Criminal Justice Administration, Law Enforcement Concentration, B.S.

Criminal Justice Administration
615-898-2630
Lee Wade, interim chair
Lee.Wade@mtsu.edu

Courses in the Department of Criminal Justice Administration provide students with a well-rounded curriculum designed to meet the academic needs of those seeking careers in law enforcement, courts, corrections, and homeland security as well as those already employed in the criminal justice system and related agencies.

Accelerated Bachelors/Masters (ABM) Program

High achieving students majoring in Criminal Justice Administration (with a concentration in Law Enforcement) who intend to pursue a master’s degree in Criminal Justice Administration may apply to participate in the Accelerated Bachelors/Masters (ABM) Program. The program allows undergraduate students an opportunity to complete the requirements for both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees in a compressed time frame. Participating undergraduate students may count up to 12 graduate credit hours toward both degrees and obtain a non-thesis master’s degree in the same field within 12 months of completing the bachelor’s degree or obtain a thesis-based master’s degree in the same field within 18 months of completing the bachelor’s degree. For more information about the ABM program, see the Graduate Catalog.

Academic Map

Following is a printable, suggested four-year schedule of courses:

Criminal Justice Administration, Law Enforcement, B.S., Academic Map

Degree Requirements

General Education (41 Hours)

General Education requirements include courses in Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences categories.

Major Requirements (48 hours)

Criminal Justice Administration Core (18 hours)

CJA 1100 - Introduction to Criminal Justice Administration 3 credit hours
CJA 2200 - Prevention and Control of Crime 3 credit hours
CJA 2400 - The Judicial Process 3 credit hours
CJA 2600 - Corrections 3 credit hours
CJA 3200 - Research Methods with Computer Technology 3 credit hours
CJA 3400 - Constitutional Issues and Criminal Justice 3 credit hours

Law Enforcement Concentration (30 hours)

Guided CJA electives 12 credit hours
Choose 18 credit hours from the following:
CJA 2900 - Practicum in Law Enforcement 6 credit hours
CJA 3230 - Police Organization and Administration 3 credit hours
CJA 3250 - Criminal Law 3 credit hours
CJA 3900 - Organized Crime 3 credit hours
CJA 4220 - Community Relations and Minority Problems 3 credit hours
CJA 4330 - Criminal Investigations 3 credit hours
CJA 4340 - Crime Scene Investigation 3 credit hours
CJA 4350 - Homicide Investigations 3 credit hours
CJA 4530 - Criminal Evidence and Procedures 3 credit hours

Minor (15-18 hours)

Electives

To make 120 hours

Total hours in program: 120

Curriculum: Criminal Justice Administration, Law Enforcement

Curricular listings include General Education requirements in Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences categories.

Following is a suggested pattern of study; however, consultation with the assigned advisor is necessary before each registration.

Freshman

ENGL 1010 - Expository Writing 3 credit hours (Comm)
ENGL 1020 - Research and Argumentative Writing 3 credit hours (Comm)
CJA 1100 - Introduction to Criminal Justice Administration 3 credit hours
CJA 2200 - Prevention and Control of Crime 3 credit hours
Social/Behavioral Sciences 3 credit hours
Humanities and/or Fine Arts 6 credit hours
Mathematics (Math) 3 credit hours
Choose 6 hours from:
HIST 2010 - Survey of United States History I 3 credit hours OR
HIST 2020 - Survey of United States History II 3 credit hours OR
HIST 2030 - Tennessee History 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 30 Hours

Sophomore

CJA 2400 - The Judicial Process 3 credit hours
CJA 2600 - Corrections 3 credit hours
COMM 2200 - Fundamentals of Communication 3 credit hours (Comm)
ENGL 2020 - Themes in Literature and Culture 3 credit hours (Hum/FA) OR
ENGL 2030 - The Experience of Literature 3 credit hours (Hum/FA) OR
HUM 2610 - Foreign Literature in Translation 3 credit hours (Hum/FA)
CJA Law Enforcement electives* 6 credit hours
Social/Behavioral Sciences 3 credit hours
Natural Sciences (2 prefixes) 8 credit hours
Minor course 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 32 Hours

Junior

CJA 3400 - Constitutional Issues and Criminal Justice 3 credit hours **
CJA Law Enforcement electives* 12 credit hours
CJA guided elective 3 credit hours
Minor courses 12 credit hours

Subtotal: 30 Hours

Senior

CJA 3200 - Research Methods with Computer Technology 3 credit hours **
CJA guided electives 9 credit hours
Minor course 3 credit hours
General guided electives 13 credit hours

Subtotal: 28 Hours

NOTE:

*CJA majors with Law Enforcement concentration must fulfill the 18-hour requirement.

**Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing and successful completion (at least a C) of the first core courses: CJA 1100 , CJA 2200 , CJA 2400 , and CJA 2600 .