The Minor in Criminal Justice is designed to prepare students to work in a variety of criminal justice settings and cultivate an appreciation for the complexities of justice, crime and corrections. The curriculum is designed to provide a foundation for students who are interested in a career in criminal justice settings as a specialty of their major field, students interested in issues of justice and crime, or non-matriculated students who are already employed in criminal justice settings and seek additional coursework as a means of advancing their careers. A minor in criminal justice enables non-majors to gain a broad appreciation of the criminal justice system, of the problems confronting justice today, and of the policies that are designed to solve these persistent problems. Students minoring in criminal justice must complete a totaling of 18 credit hours in specific criminal justice courses.
The Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Criminal Justice is offered for those students who complete the outlined program of study and meet the requirements of the Department of Criminal Justice and the College of Professional Studies.
Major/Graduation Requirements: A minimum of 33 semester hours in Criminal Justice and other liberal arts and general education courses. A total of 120 credit hours is required to graduate.
The Department of Criminal Justice offers the Bachelor of Science (BS) in Criminal Justice. It also offers an area of concentration in Paralegal Studies. Students seeking a B.S. in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Paralegal Studies are required to complete 21 hours of core courses in paralegal studies and 21 hours of course work in criminal justice. Other requirements include courses in general education and the cognate electives. A total of 120 credit hours is required.
Only grades of “C” or higher are acceptable in major and supporting courses as transfer credits. The student should maintain a grade of “C” or higher in their major courses.
The interdisciplinary Master of Science program with a major in Criminal Justice is designed to provide students with a high-quality education through intensive study under the tutelage of a dedicated and professional faculty. The purpose of the program is to provide students with the latest theories and methods that will be of benefit to both practitioners and researchers as they pursue career and educational objectives. A major effort of the program is devoted toward teaching students how to analyze complex problems and research innovative but practical solutions to those problems. Please contact Graduate Studies for admission requirements.
The Ph.D. program in Criminology and Justice Administration is designed to provide an interdisciplinary academic experience that will prepare professionally qualified leaders to serve effectively and efficiently in bringing about equity, reform, and justice to society while assisting in holding individuals accountable at all levels of the criminal justice system and related areas. A minimum of 57 credit hours beyond the master’s degree is required to complete the Ph.D. in Criminology and Justice Administration. This includes a minimum of 21 hours of core courses, 12 hours of research methods and analytical technique courses, 12 hours of dissertation courses, and 12 hours of electives. Students may choose from one of two areas of concentration in Minority and Social Injustices or Justice Policy Administration; the 12 hours of electives required for the program may come from satisfying either one of these areas of concentration. Students’ will advance to Ph.D. candidacy by successfully completing all required courses, passing the qualifying and comprehensive examinations, and defending their dissertation proposals. To earn the degree, students must pass a final oral defense of the dissertation.
Students applying for admission to the doctoral program must meet the admission standards of Grambling State University’s Graduate Studies. Applicants should have a master’s degree or its equivalent in a degree program from an accredited institution of higher education with a grade point average of at least 3.2 cumulative in previous graduate work. Each graduate student who is admitted must present evidence of taking the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). International applicants whose first language is not English and who have not completed a degree in the United States are required to take and pass the TOEFL with an internet based score of 74, a computer-based score of 213, or paper- based score of 550.
Concentrations and Curriculum
The programs concentrations are Minorities and Social Injustices and Justice Policy Administration. Students must take a total of 12 hours from the courses listed under their chosen concentration:
| CJA 606 | Cultural Criminology, Media and Crime |
| CJA 637 | Current Policies in Corrections |
| CJA 653 | Seminar in Environmental Justice |
| CJA 657 | Social Policy and Justice |
| CJA 658 | Seminar: Social Movement, Community Organizing, and Social Justice |
| CJA 660 | Special Topics in Criminology and Justice |
| CJA 634 | Juvenile Justice Systems |
| CJA 635 | Policies and Programs in the Criminal Justice System |
| CJA 637 | Current Policies in Corrections |
| CJA 642 | Homeland Security for Emergency Management |
| CJA 660 | Special Topics in Criminology and Justice |
| CJA 711 | Seminar in Organization and Administration of Justice |
*The application deadline for the Ph.D. program has been extended to Friday, February 16, 2024.