Criminal Justice| Major

Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Science

The Criminal Justice Degree is an interdisciplinary major comprised of courses in criminal justice, legal studies, psychology, and the social sciences. You will be exposed to a variety of different perspectives on law, justice, and human behavior. Many of the faculty are experts in the field including practicing lawyers and other clinicians.

Requirements for Criminal Justice Major

Students seeking a Criminal Justice Bachelor Degree required to take 47 semester credits including:

• CJ 101 Introduction to Criminal Justice (3 SH)

• CJ 220 Criminal Law and Procedure (3 SH)

• CJ 201 Law Enforcement (3 SH)

• CJ 202 Corrections (3 SH)

• CJ 203 Criminology Theory (3 SH)

• CJ 350 Internship in Criminal Justice (4 SH)

• CJ 400 Senior Practicum (3 SH)

• PS 204 Statistics (4 SH)

• SS 334 Methods of Field Research (3 SH)

Criminal Justice Classes Group 1

Students seeking a Criminal Justice Degree are required to take 18 semester credits from the following:

• BI 211 Forensic Science (3 SH)

• BI 211L Forensic Science Lab (1 SH)

• CJ 230 Investigative Techniques (3 SH)

• CJ 330 Juvenile Delinquency (3 SH)

• CJ 311 Landmark Cases in Mental Health and Law (3 SH)

• CJ 327 Death Penalty in America (3 SH)

• CJ 331 Judicial Process (3 SH)

• CJ 345 Psychology and Law (3 SH)

• CJ 325 Race and Crime

• CJ 3xx Criminal Evidence

• CJ 270 / 370 / 470 Special Topics in Criminal Justice (3-4 SH)

• MN 200 Introduction to Management (3 SH)

• SO 112 Social Issues (3 SH)

• SO 225 Race, Ethnic, and Minority Relations (3 SH)

• PS 220 Child Psychology (3 SH)

• PS 232 Social Psychology (3 SH)

• PS 329 Abnormal Psychology (3 SH)

Optional Concentration Criminal Justice - Legal Studies Concentration

Students must be majoring in Criminal Justice to declare this concentration. Concentration requires 18 semester credits from the following:

• CJ 110 Introduction to Legal Assisting

• CJ 230 Investigative Techniques

• CJ 222 Civil Litigation and Procedure

• CJ 210 Principles of Legal Research and Writing I

• CJ 303 Taxes and Culture Clinic I

• CJ 311 Landmark Cases in Mental Health and Law

• CJ 312 Legal Issues in Sports

• CJ 315 Business Law I

• CJ 316 Business Law II

• CJ 327 Death Penalty in America

• CJ 332 International Business Law

• CJ 345 Psychology and Law

• CJ 331 Judicial Process

About the Criminal Justice Degree at Lake Erie College in Painesville, Ohio

Lake Erie College is proud to offer one of the most hands-on Criminal Justice programs in Ohio. Students combine passion with service as they complete internships and volunteer projects that sharpen their vision for the future and aid their community.

Community projects that criminal justice students have engaged in are:

• washing patrol cars for the Painesville Police Department

• opioid epidemic awareness campaigns

Internships in Criminal Justice

Criminal Justice students are all required to complete an internship that advances their career paths and helps them in the future. Students get hands on experience in their internships, such as ride-alongs with police officers and sitting in on hearings. Examples of places students have interned include local police departments as well as law firms, such as:

• U.S. Marshal Service

• Lake Metroparks

• Juvenile Courts for Lake, Ashtabula, and Geauga Counties

• Painesville Police Department

• Mentor Municipal Courts

Conference Presentations

Criminal Justice students also get research and presentation opportunities in regional and national conferences. Students will work together to design research projects and present at conferences, allowing them to network with and meet experts in the field of criminal justice. Conferences include:

• The Annual Conference of the American Society of Criminology

• Annual Conference of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences

• Midwestern Criminal Justice Association Annual Conference

• Northeaster Association of Criminal Justice Sciences Annual Conference

• and more

Job Opportunities for Criminal Justice Majors

Lake Erie College students who get a bachelors in Criminal Justice can go into a variety of fields, such as law enforcement and victim advocacy. Students can also go on to become a paralegal or court reporter for a county's court, but many students use the Criminal Justice degree as a stepping stone before going into law school to become an attorney. Potential jobs for criminal justice majors include:

• law enforcement / police officer

• courtroom reporter or bailiff

• corrections officer

• probation officer

• parole officer

• juvenile detention officer

• victim advocate

• attorney

Criminal Justice Student Success

• Kristin and Kaitlyn Peacock were Criminal Justice students that went into the police academy right after graduating in 2020. Kaitlyn now works in the Wickliffe Police Department and Kristin works at the Newark Police Department.

• Lyric Stancliff graduated in Fall 2021 and is attending Kent State University to get her Masters in Victimology.