, CRJS 254, CRJS 320, CRJS 355, CRJS 370, CRJS 373 and CRJS 380; an overall GPA of 3.0 and a GPA of 3.5 in criminal justice course work. Successful applicants would enter the program in the semester following completion of their 90th credit hour.
Once enrolled in the accelerated program, students must meet the standards of performance applicable to graduate students as described in the “Satisfactory academic progress” section of the Graduate Bulletin, including maintaining a 3.0 GPA. Guidance to students in an accelerated program is provided by both the undergraduate criminal justice adviser and the faculty adviser to the Master of Public Administration program.
Admission to the graduate program
Entrance to the accelerated program enables the student to take the approved shared courses that will apply to the undergraduate and graduate degrees. However, entry into an accelerated program via an approved Accelerated Program Declaration Form does not constitute application or admission into the graduate program. Admission to the graduate program requires a separate step that occurs through a formal application. In order to continue pursuing the master’s degree after the baccalaureate degree is conferred, accelerated students must follow the admission to graduate study requirements outlined in the VCU Bulletin. One of the required reference letters must be from a criminal justice faculty member.
Degree requirements
The Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice degree will be awarded upon completion of a minimum of 120 credits and the satisfactory completion of all undergraduate degree requirements as stated in the Undergraduate Bulletin.
A maximum of 12 graduate credits may be taken prior to completion of the baccalaureate degree. These graduate credits substitute for upper-level electives for the undergraduate degree. These courses are shared credits with the graduate program, meaning that they will be applied to both undergraduate and graduate degree requirements.
The graduate public administration courses that may be taken as an undergraduate, once a student is admitted to the program, are 12 credits from the following:
Course | Title | Hours |
PADM 601 | Intro to Public Service and Administration | 3 |
PADM 602 | Critical and Creative Thinking for Public Managers | 3 |
PADM 607 | Public Human Resource Management | 3 |
PADM 623 | Applied Research Methods | 3 |
PADM 650 | Principles of Nonprofit Management | 3 |
Recommended course sequence/plan of study
What follows is the recommended plan of study for students interested in the accelerated program beginning in the fall of the junior year prior to admission to the accelerated program in the senior year.
Course | Title | Hours |
| |
| 3 |
| 12 |
| 15 |
| |
CRJS 355 | Criminological Theory | 3 |
CRJS 380 | Research Methods in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| 6 |
| 3 |
| 15 |
| |
CRJS 335 | Ethics and Decision-making in Criminal Justice | 3 |
PADM 601 | Intro to Public Service and Administration | 3 |
PADM 602 | Critical and Creative Thinking for Public Managers | 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 15 |
| |
CRJS 480 | Senior Seminar | 3 |
PADM 607 | Public Human Resource Management | 3 |
PADM 623 | Applied Research Methods | 3 |
| 5 |
| 14 |
| |
PADM 609 | Financial Management in Government | 3 |
PADM 624 | Empirical Analysis for Evidence-Based Governance | 3 |
PADM 625 | Policy Insights: Assessing Public Policies | 3 |
| 3 |
| 12 |
| |
PADM 689 | Capstone: Bridging Theory and Practice | 3 |
GVPA 693 | Internship (if required) | 0-3 |
| 9 |
| 12 or 15 |
Accelerated B.S. and M.S.
The accelerated B.S. and M.S. program allows qualified students to earn both the B.S. and M.S. in Criminal Justice in a minimum of five years by completing approved graduate courses during the senior year of their undergraduate program. Students in the program may count up to six hours of graduate courses toward both the B.S. and M.S. degrees. Thus, the two degrees may be earned with a minimum of 144 credits rather than the 150 credits necessary if the two degrees are pursued separately.
Students holding these degrees are prepared for effective careers in criminal justice, forensic crime scene investigation, public service and other related professions by broadening and refining their understanding of criminal justice and criminological issues. Students learn to critically analyze criminal justice and criminological research, discuss criminal justice issues and policies using evidence from empirical studies, and frame major issues related to the field in diverse sociocultural contexts.
