UMass Lowell's Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice offers a strong concentration in professional courses while simultaneously assuring the student a traditional, well-rounded liberal arts education. Students typically take from 36 to 48 credits of professional courses.
In addition, students majoring in Criminal Justice will fulfill a
professional skills requirement. This consists of either attaining
intermediate proficiency in a modern foreign language or completing four
statistics/information
technology/data analysis related courses. While many of the courses in
this program are in the traditional, face-to-face classroom format,
students also have the option of taking some of their courses online.
Refer to the web course listing each semester to check the availability
of on campus and online courses.
Questions About this Program?
Contact our Student Support Center at (978) 934-2474 or email Continuing_Education@uml.edu if you have questions or need assistance with course selection.
Suggested Course of Study - Total Credits 120
The following course outline, which lists 3 courses each semester, is only a suggested course load. First-year students should not take more than 1 or 2 courses their first semester. Subsequent course loads may be determined by the student's own personal time constraints. Note: A 2.2 cumulative average overall and a 2.5 average in the major are necessary for graduation.
FIRST YEAR
First Semester
42.101 College Writing I - 3cr.
44.101 The Criminal Justice System - 3cr.
--.--- Skills Requirement I - 3cr.
Total Credits: 9
Second Semester
42.102 College Writing II - 3cr.
41.234 Criminal Law - 3cr.
--.--- Skills Requirement II - 3cr.
Total Credits: 9
SECOND YEAR
First Semester
--.--- General Education - Social Sciences( SS) - 3cr.
92.183 General Education - Mathematics
(Introduction to Statistics)
OR 92.283 Statistics for Behavioral Sciences
(recommended) - 3cr.
Total Credits: 6
Second Semester
--.--- General Education - Social Sciences (SS) - 3cr.
--.--- General Education - Science* - 3cr.
Total Credits: 6
THIRD YEAR
First Semester
44.221 Criminology I - 3cr.
44.--- Criminal Justice Elective - 3cr.
--.--- Criminal Justice Collateral - 3cr.
Total Credits: 9
Second Semester
44.--- Criminal Justice Elective - 3cr.
--.--- Skills Requirement III - 3cr.
--.--- General Education - Science* - 3cr.
Total Credits: 9
FOURTH YEAR
First Semester
--.--- Skills Requirement IV - 3cr.
--.--- General Education - Arts & Humanities (AH) - 3cr.
44.390 Introduction to Criminal Justice Research
- 3cr.
Total Credits: 9
Second Semester
--.--- General Education - Arts & Humanities (AH) - 3cr.
--.--- Free Elective - 3cr.
44.370 Criminal Justice Management - 3cr.
Total Credits: 9
FIFTH YEAR
First Semester
44.--- Criminal Justice Elective - 3cr.
--.--- Criminal Justice Collateral - 3cr.
--.--- General Education - Arts & Humanities (AH) - 3cr.
Total Credits: 9
Second Semester
44.3--/44.4-- Criminal Justice Elective - 3cr.
44.-- Criminal Justice Elective - 3cr.
--.--- Criminal Justice Collateral - 3cr.
Total Credits: 9
SIXTH YEAR
First Semester
--.--- Free Elective - 3cr.
44.3--/44.4-- Criminal Justice Elective - 3cr.
--.--- Criminal Justice Collateral - 3cr.
Total Credits: 9
Second Semester
--.--- General Education - Science* - 3cr.
44.371 Criminal Justice Planning and Evaluation -
3cr.
--.--- Criminal Justice Collateral - 3cr.
Total Credits: 9
SEVENTH YEAR
First Semester
--.--- Criminal Justice Collateral - 3cr.
--.--- General Education - Social Sciences (SS) - 3cr.
--.--- Free Elective - 3cr.
Total Credits: 9
Second Semester
-.--- Free Elective - 3cr.
-.--- Free Elective - 3cr.
-.--- Free Elective - 3cr.
Total Credits: 9
* Science: three courses, nine credits minimum, with at least two courses that include some form of experimental learning.
Criminal Justice Requirements:
36 - 48 credits
The major in the Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice
consists of at least 36 credits in criminal justice courses, of
which at least 15 credits should be at the 300 level or above.
Collateral Requirements: 18 credits
In addition to the major courses and the professional skills area, Criminal Justice majors should select six courses from the following list of collateral courses. Courses used to fulfill the professional skills requirement may be used toward fulfillment of this requirement. The following is a list of suggested collateral courses from which students may choose:
41.261 Introduction to Legal Concepts
41.262 Introduction to Business Law
41.363 Corporate and Property Law
41.369 The Courts and the Constitution
41.376 Family Law
41.381 Women and the Law
41.383 Alternative Dispute Resolution
42.382 Crime in Literature
43.216 American Urban History I
43.217 American Urban History II
43.268 History of the Family and Childhood in the
U.S.
