Criminal Justice (B.S.)

Program Requirements

General Education 23 Requirements
33 credit hours33
Criminal Justice Major Requirements (42 credit hours)
Core Courses (18 credit hours)
CRJ 101INTRODUCTION TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE3
CRJ 201CRIMINAL LAW3
CRJ 202THE POLICE PROCESS3
CRJ 204THE CORRECTIONAL PROCESS3
CRJ 303CRIMINAL JUSTICE THEORY AND IDEOLOGY3
CRJ 315RESEARCH METHODS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE3
Supporting Courses (6 credit hours)
Select two from the following:6
INTRODUCTION TO INTELLIGENCE ANALYSIS
POLICE ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT
CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND THE COMMUNITY
THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM
PROBATION, PAROLE, AND COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS
COMPARATIVE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
CRIME PREVENTION
CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE
CRIMINAL COURTS
CRIME ANALYSIS
Advanced Electives (6 credit hours)
Select two from the following:6
ADVANCED ADMINISTRATION IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE
WHITE-COLLAR AND CORPORATE CRIME
CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND PROGRAMS
PROSEMINAR IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE 1
ADVANCED ISSUES IN LAW ENFORCEMENT
ORGANIZED CRIME
ADVANCED ISSUES IN PUNISHMENT AND CORRECTIONS
DRUGS, CRIME, AND DRUG POLICY
TERRORISM AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE
ADVANCED INTELLIGENCE ANALYSIS
ADVANCED SEMINAR IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE
MOCK TRIAL
INTERNSHIP IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE 2 (3-15)
SPECIAL PROJECT 3 (1-3)
INDEPENDENT STUDY 3 (3-12)
Senior Seminar and Diversity Requirement (3 credit hours)
Select one from the following:
RACE, ETHNICITY, AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE
GENDER AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE
Statistics Core Requirement (3 credit hours)
Select one from the following:3
STATISTICS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE
STATISTICS FOR ECONOMICS
INTRODUCTORY PROBABILITY AND STATISTICS
STATISTICS IN PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH
SOCIAL STATISTICS
Professional, Behavioral, and Social Science Electives (6 credit hours)
Select two courses from two different departments:
FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY
FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING
BUSINESS LAW I
PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
PERSPECTIVES ON CHILD ABUSE AND ADVOCACY
CREATIVE APPROACHES TO PROBLEM SOLVING
WOMEN IN THE ECONOMY
URBAN ECONOMICS
PUBLIC FINANCE
INTRODUCTION TO THE ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF LAW
WRITING FOR THE PROFESSIONS
TECHNICAL WRITING
CHEMISTRY AND CRIMINALISTICS (4)
PSYCHOACTIVE DRUGS AND HEALTH
ALCOHOL PROBLEMS
AMERICAN IMMIGRATION AND EMIGRATION
AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY
AFRICAN AMERICANS AND CIVIL RIGHTS
ADVANCED LIBRARY RESEARCH METHODS
ADMINISTRATIVE PRACTICES IN PUBLIC AND NONPROFIT SECTORS
PHILOSOPHY OF LAW
HISTORY OF ETHICS
RIGHTS AND RESPECT
MAPS AND MAPMAKING USING GIS
NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
LEGISLATIVE PROCESS
STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
U.S. CONSTITUTIONAL LAW
GAY, LESBIAN, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER, QUESTIONING POLITICS
U.S. CIVIL LIBERTIES
CIVIL PROCEDURE
POLITICS AND HISTORY OF THE MIDDLE EAST
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
AMERICAN PUBLIC POLICY
DISCRIMINATION AND THE U.S. CONSTITUTION
SOCIAL BEHAVIOR
ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR
FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY
HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY
ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY
ABNORMAL CHILD PSYCHOLOGY
PSYCHOTHERAPY: THEORY, RESEARCH, AND PROCEDURES
WORLD RELIGIONS
FUNDAMENTALS OF SAFETY
PERSONAL SAFETY AND FIRST AID
COMMUNITY SAFETY
AMERICAN IDENTITY IN TRANSITION: DIVERSITY AND PLURALISM IN THE UNITED STATES
THE AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILY
SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
SOCIOLOGY OF THE CITY
POWER, CLASS, AND INEQUALITY
SOCIOLOGY OF RACE AND ETHNICITY
ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIETY
SOCIOLOGY OF DEVIANT BEHAVIOR
SOCIOLOGY OF CRIME
SOCIOLOGY OF LAW
SOCIOLOGY OF PUNISHMENT AND CORRECTIONS
SOCIOLOGY OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
SOCIOLOGY OF MENTAL ILLNESS
INTERMEDIATE SPANISH I
PUBLIC SPEAKING
GROUP COMMUNICATON
INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
POVERTY AND PUBLIC POLICY
All College Electives
39-45 credit hours39-45
Total Credit Hours 120

