The Criminal Justice curriculum leads to a bachelor of arts degree and requires a minimum of 120 credits. To earn the degree, students must complete all of the degree requirements of the University described in the Degree Requirements section of the undergraduate catalog.

The program for Criminal Justice consists of 30 credits of 3000/4000-level course work. Students who begin FAU as freshmen are required to take CCJ 2002 as a prerequisite to 3000/4000-level criminal justice courses. In this case, CCJ 2002 will apply toward the 30-credit requirement. The remaining 30 credits may be taken from electives throughout the various colleges in the University. No more than 42 credits in the major may be counted toward the degree. Additionally, the last 30 upper division credits (3000/4000-level courses) must be earned in residence at FAU.

To earn a bachelor of arts degree from a state university in Florida, students must demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language at the college level. Earning college credit at the Language II level (courses such as FRE 1121 or SPN 1121) satisfies this mandate. Students meeting the FAU foreign language admission requirement with two years of high school language have not satisfied the graduation requirement. Students must demonstrate additional proficiency either by earning Language II-level college credit or by satisfying the requirement through other means, such as the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) exam.

A minimum grade of “C” is required for every CCJ-, CJC-, CJE-, or CJL-prefixed course. If a grade below a “C” (such as “C-”) is earned in a CCJ-, CJC-, CJE-, or CJL-prefixed course, the course will not count toward any portion of the 120-credit program.

Minor in Criminal Justice

A minor in Criminal Justice shall consist of a minimum of 15 credits in upper division criminal justice courses. The student must complete:

1. Criminology, CCJ 3014, and The Criminal Justice System, CCJ 3024 (6 credits); and
2. Any three of the electives at the course level of 3000 or above (9 credits).

In the case of transfer students, a minimum of 15 credits of upper division courses with the CCJ, CJC, CJE, or CJL prefix must be taken in residence at Florida Atlantic University, including core courses, if lacking.