43.308 History of Crime, Conflict, and Social
Control in the U.S.
43.349 The Cuban Revolution
44.435 Alternative Dispute Resolution
45.203 Introduction to Ethics
46.105 Introduction to Public Policy
46.230 Law and the Legal System
46.265 State and Local Politics
46.270 Legislative Politics
46.345 Constitutional Law and Politics
46.347 Civil Liberties, Law and Politics
46.355 Government Fiscal Policy
46.356 Public Policy Analysis
46.360 European Politics
47.209 Social Psychology
47.232 Psychology of Personality
47.260 Child and Adolescent Development
47.272 Abnormal Psychology
47.360 Adult Development and Aging(Formerly Human Development II)
47.364 Psychology of Crime and Corrections
48.231 Sociology of the Family
48.234 Study of Minorities
48.235 Black Experience in American Life
48.255 Social Deviance
48.256 Political Sociology
48.341 Wealth, Status and Power
48.345 Urban Sociology
48.361 Sociology of Law and the Criminal Justice
System
48.402 Social Research
92.183 Introduction to Statistics
92.363 Introduction to Data Analysis
All courses in the Criminal Justice major are regarded as professional courses and are not accepted either in transfer or as elective options in other degree programs in the College of Arts and Sciences, except for the following:
44.101 The Criminal Justice System
44.221 Criminology I
44.234 Criminal Law
44.261 Juvenile Delinquency
44.321 Criminology II
44.335 Juvenile Court: Philosophy and Practice
Professional Skills: 12 credits
Students are required to meet proficiency standards in one of
the following:
a. Intermediate proficiency in a modern language, preferably
Spanish
OR
b. Computer programming and statistics, proficiency to be demonstrated by passing a minimum of four courses (9 credits in the Mathematics Department) from the following approved list:
44.201 Computer Applications in Criminal Justice or equivalent,
PLUS
91.113 Exploring the Internet or another approved course (see Advisor or Department Chair)
Then the student completes the requirement by taking the
following:
92.183 Introduction to Statistics
OR
92.283 Statistics for Behavioral Sciences
AND ONE OF:
92.363 Introduction to Data Analysis
43.335 Quantitative Methods
Free Electives: Remaining Credits
Please note that from among all electives, either collateral or
free electives, that the student presents for graduation, at
least two must be at the 300 or 400 course level.
There are three main areas of tracks which a student may elect: Enforcement, Law and the Courts, or Corrections. Courses suggested for one track are not exclusive, and some crossover is desirable.
Enforcement
44.101 The Criminal Justice System
44.141 Police Functions
44.221 Criminology I
44.233 Criminal Procedure
44.234 Criminal Law
44.243 Criminalistics I
44.244 Criminalistics II
44.261 Juvenile Delinquency
44.341 Comparative Police Systems
44.370 Criminal Justice Management
44.371 Criminal Justice Planning and Evaluation
44.373 Issues in Police Administration
44.390 Introduction to Criminal Justice Research
44.490 Criminal Justice Research Seminar
Law and the Courts
44.101 The Criminal Justice System
44.221 Criminology I
44.233 Criminal Procedure
44.234 Criminal Law
44.261 Juvenile Delinquency
44.321 Criminology II
44.331 Penal Law
44.335 Juvenile Court: Philosophy and Practice
44.354 Probation and Parole
44.360 Gender, Race, and Crime
44.370 Criminal Justice Management
44.371 Criminal Justice Planning and Evaluation
44.380 Selected Issues in Criminal Justice
44.390 Introduction to Criminal Justice Research
44.490 Criminal Justice Research Seminar
46.230 Law and the Legal System
Corrections
44.101 The Criminal Justice System
44.151 Introduction to Corrections
44.221 Criminology I
44.233 Criminal Procedure
44.234 Criminal Law
44.261 Juvenile Delinquency
44.331 Penal Law
44.351 Community Based Corrections
44.354 Probation and Parole
44.370 Criminal Justice Management
44.371 Criminal Justice Planning and Evaluation
44.372 Issues in Correctional Administration
44.390 Introduction to Criminal Justice Research
44.490 Criminal Justice Research Seminar
46.230 Law and the Legal System
Admission Into the Program
Apply Into a Part-Time Undergraduate Degree
Register for Courses
Approximately 2 months prior to the start of each semester, Online and Continuing Education posts the new course schedule to the website. Once you've decided which course(s) you would like to take, returning students can register using ISIS self-service, while new students must use the New Student Registration Form.
Questions? Contact Us!
Email our Student Support Center for assistance, or call for advising at (800) 480-3190 and press 3 to speak with an advisor. See links at the bottom of this page for technical assistance with your online course.