Criminal Justice, B.A.

Available in both traditional and fully-online formats.

The major consists of a 24-credit-hour core and 24 credit hours of additional requirements. Core courses provide a conceptual understanding of criminal justice institutions and processes, theories of crime and punishment, ethics, and social science research methods. Rather than training individuals for a particular occupation through instruction in specific vocational skills, the program offers a broad, liberal education focused on the cultivation of analytical and creative thought and on the ability to read, write, and speak effectively.

The degree is also available in a fully-online format; interested students should contact Distance and Online Learning for more information. JUS online course offerings in the fall and spring semesters are set up for students enrolled in our criminal justice online program. Thus, we do not give permits for face-to-face students to enroll in online restricted classes (those designated ONLR). However, depending on the enrollment numbers in the online restricted sections, and the incoming online student population, we may release some seats from the restricted sections to the online non-restricted sections (those designated ONL) immediately after the priority registration deadline and again just before classes begin. Students interested in the online section of a course must check myNKU for openings in the online non-restricted (ONL) section of those courses after priority registration and before classes begin.

Students majoring or minoring in criminal justice must earn at least a C- in each course counted as part of the major or minor. At least 24 hours of JUS courses must be earned in residence at NKU. A maximum of 6 hours of JUS 496 may be counted toward the major.

Special admission requirements: To declare a major in political science, criminal justice, organizational leadership, or international studies, students - including transfer students - must have earned a GPA of at least 2.0 in all prior college work. First-semester students who wish to declare a major in one of the above programs are required to have ACT scores of at least 18 for English, Math, and Reading or SAT scores of at least 430 for Math and Writing and 450 for Critical Reading, or 23.5 for Math and 25 for Reading, Writing, and Language.

Four-Year Plan: Click here  to view the Four-Year Plan for this specific program. To find out more about Four-Year Plans, visit the Policies and Procedures  page.

♦  Indicates prerequisite.

These prerequisites are not included in the program totals in the table below, but they must be completed IN ADDITION TO other program requirements.