123 credits required for graduation

The School of Liberal Arts offers the Bachelors of Science degree with a major in Criminal Justice/Criminology.  The B.S. in Criminal Justice / Criminology is an intensive overview of each of the components of the criminal justice system as well as an analysis of the societal and behavioral influence of deviant behavior.

The Criminal Justice/Criminology program emphasizes a theory-into practice approach. Students will complete a seven course common core curriculum and then additional Criminal Justice and Criminology courses. Students will be exposed to current national and international trends in Criminal Justice studies. Students graduating from the GGC Criminal Justice/Criminology program will be capable of meeting the academic needs of agencies which comprise the Criminal Justice system and using their academic foundations to continue at the graduate level in Criminal Justice, Criminology, Public Administration, Legal Studies or other graduate programs.

 

Curriculum

General Education Requirements (60 hours)

The primary objective of the general education requirements is to guarantee that all students seeking a Bachelors of Science in Criminal Justice/Criminology (BS) degree will share a common body of knowledge drawn from a broad spectrum of subject areas.

Additional Requirements (3 hours)

The physical education requirement is comprised of one credit hour of Wellness, two credit hours of additional Physical Education courses.

Legislative Requirements

Georgia law requires that each candidate for a degree demonstrate knowledge of the history and constitution on the United States and Georgia. These requirements may be met by receiving a passing grade in certain courses, or by passing the appropriate examination. The courses and the requirement(s) each course satisfies are as follows:

1. HIST 2111  or HIST 2112  satisfies the Georgia and U.S. history requirement (if taken at a University System of Georgia institution).
2. POLS 1101  satisfies the Georgia and US Constitution requirement (if taken at a University System of Georgia institution).
3. Students with transfer credit (HIST 2111  , HIST 2112  or POLS 1101 ) from outside the University System of Georgia will need to contact the Testing Center regarding the legislative exams requirement.

Major Requirements (60 hours)

The major requirements consist of three areas of study: Criminal Justice/Criminology Core, Concentrations, and General Electives. The Criminal Justice/Criminology Core is designed to ensure that students receiving the BS degree in Criminal Justice/Criminology will share a common body of knowledge needed for a wide range of private and public sector organizations. Concentration courses allow students to delve further into areas of specialization. General Electives give students an opportunity to explore topics of interest at an advanced level.

Program Outcome Goals

Bachelor of Science - Criminal Justice/Criminology

1. Assess the functions, operations, and ethics in core components of the criminal justice system, such as police, courts, and corrections.
2. Effectively communicate in oral and written form information and ideas relevant to Criminal Justice/Criminology
3. Apply scientific methodology and examine data
4. Analyze the major criminological theories