 The Criminal Justice Department offers three concentrations for students who would like to specialize in a particular field of criminal justice.  To register for a concentration, please see the Department.  Students who do not select a concentration are automatically placed in the integrated concentration that allows students to tailor their major by choosing their supporting and advanced electives to fit their educational and career goals. 

Concentration in Policing

The primary objective of the policing concentration is to provide students with the appropriate foundation for understanding policing issues. It helps prepare students for professional careers in law enforcement available in federal, state, local, or private justice-related organizations.

Supporting Courses:
CRJ 301POLICE ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT3
CRJ 317CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE3
Advanced Electives:
CRJ 409ADVANCED ISSUES IN LAW ENFORCEMENT3
CRJ 440DRUGS, CRIME, AND DRUG POLICY3

Concentration in Corrections

The primary objective of the corrections concentration is to enhance students’ knowledge of correctional programs, policies, and issues.  It helps prepare students for professional careers in institutional or community-based correctional programs available in federal, state, local, or privately-run organizations.

Supporting Courses:
CRJ 302CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND THE COMMUNITY3
CRJ 306PROBATION, PAROLE, AND COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS3
Advanced Electives:
CRJ 406CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND PROGRAMS3
CRJ 420ADVANCED ISSUES IN PUNISHMENT AND CORRECTIONS3

Concentration in Intelligence Analysis

The primary objective of the intelligence analysis concentration is to allow students to develop competency and practical knowledge of intelligence analysis issues and techniques.  It helps prepare students for professional careers in intelligence and/or crime analysis in government agencies or law enforcement available in federal, state, or local organizations. 

Supporting Courses:
CRJ 250INTRODUCTION TO INTELLIGENCE ANALYSIS3
CRJ 355CRIME ANALYSIS3
Advanced Electives:
CRJ 450TERRORISM AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE3
CRJ 455ADVANCED INTELLIGENCE ANALYSIS3
1

CRJ 408 may be taken 3 times as long as 3 different topics are taken. Only two CRJ 408 courses will apply to the CRJ major.  If you take more than 3 CRJ 408 courses, the extra courses will be invalid and you will not receive credit.

2

CRJ 488 requires senior class standing, a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 at Buffalo State and/or Instructor Permission. 

3

CRJ 495 and CRJ 499 require senior class standing and a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 at Buffalo State. No more than one CRJ 499 and/or CRJ 495 course may be used in the major and none may be used in the major if taken prior to successful completion of CRJ 315 without written consent of the department.

Students are able to:

  1. Demonstrate knowledge of legal principles governing criminal justice.
  2. Demonstrate an appropriate understanding of the theories and ideologies of crime and their interactive influences with criminal justice policies and practices.
  3. Demonstrate knowledge of the organization and process in criminal justice agencies.
  4. Demonstrate knowledge of the effects of crime control efforts.
  5. Demonstrate knowledge of the research process in criminal justice.
  6. Demonstrate critical thinking.
  7. Demonstrate preparation for a career in criminal justice or graduate study.