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Criminal Justice

Working in law enforcement is a rewarding career that allows you to improve the quality of life in our communities. Our Criminal Justice major is designed to give you an understanding of both the criminal justice system in America and the school of criminology, in addition to sociological, psychological, biological, and ethical issues of concern to those who work in the field. It’s a major for those interested in the interrelationships between the criminal justice system and society. With this degree, you can pursue a career in law enforcement, government, teaching or private industry.

Why Grand View?

Develop a greater understanding of the criminal and juvenile justice processes
Apply criminal justice theory to real-world situations
Analyze and interpret criminal justice system data
Formulate ethical responses to professional situations
Available entirely online
Both the traditional major and the 2+2 program are available entirely online, which allows you to continue your education while working in the field at the same time

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Degree Level:

Undergraduate Programs

Program Type:

Major

Format:

Full Time, In-Person, Online

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Student Testimonial

Dr. Ahmadu Baba-Singhri

“Dr. Baba-Singhri has completely given me a new perspective on different topics concerning criminal justice. I truly believe he is the best instructor at Grand View." - Kyle Nitz

Career Options

Police Officers
Detectives
Correctional Officers
Crime Scene Investigators
Fraud Investigators
TSA / Homeland Security
Forensic Specialists
Law School
Immigration / Customs Enforcement
Division of Criminal Investigation
State Troopers
Probation Officers
Postal Inspectors
U.S. Marshals
Cyber Security
FBI
Public Safety
Secret Service

Program Details

Grand View University offers students two programs to develop a program of study leading to a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice. Both programs in the Criminal Justice major offered by Grand View University are designed to provide students an understanding of both the criminal justice system in America as well as some of the principal issues that are of concern to those who work in this field. Graduates are employed by law enforcement, corrections, and juvenile justice organizations.

Course Requirements (42-43 credits)

STAT 241 or PSYC 239	Principles of Statistics or Statistics for the Social Sciences	4 credits or 3 credits
SOCS 155	Introduction to Criminal Justice	3 credits
SOCS 220	Corrections and Penology	3 credits
SOCS 315	Social Problems	3 credits
SOCS 318	Criminological Theory	3 credits
SOCS 340	Juvenile Justice and Gangs	3 credits
SOCS 347	Criminal Law and Procedures	3 credits
POLS/SOCS 350	Research Methods for the Social Sciences	3 credits
SOCS 360	Police and Society	3 credits
SOCS 399	Internship	3 credits
SOCS 420	Forensic Science and Crime Scene Investigation	3 credits
SOCS 455	Criminal Justice Capstone	3 credits

Choose 6 credits from the following:

POLS 315	Introduction to Public Administration	3 credits
SOCS 215	Race and Ethnic Relations	3 credits
SOCS 331	Crime and the Media	1 credit
SOCS 334	Serial Killers	1 credit
SOCS 335	Violence in the Workplace	1 credit
PSYC/SOCS 362	Forensic Socio-Psychology	3 credits
SOCS 363	Domestic Violence	1 credit
SOCS 364	Dysfunctional Family	1 credit
SOCS 365	Divorce in America	1 credit
SOCS 367	White Collar Crime	3 credits
SOCS 375	Homeland Security and Law Enforcement	3 credits
SOCS 380	Topics in Non-violence	3 credits
SOCS 430	Special Topics	1-4 credits

These courses will be counted in computing the GPA for the major.

Criminal Justice Minor

The academic minor is a secondary area/field of specialized study for Grand View University baccalaureate degree candidates. Students seeking to complete the requirements for an academic minor earn between 18 and 24 semester hours of credit in a second field/area of study. Students who already hold a baccalaureate degree are eligible to complete the requirements for an academic minor, but are not awarded a second baccalaureate degree for their work. Students who select a baccalaureate degree minor must earn at least six hours in their minor field of study at Grand View University and must earn a 2.2 GPA in courses required for the minor.

Students who complete an academic minor in Criminal Justice will be able to:

Identify the major areas of the criminal justice system: policing, courts, law, and corrections.
Explain the role of the criminal justice system in protecting and sanctioning its citizens.
Apply criminological theories to deviant behavior and approaches to corrections and rehabilitation.

Course Requirements (18 credits)

SOCS 155

Principles of Statistics or
Statistics for the Social Sciences

3 credits

SOCS 318

Corrections and Penology

3 credits

Eleven credits of electives, nine of which must be upper division (300/400).

Electives can include: SOCS 220, PSYC 277, POLS 340, POLS 341, SOCS 331, SOCS 334, SOCS 335, SOCS 340, SOCS 347, SOCS 360, SOCS 361, SOCS 362, SOCS 363, SOCS 367, SOCS 375, SOCS 420

12 credits

Criminal Justice 2+2 Program

Transfer students with an Associate of Arts, Associate of Applied Science, or Associate of Science degree in Criminal Justice will follow the Grand View 2+2 program, while incoming freshmen and transfer students without an associate’s degree in Criminal Justice will follow the Grand View University program.

Course Requirements (24-25 credits plus associate's degree in Criminal Justice)

STAT 241 or PSYC 239	Principles of Statistics or Statistics for the Social Sciences	4 credits or 3 credits
SOCS 220	Corrections and Penology	3 credits
SOCS 318	Criminological Theory	3 credits
SOCS 347	Criminal Law and Procedures	3 credits
POLS/SOCS 350	Research Methods for the Social Sciences	3 credits
SOCS 360	Police and Society	3 credits
SOCS 420	Forensic Science and Crime Scene Investigation	3 credits
SOCS 455	Criminal Justice Capstone	3 credits

These courses will be counted in computing the GPA for the major.

Criminal Justice Plan of Study

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Tuition & Scholarships

At Grand View University, your tuition supports instruction delivered by knowledgeable and experienced faculty who uphold our tradition of exceptional teaching. Additionally, we are dedicated to offering a high-quality education at the most affordable cost.

Transfer Credits

No matter what major you’re thinking about, you may be able to transfer in as many as 75 credits from a community college or junior college. If you have an A.A. or A.A.S. from an Iowa community college, you will be automatically admitted at junior status.

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Internships & Beyond

Students pursuing a Criminal Justice degree have the opportunity to work on internships at various criminal justice agencies in Des Moines and the surrounding areas. Students have completed internships in many area businesses: Mainstream Living Inc., Fifth Judicial District-Dept. of Corrections, Polk/Warren County Juvenile Court, Iowa Department of Human Services and the Altoona Police Department.

Career Outlook

Earning a degree in criminal justice can help you get hired for many different job opportunities within the criminal justice field. While police officers make up a large portion of the professionals working in law enforcement, there are many more career options that you may want to consider.

With the wide range of roles available, you can find a job that is a good fit for your unique interests, skills, talents, and salary expectations.