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College of Behavioral and Social Sciences > Criminal Justice & Criminology > Bachelor Degree in Criminal Justice and Criminology

Bachelor Degree in Criminal Justice and Criminology

With a bachelor of science degree in Criminal Justice and Criminology, you’ll gain the education you need to get started in a variety of careers in victim advocacy, law enforcement, probation and parole, corrections, law, data analyses, and digital forensics. The enriching curriculum provides a broad education on crime, the causes of criminal behavior, juvenile delinquency, victimology, and the criminal justice system.

Criminal Justice and Criminology Degree Emphasis

Format: Online or in person on the Statesboro Campus or the Armstrong Campus in Savannah
Credit Hours: 124

By emphasizing in criminal justice and criminology, you’ll receive focused training in the fundamentals of the American criminal justice system, legal processes from arrest through appeal, investigative procedures, and the factors leading to criminal behavior. You’ll build an invaluable foundation of knowledge of crime, including victimology, juvenile justice, gang-related crimes, drugs and society, violence and issues in homeland security.

Criminology Courses and Curriculum

Cybercrime Degree Emphasis

Format: Online or in person on the Armstrong Campus in Savannah
Credit Hours: 124

With a degree emphasis in cybercrime, you’ll specialize in criminal justice efforts to combat computer-oriented crimes. The program explores computer and cybercrime scene investigation and analysis techniques, computer forensics, online economic fraud, cyber harassment and stalking, exploitation and cyber terrorism.

Cybercrime Courses and Curriculum

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Criminal Justice and Criminology Minors

The Criminal Justice and Criminology program also offers two 18-credit hour minors:

Criminal Justice and Criminology
Cybercrime

Careers in Criminal Justice

  • Probation and parole officer
  • Domestic violence counselor
  • Forensic science technician
  • Loss prevention specialist
  • Local and state police
  • Criminal investigator
  • Computer forensics
  • Homeland security
  • Advocacy and law
  • Correction officer
  • Federal agencies
  • Private security
  • Legal offices
  • Caseworker
  • Detective

Honors in Criminal Justice and Criminology

In College Honors in Criminal Justice and Criminology you’ll work closely with a faculty mentor to explore your intellectual interests. The honors college provides a rigorous academic experience that will prepare you well for graduate school, law school, or professional employment. Your achievement will be recognized with an Honors College seal on your diploma and a notation on your transcript.

Honors College Requirements

Students majoring in Criminal Justice and Criminology can elect to achieve College Honors by satisfying the requirements listed below. The expectation of the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology is that students achieving honors in Criminal Justice and Criminology will distinguish themselves by conducting advanced research in the topics of justice, crime or the law.

  • Admission to the Honors College (see the Honors College site for requirements)
  • Completion of twelve hours of honors credit in Criminal Justice and Criminology.
  • Nine of these hours will be satisfied by contracting for honors in upper-level Criminal Justice and Criminology courses (CRJU courses 3000+). The contract stipulates what work above and beyond the standard course requirements qualifies the course for honors credit, and it identifies the criteria by which the student’s performance will be evaluated. All contracts must be completed and signed before the course begins, and copies furnished to the UHP Director, the department chairperson, and the student’s advisor. A contract signed by the student and instructor must be turned in to the Honors Director by Drop Day and the Honors Contract Completion form must be turned in at the conclusion of the course. Typically, contracting for honors in Criminal Justice and Criminology courses will entail an additional research project or, if the course already includes a research project, a more extensive research paper. (See UHP Guidelines for Honors Contracts for more information.)
  • The final three hours of honors credit will be satisfied by completing CRJU 4930, Criminal Justice and Criminology Honors Thesis (this course satisfies the capstone requirement for College Honors). The honors student, with the approval and guidance of a faculty mentor, plans and executes a substantial independent research project on a topic related to justice, crime, or the law. In addition to a 35-50 page research paper, students will complete a poster presentation of their research findings.

Hands-On Field Experience and Criminal Justice Internship Opportunities

Georgia Southern’s innovative internships provide the opportunity to gain valuable work experience in a supervised work environment, including:

  • State and federal correctional institutions
  • State and federal investigative agencies
  • Local law enforcement
  • Sheriff’s departments
  • Victim assistance programs
  • Criminal justice agencies
  • Adult parole

Internship Details

Course Description:
CRJU 4792: Internship in Justice Studies

The internship is a popular option that students may use to satisfy core criminal justice requirements and/ or as an upper division criminal justice elective.  Internships provide students the opportunity to utilize, in a supervised work setting, the knowledge they have gained through their course work. Students work in a variety of settings, including correctional institutions (state and federal), courts, law offices, prosecutors’ offices (investigations and victim assistance programs), sheriff’s departments, local law enforcement, state and federal investigative agencies, private policing, loss prevention in retail settings, juvenile after-care, adult parole, and other criminal justice agencies. The internship experience allows students to gain valuable work experience and develop resources and networks for career opportunities.

Course Eligibility

In order to be eligible for enrollment, students must meet the following requirements:

  • You must be at least a rising Senior, having completed a minimum of 90 credit hours, including key Justice Studies courses.
  • You must have a GPA of 2.0 or higher.
  • You must be able to pass a background check, including polygraph.
  • You must have health insurance.
  • You must locate and secure an internship prior to the start of the semester of enrollment.
  • You must complete the Internship Abstract and receive approval from the Internship Coordinator.

Students who are currently employed with a criminal justice agency must intern with another agency, a different division within their agency of employment, or assume substantially different duties and responsibilities within their agency of employment during the internship period in order to be eligible for internship credit.

Credit Hours

Internships are offered for 3-, 6-, or 9-credit hours. Students must complete a minimum of 150 contact hours (actual time spent working with the internship agency) for every three credit hours of enrollment.

For More Complete Information

Visit Internship Webpage

Download Internship Packet

Contact Information

Professor Eloise Pitt
Criminal Justice and Criminology Internship Coordinator
Office Location: 1092 Carroll Building
Phone: 912-478-8031
Fax: 912-478-5348
Email: epitt@georgiasouthern.edu.

“I actually took an investigation class with Officer Spencer Riner, and we were able to see the actual footage from some gruesome crimes committed in the surrounding area. It was a lot to take in but I thought this just might actually be something I might want to do. That was the class that really got me thinking I would, in a perfect world, start off in GBI and then work my way up to FBI.”

— Ashanté Hill
Read Ashanté’s Full Story >

Advisement

All Criminal Justice and Criminology majors, including students in the Honors College, are advised by an advisor assigned to the major.

Do You Have Questions? Contact Us!

Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology
Georgia Southern University
P.O. Box: 8105
Statesboro, GA 30460
Phone: 912-344-3500
Fax: 912-478-4999
Email: cjcrim@georgiasouthern.edu

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For all online programs:

Federal law requires colleges and universities to make certain disclosures to prospective students of these programs. These disclosures include information on the University’s authority to operate outside of Georgia, complaint processes, adverse actions, and refunds.

For required disclosures in general with regard to online programs offered by the University, visit the Office of Legal Affairs website.

Related Programs

Public Relations B.S.
International Studies B.A.
Psychology B.S.

Last updated: 12/24/2023

Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology

Georgia Southern University
P.O. Box: 8105
Statesboro, GA 30460
Phone: 912-478-8007
Fax: 912-478-4999
Email: cjcrim@georgiasouthern.edu

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