Entrance to the accelerated program
Interested undergraduate students should consult with their adviser as early as possible to receive specific information about the accelerated program, determine academic eligibility and submit (no later than two semesters prior to graduating with a baccalaureate degree, that is, before the end of the spring semester of their junior year) an Accelerated Program Declaration Form to be approved by the graduate program director. Limited spaces may be available in the accelerated program. Academically qualified students may not receive approval if capacity has been reached.
Minimum qualifications for entrance to this accelerated program include completion of 90 undergraduate credit hours including CRJS 355 and CRJS 380 , an overall minimum GPA of 3.5 and a minimum GPA of 3.5 in criminal justice course work. Additionally, one of the required reference letters must be from a criminal justice faculty member. Successful applicants would enter the program in the semester following completion of their 90th credit hour.
Once enrolled in the accelerated program, students must meet the standards of performance applicable to graduate students as described in the “Satisfactory academic progress” section of the Graduate Bulletin, including maintaining a 3.0 GPA. Students who do not maintain a 3.0 GPA in the graduate-level classes will no longer be eligible for the accelerated program and may not take any additional graduate-level classes while pursuing the bachelor’s degree. Students will not begin their first semester of only graduate courses until the bachelor’s degree has been conferred. Guidance to students admitted to the accelerated program is provided by both the Wilder School undergraduate academic advisor and the senior academic adviser from Graduate Student Services and Advising.
Admission to the graduate program
Entrance to the accelerated program enables the student to take the approved shared courses that will apply to the undergraduate and graduate degrees. However, entry into an accelerated program via an approved Accelerated Program Declaration Form does not constitute application or admission into the graduate program. Admission to the graduate program requires a separate step that occurs through a formal application to the master’s program, which is submitted through Graduate Admissions no later than a semester prior to graduation with the baccalaureate degree, that is, before the end of the fall semester of the senior year. In order to continue pursuing the master’s degree after the baccalaureate degree is conferred, accelerated students must follow the admission to graduate study requirements outlined in the VCU Bulletin. Three reference letters are required with one of the letters coming from a criminal justice faculty member.
Degree requirements
The Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice degree will be awarded upon completion of a minimum of 120 credits and the satisfactory completion of all undergraduate degree requirements as stated in the Undergraduate Bulletin.
A maximum of six graduate credits may be taken prior to completion of the baccalaureate degree. These graduate credits substitute for the upper-level electives for the undergraduate degree. These courses are shared credits with the graduate program, meaning that they will be applied to both undergraduate and graduate degree requirements.
The graduate criminal justice courses that may be taken as an undergraduate, once a student is admitted to the program, are a choice of two of the following:
Course | Title | Hours |
CRJS 501 | Principles of Criminal Justice | 3 |
CRJS 550 | Professional Ethics and Liability | 3 |
CRJS 620 | Seminar in Criminology | 3 |
Recommended course sequence/plan of study
What follows is the recommended plan of study for students interested in the accelerated program beginning in the fall of the junior year prior to admission to the accelerated program in the senior year.
Course | Title | Hours |
| |
CRJS 380 | Research Methods in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| 3 |
| 9 |
| 15 |
| |
CRJS 475 | Criminal Procedure | 3 |
| 3 |
| 9 |
| 15 |
| |
CRJS 480 | Senior Seminar | 3 |
CRJS 501 | Principles of Criminal Justice | 3 |
or CRJS 550 | Professional Ethics and Liability |
or CRJS 620 | Seminar in Criminology |
| 9 |
| 15 |
| |
CRJS 501 | Principles of Criminal Justice | 3 |
or CRJS 550 | Professional Ethics and Liability |
or CRJS 620 | Seminar in Criminology |
| 12 |
| 15 |
| |
CRJS 617 | Law and Criminal Justice Policy | 3 |
CRJS 623 | Research Methods for Government and Public Affairs | 3 |
| 6 |
| 12 |
| |
CRJS 690 | Criminal Justice Policy Analysis | 3 |
| 9 |
| 12 |